The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-09-09
che Light Beyond.
81 Hts'st &c.,
By FLORENCE A. kuNROE.
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II goin' to cross the alkali soon?"
eyes, Tenderfoot Dick and me be
goin' tomorrow. Why?"
Heres bundle for ST Warner, who
is blastin' in the hills near Humboldt,
an if you'll take it over can get to
Ogden fore night"
"Well, leave it. I'll take good keer of
it,"
"All right, Jake. Good-by."
'Good-by."
stood in the cabin door an watched
the stage rattle off. Fore sunrise next
mornin' we started. I'd ruther of taken
anyone else but Tenderfoot, for he was
lookin' kinder done out. But the others
were busy an couldn't go alone. The
ponies we're fresh an the air sweet with
the perfume of the flowers. I kept my
eye on Tenderfoot, for saw he was
dreamin' again. A queer look used to
come ovsr his face sometimes an he
would shut his teeth hard, as though
he was tryin' to keep somethin' back
Soon the sun shot up over the edge of
the prairie. Then he turned in his sad
die, an said:
"Jake, I'm glad you took me with
you. for there's something I want to tell
you. This is my last trip. I'm going
east when we get back to the ranch.'
WELL" I says, "you amt so we'll
lcokin' lately. What's the matter?
Don't the fellers ON the ranch treat you
good, Tenderfoot?"
1T isn't that. But somebody I love is
waiting for me beyond that edge of
light yonder, and I'm going back tn
her."
Your mother?"
"No; another woman"
It was most noon now, an we were
gettin' out of the grass land into the
sage near the alkali. The glare of the
sun was awful an the water in the cans
hangin' to the saddles was gettin' hot
But we pulled our hats down over our
eyes an keepin' the ponies heads due
north pushed on. The bundle for War
ner was tied with lot of other stuff
to Tenderfoot's saddle. Pretty soon he
says to me:
Jake, what's in the bundle?"
Powder for Warner who is blastin'
in the hills
why didn't you tell me! It's danger
ou' work carrying it out in the open
under sun like this. Where did you
get it?'' ,.>..e ~.
''Michals on the stage gave it to me
yesterday. I've taken. it fore. Give it.
to me if you're scared"
NO." he says, kinder slow; you
ought to know if you have done it be-
fore. I'll keep fright here.'
Then he got to dreamin' again. Twas
rgettin' tired of waitin' for him to tell
me what he promised, but didn't like to
speak up an bring it bout. When twi-
light came over the Humboldt hills, five
miles off, we halted. I built a great
smudge to keep way the flies an mos
quitoes, an ,Tenderfoot got the supper.
Then we lit our pipes. We had to wait
for the moon to rise fore we could push
on. The wind began BLOWN pretty
hard an Tenderfoot's pony was runnin'
loose bout 100 feet from him with the
bundle still tied to the saddle. Once
got up to take it of-but there wasn't
any danger. I'd taken the stuff fore,
But 1t wouldn't take much. A spark
from the smudge!
"Jake."
Tenderfoot had emptied his pipe an
was sittin' on the other side of the fire.
his eyes lookin' into mine.
Jake, never told anybody on the
ranch much about myself. but it's lust
nix years ago tonight since1 left home
and I'm going to tell you why"
II can guess. 1t was that other wom-
an, wasn't it?"
Eyes. The same old story; drink
and cards. One day she says to me:
Dick, this is your last chance. I can
stand the liquor, but the cards I WON'T ,.
I promised her I'd stop, but the next
night went home worse than ever. She
met me ut the door, her eyes all red with
crying, and says: "A woman can't put
up with everything, even if she does
love a man. I am tired Of trying to
bring you out of the ways Of darkness
into the light, but can't. Dick, you
and had better part. But ] love you,
Dick! I love you'll I didn't wait for.
her to finish that sentence, but rushed
out Of the house and never stopped
till got 10 Bryce's, whore I used 70