Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-09-30
HER CONFESSION.

IlLh OONI IICDLOlN.
Long after the speakers words had
died away the listening people waited
in hushed expectancy, unwilling to be-
lieve that he had finished and unable to
descend all at once from the heights to
which they had been raised.
John Ordway and his wife camo from
the chapel among the last. Both had
been strongly moved by the evening" s
sermon, but in different ways, indica-
tive perhaps Of their widely differing
temperaments.
Ordway helped his wife into the
wagon, the horses struck into swift
trot, and the driver leaned forward to
draw the rug more closely about his
companion, peering up into her face So
licitously.
They moved swiftly past the scatter
ed houses of the village and out into
stretch Of open country. Three or four
times the woman raised her head as
though about to speak, but checked
herself with an effort.
II have something to tell you, John, )"
she said at last. ell am afraid I
ought to have told you long ago."
"Are ye sure ye ought?" he asked
gently "Maybe there amt any need. y
"There is need," she answered. II
have known all along that it would be
better to speak out, but somehow I
never felt that could until tonight. :"
She paused as though to gather courage.
"It's about myself and Willis" she
said. "You remember
Ordway bent forward suddenly with
a warning shout to the horses, and the
wagon jolted heavily in deep rut.
'That's me all over" he said, with
a chuckle. II took special notice Of
that hole SO as to skip it on the way
home, and here I am drivin right into
it again, like an old fool. That's what
comes of listenin to sermons ye can't
quite understand. !"
won't you listen to me, John?" his
wife asked pleadingly.
"Of course I WILL" he answered,
"only my nerves bein SO wrought up
I'm sort Of afraid to have any big shock
come on me sudd n, ye know"
Ordway put his arm around her and
drew her closer to him protectingly, as a
mother soothes nervous, sleepy child.
II wasn't jokin," he said. "I'm al
ways glad to listen to ye, only ! think
ye'd best wait till we get home. We're
most there now. 4"
"Go in by the fire." said John Ord
way, when at length they ratified into
the farmyard. "It'll take me some time
to fix things up.
But when he came from the stable,
he found her waiting, leaning against
one Of the square posts Of the porch and
looking out across the darkness of the
valley.
II wanted to wait until we could go
in together, she said.
The long, low kitchen was full Of
changing shadows, which danced across
the time polished floor and lost them
selves in the corners Of the irregular
ceiling, when Ordway crossed to the
huge fireplace and piled some sticks Of
soft wood on the glowing ashes At
length she spoke slowly and with evil
dent effort at calmness.
"You must try to be patient with
me, (" she said. you'll be astonished,
know, and am afraid you'll be angry
-and ! couldn't blame you-but I
want you to wait till-till I've fin.
ished."
She hesitated az If to gain strength,
and be marked how the slender figure
quivered with the effort Of her hurried
breathing.
II had promised to marry Willis be-
fore ! knew you, " she said unsteadily.
"We quarreled about some little thing,
and each was too proud to speak first.
Finally be went away without seeing
me- You know how we heard that he
died in Africa. ! believed tive all
did--and I cried myself to sleep night
after night becauFs ! hadn't acted diff
ferently
las time went on / began to forget
little by little, and after awhile it all
seemed like a sort Of dream. Then you
came into my life and taught me to
trust You and turn to You for help in
everything. And, in truth, loved you
more than you could ever understand. ~
Her voice trembled. "You believe me,
Johnf' she asked. sSay that You do
believe me-"
II amt never doubted it," he an
swered softly.
~ was happy and oontented for two
long years. Il was like heaven, and you
were happy, too, JohnY''
"HappyP' he said. "Ah, yesi No
body IL ever know how much.
"And then little Dora was born, /" she
went On, land somehow all our trouble
began right there, for II seemed as
thspgh her baby hands took hold Of our
hearts and pushed them apart littls
i