Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-03-07

Won have me now go back to the thick
Of the fight, as you call it,
"Why not? What right have you to
hang back?'
Clavering gave a caustic laugh.
81 could tell you that the stragglers
who have that much philosophy are
doing the great army of strugglers, all
intent on getting to the top, the most
inestimable kindness! But l prefer to
ask YOU what you think l could do IN
the centres of active life? Who am
OUT of time and touch with all men anG
things?'
you have lost five invaluable years
YES. But 10 say that your mistake Is
irrevocable is an absurdity
And then Carhart started, paused, for
getting his arguments. the hard headed
man of the world in him routed by a
rushing forth Of the artists soul that
constituted the other side Of his dual
nature. There, a few feet away, near
the corner Of the house, was that eXQul-
site girl again. He was about TO speak,
10 ask some question concerning her,
when the man of the world came 10 the
front anew. He said nothing.
The last impression he carried away
with him from the log house the next
morning was that the girl hanging back
within the door as they rode off. Claw
ering accompanied him part OF the way
toward the Reservation. Her eyes fol-
lowed them with a silent question; 1t
seemed almost 10 Clavering, magma
tive as he was, with a silent doubt; a
silent anguish
IL was two weeks later, and Carhart
was preparing TO draw mis- sketching
tour TO an end. In another day he
would be on his way Eastward. Look
ing up suddenly from his breakfast he
saw Clavering enter the inn, which
here. fifteen miles from the Reservation,
was dignifed with the name OF hotel.
Carhart felt this coming significant
Had he any lingering doubts they were
Immediately dispelled
when do YOU start?' said Clavering.
81 am going back with you"
There was pause; then Carhart
stretched out his hand in silence across
The table.
The sun rose and set over the noun
tain The days wore away. FlarinS
touches of crimson began to show
against the cool green Of the leaves.
At the log house, amid the stunted
pines. q silent figure went in and out.
The girl shed no tears. He was gone.
She had known always that some day it
would be so. More than ever she had
known it when that friend of his had
come; The friend who belonged 20 the
great world beyond the Reservation,
beyond the mountain of which she had
learned at the mission school.
For she had been to the mission
school, and she fell TO trembling a little
when she thought of the missionary
gaunt. pale man. with holy fire in his
eyes-WhO had baptized her. All! how
good he had been, He had prayed over
her and adjured her steaGlastly to walk
with Christ
She covered on 'the doorstep, her
slender hands against her cheeks.
Two strangers rode leisurely on by in
the mellow September afternoon. They
talked lazily, their voices drifting to-
ward her
NO. marriages between whites and
halt-5reeds are not common in this
section. Tt would perhaps be better il
they were-in view of the conditions
The girl rose and Went into the
house. a fire OF Clk logs had been
burning on The hearth She sat down
beside it, her arms clasped about her
knees her hair falling forward over
her face. The afternoon wore slowly
away. Through the glistenlpg need
les OF t1e pine trees shafts Of nebulOus
golden light began to stream. Near
her was q large chest. She lifted the
lid and slowly. reverently, took certain
objects from it and laid them on the
bed.
They were things he-Herbert CLAW
eriug had given her. There were the
fire little handkerchiees marked with
her name" Annie" lhe name they had
called her when she had been baptized
at the mission chapel; and the yards OF
some soft light muslin She had never
made up; ard pair Of little shoes such
as the women in town wore; and the
uiuke.s ne had said made her look like
@ young Eastern princess.
To her cheeks there had come a faint
gill water. i'm which the reflection or
a sar has sunk. She began TO deck
herself with the things she had taken
fcu the Chest she was clothing her
SELF in o Strange freak c, fancy fer a
mystic-a mythical marriage. If he
and she were to be married this even
iug-marr.Cd as once she had seen TWO
people at the mission chapel, would
She look like this2 A small blurred
mirror threw back to her picture she
did not know. She had wound The
Yards of soft muslin about her body;
she had placed the trinketS about her
neck and in her ears.
Athwart the long Ear Of sunlight that
lay from the threshold OF the open door
across the floor q shadow had fallen.
Annie looked up; she looked into his
eves-intO the eyes OF Herbert Claver-
ing. They stood a mOmen- thus-he
modonless. she holding back with both