The Caucasian., 1897-07-08

always vorid love bet. Anne haS
tanGned ~ hin in her sisteriy vay
bad helped him n bis ssudies a. b.
grew up-for shs had many sdvaus
ages oyer jim. whose father vas a
honest and vsll-so-do farmer. Th,
boy, under her Influence, had ever
gone TO college and managed q
grad nate, bat vas noted more 70,
bis hard horse sense. as shey callet
II, and his frank honesty. thaa foI
any great leaning toward the elias
sics or any diplomatic erudii,on
The only classic l vapt. he said
to Anne after he came back home,
Us you. When think Of you,
Anne" he said al see all the god.
desses and nymphs and queens OF
old. You seem to me like one o!
those Greciar temples I read Of,
With pillars 30 stately and every
thing 50 perfect. You seem TO be-
long to another age, so different
from mine-so far away, and sweet
AID dreamy, and high above me.
and for which my soul yearns. o,
Anne. can't you love mei
And Anne would laugh and tell
him, Maybe, Jim. some day. And
the big fellow would be satisfied md
glad to be allowed to see her now
and then and bide his time.
Forty thousand dollars is . big
sum to owe," said the now thought
ful Jim, when Anne had told him
all-and Jim knew by the way she
spoke that she was silently weeping.
Then she said softly:
Jim, who could have taken such
an advantage of fathsii Perhaps it
was fair as far as gambling goes,
Jim, but you know how honorable
and fair father is, aud-and-Tve
heard those kind always lose in the
erd, you know, jim"
Jim was silent. "Must / really
tell you, Amer" hc said at lesxth.
well, it is none other than Capt.
Sidney"
"Oh, Jimr said Anne, in aston
ishmsnt, "how did you know"
"Never mind" he said quietly.
"It would not be altogether manly
for me to tell YOU, Anne, but | know
it fer . certainty; besides I've an
idea IN my head that may help ns."
"Oh. Jim. do, do help us-dear
Jim," she said impulsively. "you are
clever and know SO much that is
practical, and are SO honest and
kind and true. Oh, Jim. if you can
help us ! never will forget"
"Anne!" he said. catching her
hand, "God knows l would die for
you or the colonel, either. He's
been the kindest, best friend l ever
had. He's gentleman-every inch
of him-and you, oh, Anne. l would
die if you were out of my life! Butt
he said, suddenly checking himself,
"please forgive me-this is no time
for that. What a goose l ami" After
q pause: "Anne, I'm going now.
My head is too full of plan l have
to talk longer. A calamity such as
you have mentioned would simply
wreck yours and the colonel's life
and mine. too." he added, slowly,
"if yours was. We all have q
chance some time in life to show
what we're made Of" he continued, :,
"and now Is my time. And I am 60
ing in heart and soul. I'll show You
I'm no feather bed friend, but one
who can love in prosperity and love
harder in adversely. Oh, Aune," he
said, growing excited. "this fact is
as old as the stars: That the feath-
cred and plumaged hero of occa-
sional prowess is worse than worth
less in the battle of life and the true
standard of measurement. There
are billion of miles and a million
of dead worlds between him and the
unass1ming actor who does his duty
every day just because it is his duty,
whether he feels like it or not, ana
regardless of the fact that no crowd
IS looking on to applaud With q brass
band. Nothing" he said, earnestly,
Gin the moral world is so cheap as q
good intention, and nothing SO sub
lime as the unassuming act. l don't
know what I can debut. Aune, Ill
try, for yours and the colonel's
sake even if you marry another.
Don't cry"-for Anne was crying
softly-"but good night. You will
hear from me again" and the brave
fellow wac in the saddle.
"Jim."
The horse was spurred up close
under the balcony.
"Jim!"
And the golden he ad bent over
the railing, till the red lips touched
his ear, and the smell of her per
fnmed hair seemed to the bewildered
Jim like the glory of the fragrant
locks of all the goddesses of ancient
Greece.
Jim, dear Jim. I-I-think-I-
love-you-now. Good nightw, And
she was gone, while Jim sat in mute
silence and inexpressible happiness,
looking up in the eyes of two stars
that twinklnd above where her own
had just been. And looking, Jim
wondered whether he was really
alive on horseback, or was only q
spirit of joy winging its way to the
two stars which shone above him in
the place Of Anne's eyes.
A moment later Troup. his saddle
horse, became convinced there was
no spirit there, for he felt q vigor-
Gus thrust from anything but a spir-
itual foot in his side, and he bound
ed away in gallop.
[Centinued next week
PROSPERITY"
Its on-AppeaFoncs swelIs the Mum b 81
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