The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-03-22

asked him presently.
"No," Paul said slowly taking IN
every detail Of the girls figure, clad
in a cotton frock of genuine blue.
But might | speak to you one minute
privately?"
"You can say what you've got to
say where you are"
He stared silently, first at his boots
and as his eyes wandered up they lit
IN the snowy shelves of bright and
simple utensils and shining saucepans
which lined the walls.
How differently you keep your
place from what mans shanty ISL
But she staid his compliments.
You live down by the Blue Pools,
don't your"
"Yes, next to Reuben Halse till his
place was burnt out and came to my
shanty. l saw Rube three days back"
you saw Rube?" Mary clasped her |
hands above her heart.
Eyes. He and his chums passed |
through Long Toms ranch. I've been
out there this two months past help
ing him brand and count the cattle.
Rube told me that you and he had
parted and the reason why. He ask
ed me to look after you bit. You
see, we've been good pals, and I'd like
10 do him a turn now he's gone under.
You will let me look after you now
md again, won't you, for Rubes
sake?
The handsome cowboy, straight as
1 dart, tall and strong as giant, clad
the picturesque rough clothes OF
lis calling, bent like reed before the
! my blue clad figure Of the post office
/ 1t 81 x,,ht 20
land in his great palm and lifted her
violet eyes to his dark ones
Surely, Paul Harding, for Rube's
sake, you may look after me when
ant look after myself"
With that soft glance burning into
his brain and those gentle words pulls
ng in his ears Beauty Paul swung
himself into his peaked saddle and
sent his horse full speed down the hill
o Ffalliotts saloon.
1t was for Rube's sake that the fol-
owing Sunday Paul dressed himself
n his best, brought little two-wheel-
I'd cart gay with bells and bright col
lrs to Mary's door and asked her to
lrive out with him.
The day was fair. and Beauty Paul
amused her with stories of Rube, and
when they came to an end he told her
If his own home in the heart of a
green county in England. He made
Ter laugh with his tales Of college life
and shudder with his descriptions OF
he campaign in Egypt which he had
zone through. Only he did not tell her
; low he, an English gentleman and
.allant officer, came to be loafing and
| thinking and gambling away his days
md his health in Great White can
;on Paul Harding as he
vas and lacking in his reverence for
women-at least had too much respect
. for the little postmistress to tell her
, that black page in his life.
The day was an entire success, but
l it left bitter after taste in Mary's
| mouth when she heard the next morn
r ing that Paul had spent the night at
. Ffolliott's drinking and brawling till
!, dawn.
The next Sunday Mary shut herself
4 within her log cabin, and neither the
t blue sky nor the gay cart and smart
ly capricisoned hose nor Beauty Paul
Q himself could wheedle her out. She
- would not be seen, she said sternly
S with one of Flolliott's lot. She, how
y ever, relented, and forgave him on his
t promise to amend for her sake.
AS weeks and months went by and
t the green of the canyon changed tc
t red and gold Paul found that if he was
a to look after" Mary he had to give
t up the saloon.
And indeed for space Ffolliott's
knew him not till one October morn
a ing his allowance-the money which
" bought his family freedom from hi
a lses, f,,1 orYtx, frA
England. For the next week Ffol
n liott's was a pandemonium, with tn,
d Beauty as a presiding demon.
Is Mary heard of it, and refused t,
speak to or look at him. Then it wa.
that he flung himself before her on
day and prayed her to save him from
IT that from which he was powerless t
save himself-from drink and dice an,
le bad companions And she did wha
lie other good women have done befor
h her and will do again. She place
Q. her hand in his, and with her hear
ID full of Rube Halse she promised t
d, marry Paul-for his souls sake.
All through that long, bitter winte
re she held to her promise. At Christ
mas he broke from her control, an
~ she did not speak to him for day.
but she ended by forgiving. When h
i'd was with Mary, he vowed to reform
by not to set foot in Ffolliott's agaiI
ed never to taste another drop of whis
key nor look again at a card. BIZ
Id once beyond the sound of her lo'
70. voice. the touch of her small hant
We and his resolutions melted like tn
nd winter SHOWS.
r. The eve of their marriage day arri'
1T ed and with it Paul's allowance frol
ny England. The occasion and the Of
UT portunity suggested carouse, an
tie Paul informed the boys" he would
ay standing treat at Ffolliott's that nigl
re for the last time. The bar was soc
to crowded, for the Beauty was just Il
or song singing yarn telling, whisk,
le, drinking scamp who would be popul
to among the wild crew, especially as
stood treat so long as the bartend
IT. would stand him.
Dr. Paul was full of licuor. He hi
og drunk Mary's health with every m,
he in the place, and he was also full