Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-21


did come out, and I kinder hoped you
wouldn't see him. Even when he turned
toward the wagon. I knew 1t wasn't you
hoped miss that yon beins snd
Quicker-minded than the rest, would see it.
too All the while them folks were yellin'
behind me to fire-as II I didn't know my
work. I was halfway down-and then you
screamed! And then forgot everything
everything but standing clear of hitting
you-and fired. 1t was that savage that
l wanted to believe that he'd gone mad
ana would have touched you. till I got
down there and found the honey pot lying
alongside of him. But thereLts all over
now! wouldn't have let on a word to
you only couldn't bear to take your
thanks for 1t. and couldn't bear to have
you thinking me a brute for dodgin' them"
He stopped. walked to the fire. leaned
against the chimney under the shallow pre-
text of kicking the dull embers into q blaze,
which, however, had only the effect of re-
vealing his two glistening eyes as he turn
ed back again and came toward her.
WELL" he said, with an Intellectual laugh,
days work. I reckon-and now, miss. If
you're ready, and will just fix yourself
your own way so as to ride easy, I'll carry
you down." And slightly bending his
strong figure, he dropped on one knee be-
side her with extended arms.
NOW Ii Is one thing to be carried I'D a
hill IN temperate, unconscious blood, and
practical business fashion by a tall, power
quite another thing to be carried down
again by the same man who has been cry
ing, and when you are conscious that you
are going to cry, too, and your tears may
be apt to mingle. So Miss Amy Forester
said: 20 wait, please! Sit down a mo-
ment. o Mr.. Tenbrook. 1 am so very.
very sorry and. clapping her hand to her
eyes, burst into tears.
20 please. please don't, Miss Forester"
said Jack. sitting down on the end Of the
bunk with frightened eyes; please don't
do that! 1t amt worth 1t: I'm only brute
to have said anything"
No, no! You are so noble! SO forgiv-
ing!' sobbed Miss Forester. land l have
made you go and kill the only thing you
| cared for, that was all your own"
No, miss-not all my own, either-and
that makes it so rough. For it was only
| left in trust with me by friend. 1t was
her only companion.
Her only companion?" echoed Miss For
ester, lifting her bowed head
Except" said Jack, hurriedly, miscom-
pretending the emphasis with masculine
fatuity-"except the dying man for whom
she lived and sacrificed her whole life She
gave me this ring, to always remind me
Of my trust. l suppose" he added, rue
fully looking down upon it, its no use
row. I'd better take 1t off,"
Then Amy eyed the INDUSTRIOUS OBJECT
with angelic simplicity. Il certainly
| should" she said, with Infinite sweetness
lit would only remind you of your loss.
But" she added with sudden. swift, i'm
part with 1t to me. it would he such a re-
hinder and token of-of your forgiveness"
Jack instantly handed it to her. And
! now he said, 'let me carry you down.
Il think" she said, hesitatinsly, "that-I
| had better try to walk and she felt her
self lifted in the air, smelt the bark thatch
within an inch of her nose. saw The freight
vanish behind her, and subsidinS into lis
curved arms as i'll hammock, the two
passed forth into the night :oS ether.
Il can't find your bracelet nowhere, Amy.
said her father, when they reached the wa
gon.
1T was on the floor in thu hut" said
Amy, careiessly. THAT was what detained
u.s.
My pen halts with some diffidence be-
tween Two conclusions to this veracious
chronicle AS they agree in result though
not in theory or intention, l may venture
to give them both. To one coming from
the lips of the charming heroine herself |
naturally yield the precedence. .'Oh, the
| bear story! don't really remember wheth-
er that was before l was engaged to John
or after. But L had known him for some
time: father introduced him at the govern
or's ball at Sacramento. Let me see,-I
think 1t was In the winter of so. Yes IL
was very amusing: 1 always used to charge
John with having trained that bear to at
tack our carriage SO tn II he might come in
as A hero. oh, of course, there are nun
Gred absurd stories about him-they used
to say that he lived all alone in cabin like
a savage, and all that sort of thing. and
was friend of rather dubious woman in
the locality. whom the common people
made heroine of-Miggles or Wiggles or
some such preposteroIls name. But look at
John, there-can you conceive it," The
listener, glancing at very handsome
clean-shaven fellow, faultlessly alfred
could not conceive such absurdity So /
therefore simply give the opinion of Joshua
BiXley, superintendent of the Long Divide
Tunnel Company, for what it is worth: Il
never took much stock in that bear story
and its captivating old Foresters daugh-
ter. Old Forester knew thing or two, and
when he was out here consolidating tun-
nels. he found out that Jack Tenbrook was
about headed for the big lead and brough; ,
MIN out and introduced him to Amy. You
see. Jack clear grit he was was mighty
rough style, and about simple as they
make EN-, and they had to get up some
thing to account for that girls taking a
shine to him. But they seem to be happy
enough-and what are you going TO do
about it? And with this philosophic query
l commend them to the reader
BRET HARTE.