The Delta independent., 1895-11-27

of-the man whose name you bear"
She gave frightened cry and hid
her face against his sleeve He could
feel her tremblc and quiver, but she
made no sound. What must he do?
Would she faint? How did women act,
anyway? He put his arm around the
covering figure and tried to look into
her face. She was ghastly pale,
in her eyes curious frightened look.
"My dream, Mr.. Oliver!'' she cried,
shuddcring. ,"Oh, he will keep his
word; he will haunt me always. I
shall go mad from fear. Last night
that was him. He looked just rs he
nsed to when he woke me up making
faces. I am all alone. What shall I
do? Oh, if Aunt Hannah were only
here! 1 could creep up to her in tile
night. She is so brave; she said she
wouldn't be afraid of him, living or
dead"
"Mipny, you are talking foolishly,"
said Oliver, sternly. mo dead person
comes back. l am ashamed Of you.
And to be so silly, SO heartless, when
that poor soul is lying deadH'
"You don't know anything about the
dead; no one does" she gasped. my
grandfather was drowned at sen, and
that night he came and knocked at
grandmother's door-his old knock
three times. Even Aunt Hannah says
that story's true. l can't be sorry
truly, can't. l was afraid all the time;
and he was SO dreadful. gave him
all mammals money, and he took her
jewels, everything of value. I am not
hypocrite, Mr.. Oliver; can't make
mp sorrow just to please you.'
81 don't want you to-" he whispered,
close to her car. They were alone in a
corner of the big room, and no one
could see. 81 spoke hastily because
hated to think of that dream and how
you would make yourself believe he
came back"
She drew away from him indig-
nantly.
81 am not child, Mr.. Oliver, and you
must not treat me as one. In some
things, in suffering and worry, 1 am
older than you are; and few women
could come out unscathed from the
horrors of that ranch. did. l kept
my reason because was frivolous and
had my little dog to love, and a
bright sunshiny day would chase all
my night terrors away. I'd say, Min
ny, it's good just to be alive But al
ways I have been afraid in the dark;
when was child queer faces used to
peer at me, faces circled in yellow
light. AS I grew older, I was more
afraid Of them, and slept in a lighted
room. At the ranch Henri used to
crawl up the porch and peer in the
window with a mask on, until l shot
one night; then it was not so funny.
1t amused him to torture me. I won't
tell you any more, because you can't
understand. But shall not go to Den
yer. 1t would be n mockery."
CDR. John telegraphed you need not
you must not come. Shall tell you
any more?"
mo" She rose and scattered the
petals of one of her flowers on the car
pet, brushing her dress with tremb-
ling hand. "Nor will put on black.
1 shall go home. What is my home,
aIr. Oliver?" she cried, accusingly.
"You have brought me here; I was do
ing your bidding. My aunt has left
me; she has taken my baby. The man
married is dead; he has no interest in
me but to haunt me. Everybody is
gone. I who have made all the trouble
back she will know of this-my being
here; she will distrust me; even DR..
John will. seem to have grown old
and wise, and, oh! SO tired of the
world''
''Come here, Minny," he said, in a
strange tone. She started and looked
into his face. 1t had different ex-
preston somehow, yet the gray eyes
1,,,
smile about his mouth. She hesitated,
then she returned to the sofa, sitting
gingerly at the extreme end. He
turned SO as to face her, but sat no
nearer.
"Minny, we are both culprits-inno-
cent ones. We have been punished
long enough. If 1 thought-but am
twice your age, you have not been
happy in bondage, and it would be
bondage still, though a loving one. No
red-haired young men in it, no wild
journeys alone, no drawing back when
once entered in. If 1 dared to dream,
would hope that you cared for me. l
would say, Minny, l love you; lctus go
away from our troubles and have
long vacation. 1t is dreadful to talk
this way in the shadow of death, but l
cannot let you go back to Maine alone
or to the terrors there in that lonely
house. I do not know where your
aunt is, or when she will return; and
if people should talk of this time, I
strangers stupidity asked if the dog
was going on the wedding trip.
"Of course" she said, decidedly.
"Of course" echoed Oliver, mcekly,
and the two guests smiled the old, old
smile of the married man who knows.
"It was little like Hamlet" Minny
whispered when she and her husband,
and of course the dog, drove to the
depot-''the weddingfeast."
He laid his finger lightly on her lips.
Sweet, there are things best unsaid."
You will find me SO full of faults"
she sighed, in remarkable meekness.
''Slye, give me your paw; this is your