Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-12-24
AMERICAN ELLSWORTH ME-. THURSDAY DECEMBER a. 1896

She did not answer. and he continued.
| Remember. Miss Miranda, beaus amt
| as plentltGl with you now rs they used to
DC, You IL have totake what you can get"
l won take you anyway I'd rather
i've and die single so therer'
t As he looked up at her, standing on the
step above him, he dcvoured her words, and
lheY led his purpose as grist feeds mill
linen, closing his knife with u click he
| put u III his pocket and started to 60
After h" Ind pot few feet away he called
back over his shoulder:
"G"odby | just dropped round to see
now things were goin I'm sorry you're
eSpectin Robert You might be disap-
pointed
Miranda smiled rs she turned back into
the house for breakfast. Her father had
/ come down stairs, so they sat down togeth-
er. She talked freely, for she was think
ing much and rapidly Robert would be
there soon now, she knew, and she wanted
to have things bright and CHEEKY when he
caIhe-something to remind him that it
was Christmas
But as noon came and he had not arrived
her spirits began to flag. She served the
turkey and pudding Tor dinner without
eating herself
Where's your Appetite asked her IA
thcr
4 feel as if I'd just had breakfast. "
Land sakeS, it's been eight hours or
more! You must be a little worried over
Robert. " He was an easy going man, and
trouble set lightly on his shoulders
4 am, father. | wonder why he doesn't
Gomez"
"Oh, he'll be here presently There's
anpf tr,tit, in, al,nut q -
Still she felt restless and soon began to
watch for the last train of the b. and O.
railroad over the mountains. 1t passed, but
Robert did not get off
What had Jim Clayton meant?
Her father sat down before the big log
fire and began to smoke.
Robert S late" he venturcd.
But Miranda said nothing. All the
thoughts that she had had during he day
had left her
She won't to the door and looked out.
The sky was IA leaden gray, and the moon
came over the peaks and cliffs.
She stepped out and went quickly down
the valley. \ wind had risen, and as she
had on neither hat nor coat her thin figure
swayed against the keen whips of cold.
Everything along the hluffs looked gigan-
tic in the gloom, which seemed to widen
and lcngthen as She went on The rows of
summer cottages at Oakland and Deer
Park-faShonAblc mountain resorts-wcre
all shut and deserted and the great snow
bound hill, on each side offered nothing
7 but blank s.i"Hcr.
Rohort' she called. "ROhert!'
a little farther on she saw something
lying still and black against the snow.
Her pulse quickeued. Mas it Robert APP
proaehins. She found it was Jim Clayton.
~ Aat : the matter, .lihr?' size asked,
bending over him.
His pale face gazed up at her through
the moonlight
'Fvc been waitin and watchin all day
up ynuder un the mountains he said in
a weak veict.= But cotlldn see we'll at
night. SO | slipped and fell. Isis Robert
come yet"
"No. Have you seen him9"
Miranda waited brcathlessly. 1t seemed
to hera long time before Jim spoke Then
he said in low wavering tones
Il reckon IN about done for, so might
as well make ii clean breast OF it. l was
waitin for Eotcrt. l never meant to let
him go hene, =
what do you meant she asked, bend
ing closer To catch his words. She could
not realize the situation and stood as If
rooted to the spot
i've always had "a bad temper, and
meant to Kill Robert, just as I killed that
man ten years ago and then threw the
blame on Robert He wouldn't let me
pass, and-and 50 / did it. My mind
hasn' ever been easy since. But, now that
I'm about t. 20, III try and even up
things Roberts been pardoucl, and
and you'll forgive me-, won YOU
He reached out and laid his hand over
hers in IA tremulouS way.
"Goodby, he fnltered. Il hope-I hope
you il forgive me y
Then he died. lying there on the snow.
Miranda uulooscd her hand and hurried
back toward home again.
1t did not take her many minutes to
reach there, and as she burst in at the
door Robert, who had come mp the other
sdo of the valley, came forward To meet
| her
'Mirauda!" he said reaching ont both
arms
She put up hers and clasped them around
his neck. She did not speak, for events
had crowded down upon her suddenly
that she could not give vent to words.
But after awhile she drew away and looked
ut him.
He had changed certainly. His Shout
ders were stopped, his hair was sprinkled
:s'. 4A;sa,st.