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

at first and then more and more, Well,
things got worse and worse, and when
she died almost believed you were to
blame in some way-I don't know how.
Oh, it's awful to think about, but I
couldn't help feeling that way! Will
you ever forgive me for it?'
II never laid it up against ye," he
answered. II reckoned it was natural,
and I knew ye wasn't WE'LL so l tried
to forget all about that part of our life,
and | done it-almost. :"
1.-THE rest of my story is harder to
tell and harder to listen to. You re-
member that Willis came back and
hunted us up. He came at the worst
time for all of us. Twas set against you
and half wild about baby's death and
reckless to everything. He found that
out and kept pleading with me and urg-
ing me to go away with him. I ought
to have sent him away, but I-didn't.
1t was as though some evil spirit put
the words into his mouth, and I listen
'ed-God help me, listened"
She started to her feet and stood fac
ing her husband, her arms raised to her
head in wild gesture.
1T was no fault of mine that / did
not sin against you in deed as I did in
thoughtP' she cried. ''If it had not
been for some accident-I don't even
know what it was-I should not have
been here now. I went TO meet him
here one night. We We're 10 drive to
Oakley and take the train for some
place. I waited, don't know how
many hours, but he didn't come At
last orept home and found you asleep.
In the morning when you were away a
letter came saying that an unforeseen
accident had happened, and he would
let me know about it soon. I never
heard from him again"
She paused and looked at him fear
fully, as though expecting a violent
outburst Of anger, but he said nothing,
and at last she spoke again.
"Won't you speak to me?" she cried
tremulously. Haven't you been listen
ing? Have done wrong to tell you?
Speak to me, for Gods sakel I can t
bear it..
The words were lost in storm of
sobbing, and she threw herself down on
her knees beside him, hiding her face
with her hands on the arm of the old
fashioned chair.
"Don't take on so, Eunie," he said
gently. "Ye'll be glad all the rest of
yer life, l think, on account of jest
what ye're oryin about now. Look up,
my girl, an maybe can finish the story
for ye. Ye say ye never knowed why be
didn't come that night, " he said, II
could a-told ye why
"You?" she cried.
EYES," he answered. "Jest me. He
staid away because I told him he'd
better, and he knowed I meant what I
said.
"Did ye think I was so blind all
them months that I didn't see what
was happenin? I'd a-knowed it if had
been miles away, for there amt never
any trouble in yer heart but what l
don't feel it. l jest stepped in an talked
to Willis. He understood, an that set.
tied it.
"Then you've known?" she interrupt
ed breathlessly. you've known all
this timer
He nodded cheerfully. "All this
time," he answered.
But you never said word to me-
you never acted as though
It's always harder for me to talk
than to keep STILL" he said slowly
Surely ye've found that out long
ago. couldn't a-said word without
maxim things worse, most likely, SO I
thought the best thing to do was to jest
wait-an I've been waitin. +"
"Waiting!' she repeated. "Waiting
for what?"
For what's happened, Eunie," he
said softly.
The woman was clinging to his arm
and weeping convulsively.
'Tweren't yer fault, little GIRL"
he said. Its jest happened that way.
There amt no need to cry about it now.
The time for cryin's all gone past, an
don't think it'll ever come again. -
London Mail.