The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-03-03
CLOSE,AT HAND.

, az Che end OF the long, narrow, SiooIuy
road, and a dull red glow still interviewed
between the gray of the twilight and the
blackness of approaching night.
After time bulk in the dark showed
against the fading light in the sky, and as
it approached, resolved itself into the out
lines of a man. He was large and strong,
but looked ungain]y in his i'll fitting, soil
0il-stained overalls and coarse cowhide
boots.
"Lo, Debby!" he said, in a quiet voice,
swallowing the first of his words, as peo-
pie of his kind usually do
GLOW dye do SIP" replied Debby.
Then there was long pause, during
which the girl stared hard at the distant
sky, and ST stared equally hard at his
boots.
"'Ye goin tomorrow" he asked.
Debby's wandering eyes came back from
their study of the horizon and looked in
his frank, open, freckled face, and she nod
ded an affirmative that she could not trust
her voice to utter.
"Takin last look round. s'pose?" he
said, watching her set face. with a yearn-
ing look in his big blue eyes,
THE tears welled up in Debb's eyes at the
word "last," and she could only nod her
head again.
ST shifted from one foot to the other, and
then returned to the attack:
sits all fixed about Rosie, 1 s'pose?"
'it''Yes," she said, in her clear cut voice, as
unlike her surroundings as she was her
self. for the girl was beautiful; Eyes,
Squire Walkers sold the house, and the
money is to be sent to the hospital, where
they will take care of her as long as she
lives. So, no matter what becomes of me-
she will never suffer, and if I ever do make
home somewhere else she can come and
live with me again."
''D the squire tell ye who bought the
placer"
mo. l didn't ask him.
Don't you think perhaps little Rosie'u
be very lonesome without yes"
Debby broke down quite at this point
and laid her head down on the old gatepost
and sobbed aloud.
81 hesitated a moment and then put hi>
big, strong arms around her and drew her
to him. He made no attempt to kiss her
but he smoothed the pretty brown hair
with his big, rough hand with q touch as
tender and gentle as q woman's.
~ Don't cry, little woman. don't cry" he
pleaded. II was big brute. There, don't
cry"
Finally Debby choked down her sobs and
swallowed her tears, and then tried to draw
away from the embrace of ST: but he he'd
her fast.
"Are you determined to go away, Deb
by" he asked.
EYES," she replied, with sudden energy:
Il am going away. Icannot stand this life
any longer. Here I've been living with
py poor little lame sister in this house for
four years all alone since father died. M
one else to speak to. and life a weary round
Of distasteful duties Oh. how hate it
all"
''Btt, Debby," said 81 slowly, don't you
link you might be worse off somewhere
re than you are hereS don't think re
lem very clear as to what you're goin to
o."
Ht"Well, I'm going to leave all this behind
,e. It's driving me mad. Pm not bad
oman, ST, indeed Pm not; and do want
70 w0rk-Pm willing to, at any late-hutI
can't to do my work under more favorable
Conditions"
II don't know as I see exactly what
you're driving at, ," replied ST, who had let
she girl go and stood facing her in the twi.
Night.
''That's just it, 81. Somehow, though
you're the best friend 1 ever had, you don't
seem to understand. Oh, how wish You
ouldl thought should be glad to go
way from this life and everything con-
nected with it, but somehow Pm not.
Even this dreary old view"- sweeping the
horizon with a graceful gesture-'does
seem very dear, and l want you to under
stand and bid me Godspeed instead Of
blaming me-"
God bless you, I can say with all my
heart" replied 81, barring his head with a
reverent but unconscious gesture; but"
he went on, 81 am sore hearted to see you
start out into the world empty handed and
trustful. Oh, Debby, let me say it again.
Just once-do stay here and marry me!
amt good enough for you, / know; but
San work for you and protect you, and I'll
Ty to satisfy all your longings-I will in
Decd"
"a II thank you, ST; but it isn't possible
= indeed it isn't. You are the dearest and
cest of men, but you have no ambition:
You don't realize that with this restless
gn8wing at my heart, there would never
be any happiness for either of us here. /
could not be the good, contented wife that
you ought to have. have cast the die. /
am going out into the great world. There
will be ripple of sorrowful memory in
your heart, and then the waters of oblivion
will close over me-"
'sIt isn't too late to think better of it.
Debby. l bought the little house: it is
yours always Stay and live in it, even it
you cannot marry me. can't bear to have
you go away-not yet, at least. Debby,
your ideas of ambition and mine are differ.
mt, but, indeed, am ambitious in my
<ay. It is my first ambition to make you
We me-"
You bought the houses" exclaimed
-bby in surprise, ignoring the rest of Sis
ech. Where on earth did you ever get
money!"
Well, l saved it up. I've been trying |
- be little ambitious, you see."
Debby stared at him a moment in blank |