The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-02-23
KATE'S LOVERS.
Is TINT your last word, Kate?"

"Y0u have no love to give met"
"HOw many times must you ask me?'
but 1t seems that have looked into
your eyes, and that they have given
me different answer than your tongue
Deny 1t or not, Kate, your eyes have
looked into mine and told me that
Ind small place in your heart.
have seen it, say what you may, and
though your voice was silent, your
eyes, my bonny Kate. have whispered
soft promises that caused my temples
to throb and the blood to rush to my
head, until I seemed half mad Will
JOY"
She, a stalwart English lass, brown as
berry, as handsome an example of q
workingwoman rs ever lived, laughed.
1t was n musical, bewitching laugh,
but 1t sounded like a dcathknell to the
man who stood before her, with face
aflamc with passion. He was u tall
specimen Of the Anglo Saxon type of
miner. with arms like n blacksmith
and the legs and thighs of an athlete.
Kate was the daughter Of the captain
OF the mine, and came from the same
part Of England to America when the
mining industry here was almost in Its
Infancy; when there was no over pro-
duction of any ore, and fortunes were
more easily made than now. For some
time Gpffry had been sutton for her
hand, and Kate had played fast and
loose until ut times the demon of jeal-
ously ragged SO furiollsly that he was
almost beside himself. To see Ills
Kate upright as sapllng-:Katc, whose
every movement was the majesty of
motion--with the figure of a woman
and the heart and caprices Of a maid;
with the soft eyes Of n deer and the
tongue of shrcwJto see Kate, the en-
bodiment OF noble physical develop.
mcnt, In the arms Of another ut the
Dance with no. word for him, was tor.
turc, keen and exquisite. And then
when he approached her. the angry
flush upon his face. there was balm
In Gilead" in the soft glance she shot
Mt him and he forgot his resentment
In the contemplation Of her face. And
now ut the twilight time they two stood
just without the door of her fathers
cottage. The sun was going down In
haze like that seen on the ocean.
1t was not golden sunset, though SD
near its resting place, but Il sun of sill
yer, bright and shining, in harmony
with the snow-covcrcd surface Of the
earth and the grey sky. Above the
hills the shaft houses We're sharply de-
fined against the sky, and in the dis
lance the forests-tlose noble Michigan
forcsts-seem9l like Il dark fringe
around the pallid landscape. The man
drew nearer 10 the woman.
Can you deny, Kate, that,your eyes
have told me You might care for me!'
"Pshaw! A wOman's eyes, GcOffry :?
They may say many things they do not
mean"
You mean you have been playing
with mel"
'Oh, do not say So"
Kate. take carer
'Of what?"
you are playing with fire, lass, My
love must have its way-you must lie
mine"
Must? Indeed! You have pleas
ant way Of winning a woman. Surely
l may love whom ] choose"
Yes; and you love that Norwegian.
At the dance l saw how You looked Mt
hin-liow You encouraged him, while
stood aside with the rage in my heart
to kill You both. Before that scoundrel
came between us two"
You forget yourself to defame q
man behind his back. 1t is cowardly-
II he We're here"
You defend him. You love him?"
Detiantly: And IL it were true?"
He grasped her arm with a cry.
ut cannot be, Kate. You must love
40 one but myself. You belong to me,
Let go my arm"
II will not"
Coward"
perhaps"
II shall hate you"
1T is as well since you do not love
me-"
"At last understand you. despise
you now that know you. Let 20 of
my arm"
NO"
ut is the part of a man to exert
prute strength over woman. / believe
you are coward enough to strike q
woman"
"What!
He released her arm and stood be-
fore her, pale rs death. One hand lie
passed nervously through his hair, while
his features worked convulsively. She,
with figure erect, and blazing eyes.
confronted him.
IF that is your last word, good-by,"
no said. "rell your Norwegian to look
out or will kill him."
Perhaps lie Is a better man than
you"
Don't drive me too hard with your
tongue"
Next time you think to win a sweet
heart learn how to treat her."
Kate, something Expresses me.
Something is going to happen on the
my death in the mine?'
She laughed heartily.
Not Mt ALL"
Without word he turned and walked
hastily away. She watched his figure
vanish in the light Of the silver moon.
'Fool!" she said. HAS he not vet
learned that no man on earth may drive
me?"
Then she went into the Iouse and
stood thoughtfully near the window
where We're many flowers. She heard
n step behind her and began to hum
softly
Art light-hcarted lass?" said hor
fathers voice, and tho next moment she
was In his arms. He looked at her
proudly. with her noble figure, her
strong arms and her broad, handsome
face-a true woniln Of the people, a
daughter Of the mines. "Weel, thou
art no feather-weight, lass," he remark.
cd. and then escaping from him, she
went to the kitchen. where he heard her
moving about, still humming to her
self. There was knocking on the
widow. Turning she saw the Nor.
wegian and smiled pleasantly. Then
he came in and asked permission to sill
down and watch her preparations 70,
supper. This she granted and her eyes
frightened as he followed her with his
gaze. The light fell upon her hair and
there was a strange look upon her face
VIII you not stay to support" She
asked.
He assentcd eagerly. Half an houl
later Geoffry, passing by, saw them al
three sitting together. chatting gayly
With q curse he turned away and fOl
hours tramped oyer the snow In thu
darkness.
On December %, the day following
Geoffry aud tho Norwegian were work
Ing on the footwan on the third tie
up from tho level mining out the fourti
tier underhand. This portion OF til,
mine hid caved in the year previous