The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-08-11

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unbarred and flung open the outer door.
A yell of execration arose from the group
Of men; but in that instapt, before hand
could be laid upon Werner, Nina had
sprung forward, and threw herself on the
engineers breast, clinging about his neck.
"You shall not touch him" she cried,
with eyes ablaze. II love him. Ted
Walton, nursed your wife night and day
last winter; my father fought his way
through the snow to pray by her death
bed-you dare not take my lovers life!"
There was moments dead silence.
Werner had flung his right arm round the
heroic girl who was giving almost more
than her life for his; his left held the pis-
toll, muzzle downwards, which for Nina's
sake, he would not use, since useless
bloodshed might only bring vengeance
on her The men, all armed. stood irreso-
lutte. Walton half lowered his pistol; his
rugged face worked convulsively, Nina
still facing him with unf1lnchlhg gaze.
Then ! murmur arose among the men |;
one said: evil he promise to dismiss tho
foreman9'
II make no promises" said Werner,
firmly. "Nina-stand hack as the man
who had spoken and two or three others
made threatening movement.
II will not" She chung closer to him.
"Walton," she cried to the leader, "if
you have one spark of manhood in you,
leave this man to me. claim his life
from you. Ifyou kill him you must kill
me frst!" 80
"We must let him 60, boys" cried
Walton. s'It, is true what she says. I
could have killed any other man, but !
cannot lift my hand against her lover,
and neither shall any other man. Come
on, added Walton, "You dare not touch
him." as.zs
The men looked at each other, at Ted,
at the engineer, and the noble face of the
girl who chung to him-and yielded.
They turned away half sullenly, and went
of, followed by Ted, to whom Nina, with
trembling lips, gave a parting THANK
you, Ted Walton" and then the door was
shut and barred, and Nina was crouching
down in a low chair in the parlor, and
Werner kneeling at her feet with his face
bowed on her hands, close held in. his
clasp. The girl was quivering from head
10 foot; now, even through the joy OF
knowing she had saved q life, came the
reaction-the bitter sense of shame. She
had rather have given her life; but the
man could see only the sublimity of the
sacrifice made to save a human life; he
could only bow in speechless homage be
fore the woman who had triumphed over
woman's shame for q strangers sake.
What wonder that, even as she chung to
him, as he held her close to his breast,
all his heart went out to her, and now
kneeling at her feet he was lover in truth,
as we'll as devotee.
II cannot thank you," he whispered,
at last, brokenly, his head still bent. "No
words could speak thousandth part of
what owe you. Oh! it was no shame
to you; it was glory and honor-my life
was not worth it"
"Hush!" she said softly. 81 did no
more than duty"
The silence that followed was broken
by knock at the door, which, this time,
there was no reason to fear. It was Mr.
Medwyn. Of course, he made Werner
remain the night, having heard the story
of all that had happened. But the engi
neer insisted on returning to the works
the next day. Ted Walton, he SAID, not
not looking at Nina, was the ringleader
in the whole affair, and lie was changed
from an enemy into friend.
But before he left Werner was little
while with Nina. Perhaps he had con-
trived this, and she, for the very reason
which would lead her to avoid him, could
not openly do so. He crossed to where
she stood and took her hand, and some
thing in the touch, in his manner, made
her hold his breath.
Il can't say good by to you," he said,
in low tone. "Last night you made me
in truth what you called me in noble
fiction"
"Let me see you again." he went on
''Let me try to earn the right to give you
the life you saved. Can dare to ask q
much7"
And Nina, with beating heart, whis
pered: "Yes."
She gave him the same answer fev
weeks later, but that tune she let hin
take her into his arms and kiss her lip
a. much Is he chose. She was quite will
ing to receive the life she had saved, AMI
to give hers into Derck Verner's keeping
And she only smiles when her husband
laughingly insists that she flr't cialmet
him.
i A Veterans Experiences.