The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-15

HER SHARPLY b
confident and wrong. There are a
thousand things that may have pre-
vented your wife from coming to you
illness, possibly the result of her eX-
posure, poverty, misrepresentation of
your place of meeting, and, above all,
perhaps some false report of your own
death Has it ever occurred to you
that it is as possible 1for her to have
been deceived in that way as for your
''Wot yer say?" said Collinson, with
a vague suspicion.
What [ mean. You think yourself
justified in believing your wife dead
because she did not seek you here;
may she not feel herself equally justi-
fed in believing the same of you, be-
cause you had not sought her else
Where?'
But it was writ that she was COM
in yere and-I boarded every train
that come in that fall said Collinson,
with a new irritation unlike his usual
calm.
Except one-my dear Collinson-
except one,'' returned Chivers, holding
up a fat forefnger, smilingly. 'And
that may be the clue. Now listen!
There is still a chance of following it,
were Mr. spd US Baker. [ regret"
he added, with perfunctory cough,
chat poor Baker is dead. He was not
such an exemplary husband as you
are. my dear Collinson, and I fear
was not all that Mrs. Baker could have
wished; enough that he succumbed
from various excuses, and did not
leave me Mrs. Bakers present address.
But she has a young friend, ward,
living at the Convent Of Santa Louisa,
whose name is Miss Rivers, who can
put you in communication with her.
Now. one thing more; can under
stand your feelings and that you would
wish at once to satisfy your mind. 1t
is not, perhaps, to my interest nor
the interest of my party to advise you,
but" he continued, glancing around
him. you have an admirably secluded
position here. ON the edge of the trail,
and if you are missing from your post
tomorrow morning, shall respect your
feelings, trust TO your honor to keep
this secret, and-consider it useless to
pursue you"
There was neither shame nor pity
in his heart as the deceived man turn
ed toward him with tremulous eager
ness and grasped his hand in silent
gratitude. But the old rage and fear
returned as Collinson said gravely:
'eYou kinder put a new life inter me,
Mr. Chivers. and I wish 1 had yer
Gift q speech to tell We so. But I've
oassed my word to the Gaping thar
and TO the rest O. you folks that I'd
stand guard out yere, and l don't go
hack o. nv word. I mout and L
mount find my Sadie, but she
wouldn't think the less o me-arter
these years O. waitin-ef l stayed mere
another night to guard the mouse
keep in trust for her, and the strangers
I'VE took in on her account;
ga YOU like then" said Chivers, con-
tracing his lips, 'fbut keep your own
counsel tonight. There may be those
who would like to deter you from your
search. And now 1 will leave you
alone in this delightful moonlight.
cutie envy YOU your unrestricted COM
munion with nature. Adois, amigos,
adios''
He leaped lightly on large rock
that overhung the edge of the grade
and waved his hand.
az wouldn't do that, Mr.. Chivers,
said Collinson with concerned face;
them rocks are mighty ticklish, and
that one in partiklar. A tech some
times sends 'em scooting.
Mr.. Chivers leaped quickly to the
and disappeared down the grade.
But Collinson was no longer alone.
Hitherto his characteristic reveries had
been of the past-reminiscen in
which there was only recollection, no
imagination and very little hope. I'm
der the spell of Chivers' words his fam
CIV seemed to expand; he began to
think of his wife as she might be now
i'll, despairing, wandering
even ragged and footsore,
him dead-relapsing into
the resigned patience that had been
his own, But always a new Sadie,
whom he had never seen or known be-
fore. A faint dread, the lightest of
perhaps coming from his
very ignorance-for the first time
touched his steadfast heart and sent
chill through it. He shouldered his
weapon and walked briskly toward the
edge Of the thick-set woods There
were the fragrant essences of the lau-
rel and spruce-baked in the long-day
sunshine that had encompassed their
recesses-still coming warm to his face;
there were the strange shiftings of
temperature throughout the openings
that alternately warmed and chilled
him as he walked. 1t seemed so odd
that he should now have to seek her
instead of her coming to him; it
would never be the same meeting to
him away from tie house that he had
built for hepl He strolled back ard
looked down upon it, nesting on the
ledge The white moonlight that lay
upon it dulled the glitter of lights in
Its windows, but the sounds of laugh
ter and singing came to even his un-
fastidious ears with a sense of vague
discord. He walked back again and
began to pace before the thick-set
wood. Suddenly her stopped and lis
tened. &s
To any other ears but those accus-