The record-union., 1898-02-10

ed wire fence, then stopped, perforce.
and raised his straw hat
Mrs. Cotton" he said, would you
mind stepping down to the fence a mo-
ment? / have something l. should like
ito say to YOU"
/. 1t was the first time either had ad-
dressed the other since the trial, and
tshe hesitated a. amonlent before answer
| ing him. Her first impulse was to re-
ply by maintaining contemptuous si-
lence. sut rejecting that there would be
nothing gained by such a course she
suppressed her rising bitterness toward
him and said, calmly:
Il can hear you from here"
A flush Of anger overspread his own
face, but he mastered his temper quick
ly.
Il prefer to speak at closer range"
he said.
THE distance is only five feet she
replied, coolly.
True, but the space Of five feet gives
an entirely different meaning to some
words. Were / to stand on this side
of a barbed wire fence and make GER
tain declarations to you they would
sound ridiculous; were / nearer they
would convey to you ideas that are
tremendously alive within me at the
lpresent moment"
L shall put my own construction on
what you may say, wherever you may
stand while saying it," she returned,
bitterly.
! May play the part of Mal1omet and
come to your" he asked in despair
IF you can climb a barbed wire fence.
But warn you the mountain is very
unresponsive and you had better save
yourself the trouble and stay where
you are"
He gulped down another uprising
gorge Of anger
Mrs Cotton-Clara," he said, leaning
as far over the fence as was possible
without tearing his clothes and lac
Grating his flesh. I've been brute"
Il know it"
And an idiot. I've acted like a
thoroughbred villain"
Il know that, too"
Don't answer me like that-please
don't. The only thing that made me
take UP that lawsuit in the first place
was the unreasonable resentment I en-
Itertained toward you because you pre-
ferred Hobart Cotton to me. posi-
lively hated him for being successful in
his woong and 1 tried to hate you, too.
1 couldn't do anything for revenge
while he was alive, but bided my time
and seized the first opportunity after
he was dead. 1 saw how faithfully you
attended to his grave and how your af-
fections seemed centered here and I
conceived the fiendish idea of taking
up the old quarrel between our fam
lilies and wrestling that spot away from
you should any court Of justice be so
unjust as to decide in my favor. To
my surprise l got the coveted land, but
1 haven't enjoyed my victory. l have
seen you sitting here day after day
Hooking patiently over the barDed wire
fence and growing even more beautiful
in your martyrlike subjection, and my
heart has ached for your silent grief
and I've cursed myself for being such
a rascal. Mrs. Cotton, I'm going to
make amends I'll tear down the fence
at this place and inclose the grave with
an iron railing, thus giving you free
access. I'll cut the grass and plant new
flowers next spring. Or, if you like,
you may remove Mr.. Cotton. I'll pay
the expenses.
Mrs. Cotton's shapely hands were out
stretched with a deprecatory move
ment.
''Oh, my goodness. no; couldn't think
of doing that" she replied. 1T was
Robarts dearest wish that he be bur-
led in that idnetical spot. He often
| told me so. Neither do I want the
iron fence around him. You may cut
the grass if you will and l do urgently
ask that you won't let the cattle tram
pie over the grave if you ever turn this
field into pasture. Beyond that
have no requests to make. l should
like to be quite near him once more
and press my head on the sod above
him, but you have rendered that inn
possible. l can never step foot on your
land. You have broken my heart. You
have made my loneliness unbearable.
You, have drawn q line-a barbed wire
ine-through my home. My husband
is on one side, / on the other. You are
my worst enemy"
He began vigorous protest but
whatever he would have said was cut
short by the approach of two farm
hands and he turned away. leaving Mrs.
Cotton sobbing out her violent grief on
the autumn tinted turf.
The Indian summer continued until
late in November that year and Mrs.
Cotton suffered no physical inconveni-
ence in paying her respects to Mr.. Cot
| ton. She did not see Mr.. Longstreet
again until the latter part Of the month.
Then one afternoon she saw him COM
ing hurredly across the meadow tow
| ard the little graveyard. He took
knife from his pocket and opening the
sharp blade he severed the strands Of
wire one by one. That done, he walked
boldly through the opening and sat
| down beside Mrs. Cotton. Neither
spoke for several minutes.
Clara" he ventured at length.
you say 1 have made your loneliness
unbearable. I'm sorry. I would fain
have just the opposite effect upon your
life. I would Danish all loneliness if
you would permit me. The line have
drawn cannot we'll be Aaken down, for
| the property has been decreed mine,
but that is no reason why you should
be on this side Of the fence and your
| husband on that. If You will not
bring him here, you may go there. 1
| invite you to pass over as my wife;
! then you will have two husbands on
the other side. See, the way is open.
VIII you go?"
She caught her breath in one or two
queer little gasps. Then she put her
hand in his and they walked through
to the grave together. The dividing
| line was still there, yet 1t divided not
| Chica go News