The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-06-13
them that other day. "My bonny
Jean. You are mine"
ATill dnnth dc nc v,

them that other day. 'My bonny
Jean. You are mine"
Till death do us part"
81 should not let you do so much
for me-" His face said he would
never send her away.
Would anything else be happi-
ness for me-or for you?"
This was the beginning of the Sec
ond chapter and Jean unfolded the
plans that had been coming to full
ness in her busy brain during those
three days.
They must go to Colorado. The
doctor had said there might be a
chance for Robin there and Jeans
bright face made the chance seem
already a certainty. She had her
savings. They were not much but
they could be made to go long way,
and she would work-the hardest
things were nothing if only the
spring could be brought back to her
dear ones step and the light to his
eye.
Robin had not the heart to tell her
that the chances in his favor were so
few that he had voluntarily laid them
aside. He could not refuse the offer
of her little all when it was so plain
ly her chief happiness to give it.
After his three days of loneliness he
gave himself up to the full, unspeak-
able pleasure of being cherished-of
knowing that he, worn and i'll as he
was, was all in all to This girl who
was all in all to him.
In two weeks they were married
and away. The orchards of New
York, the grape laden hills of Ohio,
the level monotony of Indiana, the
boundless prairies of the West be-
came fairy land as they passed
through them together. And then
came the mountains and the excite
ment of their new life. The climate
was an elixer. Jean was hope itself
and Robin began to mend.
Every day through that long,
beautiful summer they were out in
the air and sunlight, walking, talk
ing, venturing nov and then to plan
a little and speak of things that had
long been touched upon only by
their silence.
People came to know them very
well and were not slow to rejoice
with them at Robins marked i'm
provement.
"You are looking better every day,
Mr.. Mackenzie" their next door
neighbor used to say to them when
he met them of morning. Perhaps
he recognized Jeans heroic spirit in
keeping every encouragement far out
of sight and wished to help her. Ger
tain it is that it used to do them
world of good to meet him.
One morning shortly after he had
passed, his little boy came running
out. The child was great favorite
with Jean and Robin and that day
when he gravely took his accustomed
place between them and held tightly
to their stronger hands, there was a
new and very sacred light in Robins
eyes as they looked across to Jean.
Perhaps-after all, they seemed to
say. Jeans eyes glowed sweet
reply and the unspoken hope, once SO
precious and since so far away, sprang
up again.
The fall came, and the winter and
the early spring, and now they were
sitting together in the light of the
west window-together yet little
longer-and all the story wa told in
the song Jean had just sung.
Robins arm was about her lightly,
but oh so tenderly; only those who
have felt the thrill of such touch
can understand. She had been so
much to him. He knew her heart
was breaking-but silently-to spare
him one added pain. Already his
spirit had half pierced the veil but it
still held to its other self with a
yearning, protecting love that even
death could not break.
"I'm wearing ava" they had
heard sung on their last walk to-
gether and they had stopped in the
street and listened to the end, Robin
holding jeans trembling little hand
close in his own the while.
She had bought the song after
ward. 1t would please him and there
was no more need of counting every
penny lest there should not be
enough to give Robin the very best
to the end. And though the sad
minor strain and sadder words near
ly broke her heart, she sang it every
time he asked her to and that was
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