The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-11-19

them, and, looking back now, think II
was her manner. stood rejecting fol
minute and then said, "Please stay
where you are for moment. " Leaving
her, went over to Fred.
MIR. Cullen" said, miss Cullen,
rather than be searched, has acknowl.
edged that she has the letters and says
that if we men will go into the hut
she'll get them for me-.
He rose at once. II told my father
not to drag her in, he muttered sadly.
II don t care about myself, Mr.. Gordon,
but can't you keep her out Of it? She's
as innocent, of any real wrong as the
day she was born"
"I'll do everything in my power, I
promised. Then he and Hance went into
the cabin, and I walked back to the cul-
prit.
Miss Cullen said gravely, "you
have those letters and must give them
to me-"
but told you she began.
To spare her second untruth inter
rupted her by saying, II trapped your
brother into acknowledging that you
have them"
"You must have misunderstood
him." she said calmly, "or else he
idn't know that the arrangement was
changed"
Her steadiness rather shook my con-
viction, but said, "You must give me
those letters or I must search you"
"You never wouldp' she cried, rising
and looking me in the face.
On impulse I tried big bluff. I took
hold of the lapel Of her waist, intending
to undo one button. I let go in fright
when I found there was no button-only
an awful complication Of hooks or some
other feminine method for keeping
things together-and grew red and
trembled, thinking what might have
happened had I, by bad luck, made any
thing come undone. If Miss Cullen had
been noticing me, she would have seen
terribly scared man.
But she wasn't, luckily, for the mo-
ment my hand touched her, and before
she could realize that l snatched it
away, she collapsed on the rock and
burst into tears "Oh, ohr' she sobbed.
II begged papa not to, but he insisted
they were safest with me. I'll give them
to you if you II only go away and not
Her tears made her inarticulate, and,
without waiting for more, I ran into
the hut. feeling as near like murderer
as a guiltless man could.
Lord Rallies was swearing over his
trousers by this time and was offering
the cowboy and Hance money to recover
them. When they told him this was i'm
possible, he tried to get them to sell or
hire pair, but they didn't like the idea
Of riding into camp minus those essen
tials any better than he did. While I
waited they settled the difficulty by
strapping blanket round him, and, by
splitting it up the middle and using
plenty Of cord, they rugged him out aft
or fashion, but think If he could
have seen himself he would have waited
till 1t was dark enough to creep into
camp unnoticed.
Before long Miss Cullen called, and
when went to her she handed me,
without word, three letters. As she
did 30 she crimsoned violently and look
cd down In her modification. was 90
sorry for her that, though moment be-
fore had been Judging her harshly, I
now couldn't help saying:
"Our positions have been 40 difficult
Miss Cullen, that don think we either
Of us are quite responsible for our 40
tiona"
She said nothing, and. after pause
! continued:
II hope you'll think as leniently Of
my conduct as you can. for ! can't tell
you how grieved ! am to have panied
you" ...s
Cullen Joined us at this point and
knowing that every moment We remain
cd would be distressing to his sister ]
said we would start up the trail. !
hadn't the heart to offer to hslp her
mount. and after Efedario haa pnt hss
up w tsll into single Ale behind Hance
H- 1isj -ssir s,a,sls. y5p',,