Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-04-18

ject she was examining, and lower and
lower, as the twilight deepened, until
her face was entirely hidden from me.
When had finished we sat some time
in silence.
"This pin, she remarked at last, "must
have been cut at Rome"
1T was"
81 thought SO. They cut them beau
tifully there"
"Were you ever in Rome?"
"And the child she went on, with
out needing my question, "she really
prevented your becoming a-murdererT
"Would you have SO regarded me-? l
looked at her anxiously. Indeed there
was that in her manner, as well as her
words, which made me tremble.
Eyes, and more;" she raised her eyes
and fixed them full upon mine; ''a cow
ard"
Great heavens! How like the look Of
the face of Della in my dream of years
before!
"And you have given up all expecta-
ton of ever seeing the child again. she
asked, turning her eyes from me to the
cameo.
81 scarcely know if I should wish to
meet her."
"WhyY'
"Under an impulse of gratitude for
the unknowing part she had taken in
preventing my being a-murderer"-
"And coward" she interrupted.
"And coward" admitted, II made
a silly, sentimental VOW"
What VOW" she frowned.
"'That no other person should be my
wife; that would seek her, and when
found, if ever, | would win her.
Surprising that she would be willing?'
she added, not giving me time to finish.
It was plain that I had antagonized her.
"Of course"
"Well?"
''Since then"-I looked out at the
peaceful moon, at the deepening shad-
ows, the gilded face of the rocks-"since
then l have met one who has driven the
child image from my mind-I fear from
my heart"
We sat without speaking, each wait
ing for the other to break the silence.
''You have spoiled q pretty story" she
said somewhat sadly. you should have
been true to the little girl. How do you
know but that she is treasuring the mate
to your pin?"
''She was too young"
''How old did you say?"
"Seven, perhaps"
"Seven! That's not too young. Twas
impressed myself at that age"
MAY ask, are you true to that i'm
pression?'
She hesitated. II have treasured an
ideal. But must go in," she added in
another moment, and rising she moved
toward window opening on to the porch
from the drawing room.
"Good night"
She stepped in at the window. AS
she crossed the sill and entered the brill
iantly lighted room she turned. A
smile, frank, happy smile broke over
her face. It bespoke the merry side of
her disposition; a certain witchery that,
seen between moonlight and gaslight,
made me wonder for a moment if she
were not veritable witch. In another
moment she was gone.
That night I dreamed. was again
in the park in Germany. 1t was night
the "humida nox" of Virgil-a night
suggestive of cypress, of exuberant ver-
dure, of hanging bough and twisting
vine, all seen by the light of a waning
moon. The image of former dream
walked beside me. The features of that
image had long ago faded from my men,
DRY. Now they were the features of
Miss Ward.
would you kill him because you in
suited him2 because you struck him?"
The words came strangely, as out of a
dead past.
mo, no; will kill no one. 1 am no
longer boy. I thank God l escaped
the dreadful result of that boyish folly.
1t was you who taught me what is true
courage; teach me now what is love-"
Ny dream haunted me all the next
day. I sat on rock against which the
waves beat sluggishly. There was
something in the slow surging, the
broad stretch of ocean view, the clouds
changing their fantastic shapes, that es-
pecially accorded with the condition of
my mind. My meeting when youth
with the little girl in Germany, the
transition from state of mind wherein
considered the taking of human life
quite an exhilarating affair, to one day
later, wherein was willing to risk my
own life rather than defend it from my
antagonist, began to seem strange to
me. Then my vow-it had suddenly
become menace. All these matters
kept passing and repassing while lis
tened to the ever splashing waves.
That evening met Miss Ward again.
l expected it would be my last evening
at the seashore that summer. We sat in
the nook where we had sat together so Of
ten before. Whetherit was the prospect
of my departure or suddenly impaired
knowledge of the condition of my feel
ings l do not know to this day, but the
spell that had been gathering about me
for weeks appeared suddenly intensified.