The National tribune., 1898-01-13
CHAPTER xxi.

The party soon separated, as the others
! were eager to hurry on To see their fathers,
| mothers, sisters and sweetheartS. They
| agreed to meet the next evening at Robert
| Innuie'S
| After being left alone Pollock and Miriam
role along IN silence, hand in hand The
| delight OF once more being together was
! too supreme for the commOnpIaceS OF
| speech. The Joy that swelled their hearts
would not overflow in words. 1t was as
| silent rs the glorious sunshine which
| Hooded the whole country with radiance,
! and softened even the stern old mountain
crags into kindly grace. Every fiber Of
their beings was straining with tie fullness
| Of their perfect Joy.
ANY utterancc but a burst OF the most
| perfect music would have been beneath
| the inenable exaltation Of their youthful
hearts. 1t is part OF the wealth OF youth
that it alone can feel absolute, unliawed,
| unspeakable happiness, that leaves moth
ing more to be asked for.
Miriam was the first TO speak.
90 there's some arbutuS," she said
springing from her saddle, to gather II
spray of the foremost Spring flower, open
inc its dainty petals under the shelter Of a
great rock Seems t. me that the whole
mounting ought t be in bloom to-day
"Deei hit does, honey" said Pollock,
kissing her fondly; "but the whole mount
ing kiVvered with posies wouldn't look II
thousandth part as sweet as yo' do |
wonder II the sun kin shine brighter in
Heaven than hit does here tc-dayz'
90, Clay" she said, Il little awed; that
seems lest a leetle wicked. OF course
where God is must alluz be unspeakably
brighter and lovelier than anything on
airth kin be-"
'T don't keer if hit 10 wicked" persisted
Pollocls. Il believe, an I'm gwine { keep
on believin', that God never made an angel
purifier than " air, an that the sunshine
around US is some special KIN that He uses
in Heaven and has sent down to-day Jest
for we'uns.'
Miriam tried to look shocked, but it was
q sort Of sacrilege that no woman can be
expected to regard very sternly.
1--WE millions o things { say t yo', an
t. AK yo', Clay" said Miriam. But I'm
most afeared t. sDfak. Hit seems like
them ole stories grandmother used t. tell
bout men bein' given all the gold an
silver an diamonds in the world, but the
minute they spoke a word they all turned
t. husils an leaves an stones"
Talk as much as yo' want t, sweet
heart, said Clay, gallantiy; "fur want to
hear yo' voice. Thar's more music in hit
than in AIRY birds that ever sung Don't
be sfeered bout my turnin' into any thin
but 175 pounds o. rale flesh and blood,
radical Tennessee Lincolnite an private
soljer in Jineral Thomas's army. Talk
away. darling; III not disappear for two
DAYS at least"
81 don't know where t. begin" she said
pitfullY. 81 want t. AK a thousand things
at orct, an | know III miss akin an
sayin the things that I'm dyin' t"
They were nearing home and they saw
Bildad and Reuben standing on "a HILL
with guns in their hands.
''Thar's the BOYS, said Miriam They're
wonderin who Pm with an il some rebel
hasn't got me. Yo'd better stop "a little
an LET me ride ri am bnItar 'a->,
Things we got T. such pass lately, that
they're liable T. shoot ut any stranger first,
an AK questions a'ter"
don't blame en-, laughed Pollock.