The Delta independent., 1895-11-27
coov0\GeA SAa HN .. S.B.\Ap9vAC0ZI. 60.
= ITO be Com.ints ed In our mert Issue. }

| the roses treu bic on her breast.
"You talk, Craig" she said, sadly,
'as if this were part of your sacrifice
for helping me once, for being kind
friend"
| "How cruel women can be-even the
sweetest of them! How can l be diff
fercnt, when I must remember the
dead in Denver? Yet, Minny, could
talk love to you; other women have
said did that thing WELL and 1 did
7 not care for them; your little finger is
more precious to me than all the wom-
| en- have ever known"
She sighed and moved little nearer,
blush on her fair cheek.
Even to touch you, to take your
hand, seems dreadful" he cried, hasti-
ly. "What coward custom makes of
us all! If it were a year, now, instead
of day. Let the worst come" He
| took her cold little hand in his and
drew her to his side. "Shall we go
forth on our holiday, Minny, leaving
no address, forgetting the past, and be
as if the world were new and we but
just created?"
You talk nicely now," she said,
slowly, holding herself erect and state
ly in spite of his restraining hand,
"but you said bondage, and that has
frightened me. I have been scolded
so much and driven about; want to
be loved and made friend of. If you
would be as sweet as on that ride, if
you"
He drew her close and pressed his
lips against that soft round cheek,
blushing SO prettily now.
TRY me, Minny. 1 swear to you
those dear eyes shall never shed tears
from any word or act of mine. l have
loved you since you came out in the
light that dismal night and thought
You little girl"
"And I loved you," she whispered,
lifting her tousled head from his arm,
"when you looked SO disgustedly
amazed at things in that ranch that 1
told you, and all Of sudden smiled on
me as you are smiling now. Craig, l
mean to try and be grown-up and good
always"
mo, no; just be yourself. And, now,
dear, go smooth your hair and get your
things on. We will be married in the
quietest way. I know a couple of fell
lows I can get for witnesses; we can
pick them up on the road"
She jumped up, all rosy and smiling.
At the door she looked back. MAY 1
take the dog, Craig?" she said, hesitat-
ingly.
He smiled. ''of course" he said, re-
signedly. "You don't have to ask
may I?' we are comrades, you know.
By the way, tell the chambermaid to
pack your trunk. Pay her. We will
go away in the early afternoon. I
want to be free from all memories"
She kissed her hand as she ran away,
and he, somewhat dazed at the turn
matters had taken. looked out on the
street with unseeing eyes. In his
heart, though, he was happy, dclirious-
ly SO. He had loved her from the first,
and there had been few holidays in his
busy life. He would forget that
ghastly specter lying at the morguc in
Denver, and for months live for love.
The world lay all before them; they
would put the past by.
81 will steal my happiness from life,'
he cried. "Let the world condemn
me. I can fight her battles: and no
man knowing my story and hers, see
ing her frightened, tortured by that
maniac's memory, would do otherwise
than do now"
Mrs. Minny appeared in her jaunty
traveling-suit, her sealskin jacket, a
dainty dotted veil over her hat, and
her dog under her arm.
81 never get married like other peo-
ple," she said, cheerfully. "Look at
me in these clothes; and the other time
had on an old dress, too"
Oliver WINGED. perhaps at the third
you'll have better luck, my pet"
81 have said something awful. sup
pose" she laughed, "but am 30 happy
don't care, and / said good-by to that
ghost room. Oh, I'm SO glad I've got
somebody alive to be With"
81 believe you are going to marry me
out of fear" he said, as they drove
along in the carriage.
"You don't think that, sweetness"
she said, contentcdly; "and you have
got your lovely look. You always were
like man out of a novel to me. A
city bachelor, Aunt Hannah says.
Won't she be surprisedP but, do you
know, she said had leanings towards
you all the time?"
Mrs. minny was very reserved when
the two strange gentlemen Joined
them. and when the marriage service
was being read trembled n little, until
Skye yawning dolefully-he had not
slept well, poor dog, in the hotel
cellnr-made her smile, and she was
radiant when the solemn ceremony
was over. They were married in
shabby parsonage Of an out-of-thc way
church, by an underfed parson in
threadbare clothes, and Minny's gen.
erous heart rejoiccd when she caught
glimpse of fifty-dollar bill Oliver
paid for the few moments talk that
meant so much-the ceremony that is,
after all. the strongest link in the
chain Of human happiness.
Oliver had told his two friends some-
thing of the events preceding this
strange marriage, SO they were tactfuT
enough to say the right things at the
little dinner the four had in the very