The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1897-04-30

anxiety, Louise was trembling so that
she could hardly bear her weight.
The cloud spread out, and soon the
whole heavens was obscured The
thunder grew louder and more frequent
until it became terrific, and the light
ming flashed incessantlv. Then directly
it began to rain. First a few large,
scattering drops fell but in a moment
this was followed by swift dash, and
q regular downpour succeeded. A
stout breeze sprang up, sweeping the
rain along in great sheets, and binding
Paul and Louise, who were compelled
to face it.
For an hour they kept on, and all the
time their speed grew less and less,
until at last Louise, who had eXerted
herself to the full of her strength sank
to the ground. In an instant Paul was
on his knees at her side holding her
head in his arms and sheltering her
face with his hat.
81 can't go any further" she whis-
pered; mot another step"
"Then rest here, " Paul replied. "The
rain will blow over directly and then
we can go on. I'm glad it's so warm,
for the rain won't hurt us, and we shall
be none the worse for the wctting We
won't care for it when it is over, and to-
morrow we can laugh about our adj
venture"
But it was not the wetting or the
mere fact of being lost that worried
Louise. She realized that it was not
the proper place for her, out there in
the night alone with her lover, and she
dreaded what her parents would think
She never had been guilty of an act
that would shake their confidence, and
she felt that it would break her heart
if she should know they harborcd even
the faintest suspicion of her, All this
came through her mind and she broke
into tears and sobs
Paul tried to comfort her, never see
ing beyond the bodily inconvenience of
the hour Honest, openhearted soul
that he was, thought of the impro-
priety of the situation never came to
him. lie never thought Of what others
might say or think; but knowing the
purity of his own motives took ii for
granted that everybody else would see
the affair in it's true light.
"We can't 20 any further" Paul said,
until the rain is over, for we have
nothing to guide us, and if we tramped
all night we would not find your house.
We might pass and repass within a few
yards of it twenty times and never
know it,"
Louise silently acquiesced, for she
was too weak to stand, and knew that
it was impossible for her to go on even
if it were best. So they remained wait
ing for the rain to blow over, and hour
after hour passed.
1t was a solemn time away out there
on the wide waste of lonesome prairie,
in the stiffness of the night, with the
deep thunder rolling through the heav-
ems and the lightning glaring and flash
ing all about. 1t is impossible to pie
ture the desolation of such scene
or to describe the feeling of loneliness
that comes over one so situated.
At last the rain ceased, and shortly
faint gray light began to show in the
east They knew the morning was
coming, and they never welcomed it
more gladly in all their lives. After
several efforts Louise was able to stand.
Paul held her in his arms and slowly
they walked toward home. After
walking short distance the numbness
began to leave her, SO she could pro-
coed with tolcrable ease. An h9sr