The Valentine Democrat. [volume] (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 1896-1898, 1897-04-29

great, tender eyes and inexpressibly
sweet face did not belong to a woman
who would deliberately end her life.
! 1t was a face with which any man
not wholly a brute would be unable to
avoid falling in love.
See here" came suddenly from Joe,
you didn't really mean to jump into
the water?"
ooh, but you promised, sir, to ask
me no questions"
Il didn't promise; it was you who
made the request"
Il make it again." she pleaded.
Surely you will humor me-"
And do everything else that you
ask" cried Joe, suddenly, overwhelm-
ed and conquered by the most wonder
full little face he had ever seen. what
shall l do, first of all?"
Talk about something cheerful"
she urged, with a SILVER.
We'll. in the first place. you're GER
tainly wet, and you must be cold"
"Oh, no; the night is too warm for
that
Wont you take a little taste of this
brandy?" he suggested, producing his
flask. 1T may save you from catch
ing a severe cold" She took the flask,
but only the merest drop passed her
lips.
Then Joe. in obedience to her whim,
branched out into dissertations on the
most general topics. He felt that he
was talking like an idiot, but he evil
IDENTIFY pleased her, for o % she joined
in his talk, and displayed not only I'M
common intelligence, but a vivacity
that was hardly to be expected.
All this time they had been speeding
up the North river. Joe suddenly
awakened from his delicious absorb
ton to find that they were opposite
Harlem.
Where shall l land you?' he asked.
"Anywhere; 1 must be getting
home"
And may l escort you there?"
"Oh, no: not for worlds
Her look was both pleading and
frightened.
AT least. may l call tomorrow, to
make sure that you have not suffered
from your eXposure?"
please don't think of doing that.
either. And don't try to find out any
thing about me-"
81 am a gentleman" said Joe, with a
simplicity that much have touched
her. The boat had landed by this time.
She stood up, shook out her garments
which were almost dry by this time
and held out her hand.
"Good-by," she said, land thank you
thank you for more than l can tell
you. We shall probably never meet
again, but l shall always look back
upon you as one Of my friends. Thank
you again, most earnestly, and good
by"
Joe held her hand for a few seconds
longer. than he needed to, and tipped
his hat almost reverently as she glided
away.
NO. she certainly didn't mean to
commit suicide he soliloquized, gaz-
ing intently at her rapidly disappear
ing form. "Confound it, if l meet that
girl again, 1 shall certainly fall in love
with her. What is all the mystery
back of this affair, 1 wonder"
The Nancy backed water again, then
steamed down the river. Twenty min
utes later the launch was at her berth,
and fifteen minutes after that the fire
was drawn and all made snug about
her.
Then Joe wended his way home, bis
pretty craft forgotten in the maze of
thought with which the adventure of
that evening had filled his head.
And when, in his bed, Joe Parsons
tried in vain to woo sleep. these words
kept running through his brain:
IF I meet hat girl again, l shall
certainly fall in love with her"
But month after month went by, and
Joe did not once behold the woman
that the river had yielded up to him
only to let the town swallow her uI
half an hour later.
1t was only a few weeks ago that
Joe had been taken from the books OF
the bank and established in a small
coy office to attend to the correspond
ence of the institution.
A typewriter was necessary, so he
advertised for one. There were a hos
of applicants, but many of them hat
not the necessary knowledge for hi:
kind of work, so they were rejected.
When the door opened to admit Still
another applicant, and Joe looked up
he almost shouted in his glee, for TIL
newcomer a the young woman o
the river episode.
, The recognition was mutual, bu
each strove to ignore the fact, and 10
plunged at once into an examinat1ol
of her qualifications.
She gave her name as Nora Dul