Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-12-26

She did not answer, and he oonttnusds
Remember, Miss Miranda, beaus alnAt
- plentiful with you now az they used 60
be. You'll have 10 take what you can goa
II won't take you anyway. I'd rather
live and die singlA So thereP'
As he looked up at her, standing on the
step above him, he devoured her words. and
they fed his purpose Is grist feeds mill
Then, closing bis knife with q ctick, he
put ID In his pocket and started 90 20.
Afoer he had got . few feet away ho called
back over his shoulder
"Goodby. Just dropped round 10 ses
now things were goin- I'm sorry you're
sxpectin Robert You might bo disap-
pointed"
Miranda smiled as she turned back into
the house for breakfast. Her father had
come down stairs, 50 they sat down togsth-
er. She talked freely, for she was think
ing much and rapidly. Robert would DO
there soon now, abe knew, and aho wanted
to have things bright and cheery when be
oame-something to remind him that 10
was Christmas
But as noon came and he had not arrived
her spirits began to flag. She served the
turkey and pudding for dinner without
eating herself.
where's your appetites'' asked her Ia
Their.
II feel as II I'd just had breakfast"
Land sakes, it's been eight hours on
morel You must be q little worried over
Robert he was an easy going man, and
trouble set lightly on his shoulders.
81 am, father. wonder why he doesn't
Gomez
"oh. he'll be here presently. There's
another train In about O'Clock"
Stin abe 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 of.
What had Jim Clayton meant
Her father sat down before the big log
fire and began to smoke
Roberts late" be ventured-
But Miranda said nothing All the
thoughts that she had had during the day
had left her.
She went to the door and looked out.
The sky was n leaden gray, and the moon
came over the peaks and cliffA
She stepped out and went quickly down
the valley. A wind had risen. and as ehe
had on neither hat nor coat her thin figure
ewayed against the keen whips of cold
Everything along the bluffs looked gigan-
ito In the gloom, which seemed to widen
and lengthen as she went on. The rows of
summer cottages at Oakland and Deer
Park-fashionable mountain resorts-were
all shut and deserted, and the great snow
bound hills on each side offered nothing
but blank silence.
"Robertr' she called "Roberti''
A little farther on she saw something
| lying still and black against the snow
| Her pulse quickened. Was it Robertp APP
| preaching, she found It was Jim Clayton.
whats the matter, JIM" she asked
bending over him.
His pale face gazed up at her through
the moonlight
eve been waitin and watohin all dA,
Up yonder on the mountains" he said IL
a weak voice. but couldn't see we'll a
night, so i slipped and fell 1s-is-Rahau
ccms yeti"
mo Have you seen himi"
Miranda waited breathlessly. II scenes
TO her a long time before Jim spoke. TheI
he said in low, waverinR tones;
81 reckon I'm about done for, SO nigh
as well make a clean breast Of it Iva
waitin for Robert never meant to le
him GO home
"What do you meant he-asked, bend
ing closer to catch his words She couls
not realize the situation and stood as i
rooted to the spot
1--WE always had bad temper, and
meant to kin Robert, just as killed tina
man ten years ago and then threw tn
blame on Robert. He wouldn't let m
pass, and--and so 1 did it. Ny min
hasn't ever been easy since But, now tina
I'm about to go, I'll try and even "a
things Roberts been pardoned, and
and you'll forgive me, won't your"
He reached out and laid his hand owe
hers in a tremulous way.
"Goodby, " he faltered 81 hope-I hop
you'll forgive me- "a
Then he died, lying there on the snow
Miranda Embossed her hand and hurrie
back toward home again.
81 1t did not take her many minutes I
reach there and as she burst in at til
door Robert, who had come up the otht
} side Of the valley, came forward to me'
: her.
"MirandaP' he said, reaching ont bot
arms
, She put up hers and clasped 70 "A from
4 his neck She did not sp. event
/ had crowded down upon b, addenl
3 that she could not give We, to word
, But after awhile she drew away and locke
/ ut him.
he had changed certainly. His shou
ders were stopped, his hair was sprinkle