The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-10-21

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Tryon recognized the trait by sympathy
perhaps. lie looked at the two as they
stood in the middle of the room. Mothe
and sister had withdrawn little
Helen's will was a thing GLat most OF
the household did withdraw from. She
stood by her husbands side, slight
erect, her hand on his arm, but not
leaning on him at all.
''You are aware, sir" Mr.. Tryon said,
shat this child is minor-by the law
could take her from you"
''But you will not?" The question
was half assertion.
"No, l shall not She has chosen; she
must learn life in her own way. I shall
try and make no difference between her
and the others-and may the Lord have
mercy on you both" he added, half I'M
der his breath
For a month the two staid under the
home roof Helen's mother put down
intuition and instinct with a strong
hand, magnified the superficial charms
OF the man, and was able at last to say:
ut was regular-improper
but we can't help liking him."
Helen's sisters-two of them-really
did like him. The careless, easy, un-
conscious dash of his manner, his I'M
failing, elaborate, if somewhat fiorid
courtesy, the mir of vague romance that
seemed to make the atmosphere in
which he breathed, all appealed to their
ideal of the chivalric and poetic. He
did not talk much of himself, but his
half impersonal stories of wild adj
ventures and reckless daring opened
vistas into limitless wonderland. Mr..
Tryon treated him politely always,
and never said word for or against
him.
Then Helen took the few thousands
Of dollars, for which by right she
should have waited till she had reached
her majority, and went with her hus-
band into the then half-savage depths
of the Colorado cattle ranges.
For four years her letters came regu-
larly. From the very first there had
been little of personal record in them.
What she hoped or feared, en-
joyed or suffered, no one had any way
OF guessing 1t was the kindest thing
to read nothing more than appeared on
the surface. But at the end of that
time Payne Morse was tried and SEN
fenced to confinement for life for par
ticipation in a daring train robbery
She simply sent the papers in which the
matter was recorded.
Mr.. Tryon followed his telegram with
all the speed possible. And so Helen
Morse came home again, statuesque
shadow of herself, she and her baby, of
whom the whole family made an object
of worship.
One more blow remained to fall. A
ycar later the baby died. The copy of
the newspaper that told its death told
too, the death of it's father, shot dead
while trying to escape from the prison
in which he was confined.
Helen wore black after that-per-
haps for her baby's death; perhaps for
the memory of the man who had treated
her with a cruelty she never told nor
limited at; perhaps for herself, because
she had outlived every thing. At any
rate she went in somber garments
and no one questioned or remarked.
And SO up to this night-the night of
her twenty-ffth birthday, when they
were all sitting about the tea table and
talking of Harry's prospects. Harry
had bought share in Texas ranch
and he and his partner were going to
rough it alone in their cabin among the
grass and sheep. Harry was enthusiasts
tic, forestalling little and uncon scious-
ly the character he was to assume by
and by.
NOW, Mr.. Micawber!' Grace said,
mockingly. Mother, you ought to give
him a tin plate and cup; and keep silver
forks out of his sight. And Harry,
You'll have to cut the acquaintance of
boiled shirts, unless you boil them your
self, and then you'll have spasms over
the starch"
Helen looked up, and said, in her
slow, impassive way: WHY couldn't /
go and keep house for you, Harry"
Silence fell about the table The
idea had never presented itself to one
of them, but now all at once it did not
seem so impracticable. No fancy of
Helcn's ever did for Helen.
Il have seen something of the life, :"
she said. There is nothing n it that
can not face. do not mind the soil
tude, and house is more comfortable
with woman in it."
And so it was settled. She went
about her preparations with straight
forward, unhurrying readiness that adj
mitted of little assistance. In ten days
the brother and sister started, and the
family felt somehow as if there had