Arizona republican., 1898-10-10
THE OLD
 SILVER TRAIL.
BY MARY E. STICKNEY.
(continued rom Yesterday,


 'Why. certainly. As l said before, I rather think she has come on purpose to see you, old fellow. And if you feel we'll enough-though I cannot have ycu talking business today - but If you would like to see her for mo- ment-'
 Like to see her, Great heavens, doc tor. don't keep me waiting. l have waited so long."
 And a moment l-.tter Dorothy was standing by the bedside, her two hands ciasped in his. her eyes looking down upon him with such love-light in their soft depths that it seemed to his dag zled vision as though it could not real ly be-he must still be dreaming.
 .'It is you. really you?" he incredu- lously whispered, with trembling touch caressing the little hands as though he would assure himself of their reality. You. here! Why are you here, Doro- thy?"
 ''The doctor wrote me that you were sick.' she faltered. her fingers tighten ing about his with sort Of shuddering tenderness, as at a remembered terror. And you came for that? Dorothy, sweetheart, the last time I saw you. you told me that you hated.me. It was ret true?"
 ''I think-I think more of you-than 1 thought did, she murmureG, bend l ing toward him like q wind-blown rose in the shy confession, her eyes down cast, her cheeks a3iame.
 "Ah, the happy thought! God bless yoa for it, my sweetheart-nine." Im- possible to convey the sgladness, the rapture. of that impassioned whisper. punctuated with soft kisses upon a small pink palm. But heSwas laughing 1 too for gay amusement at her pretty embarrassment, in such lightness of i heart as he had thought lie could never i know again; and with characteristic i inPetuosity he would follow up his tri- u-nph with the swift demand, nerrily mocking her shy hesitaEcy: And dc you think-do you think enough of me to marry ne-soon, darling? Oh."- and now the laughter had left his voice, while a glint of sudden tears enforced the inpassicaed earncstness Of the low cry: "I have so hungered, so starved for ! you, Dorothy,"
 i But, though he laid bare his heart in that brief pleading. he was for the mo- ment stunned by the swift granting of 1 his prayer. "I will marry you when ever you like, dear" she whispered back, her eyes. alght with glory of bound less tenderness. resoiuteiy bent to meet the dazed wonder, the rapturous ques- tioniEg, of his.
 | It was his look more than his voice that presently spoke in his worskipful My darling" And then he was silent ] for awhile, covering iI1pulsively with her dear hands his eyes, from which ! the glad tears were welling over. If you were my wife now," he tentatively : muttered after a moment. If I could have you with me all day long" He broke off with little sigh, his glance ranging about the small, bare bed room. But I could not ask it, sweet heart: of course could not
 But if you do not ask il, don't know how I can say yesto it, Dorothy mur- r.lured. dropping toward him in sweet confusion until it needed bur the yield l ing of an inch to answer the pleading of his eyes and lay her hot cheeks l against his in soft caressing.
 Dorothy" It was all he could say. 1 but all his doubt. his eager questioning. his trenulous joy, found expression in l the enc word.
 ''You see" and the girl drew back from him a little, striving to assume a