The Delta independent., 1899-02-03

thithef, bassd On the recovery OF some
Of the damaged stores. He thought Of
Il all q lcng before gun IRE that morn.
ing the black care Of bis life came and
Souaed him from his 6tful sleep and
bads him face his daily. hourly tor
menk He had risen. and - he softly
moved about the room. thoughtful for
her. she slept On placidly - happy
child. soundly ~ slept the nurss and
the little one in the adjoining room.
Denning his stable dresa he carried
his boots into tho hall and down the
creakipg stairs and sat there. with soli-
sary candle. at his desk. wearily jotting
down inexorable dgurea The dawn
came stealing In the eastward window.
From aloft . querulous little wall was
uplifted on the stiffness Of the summer
Horuing. Thsrs was no answering hush
Of loving. motherly voics. Laura could
not stand wakeful nighta He tipeoed
swiftly mp again to rouse the nurse in
cass she. too. slept on. but he heard her
hand beating drowsy time on the cover
let. and the soothing "Shoo. shoe.
shoe, " with which she communicated
her own heavipess 20 her little charge
Laura had turned uneasily. he saw -
ts peeped in as the open doorway. bus
again slept soundly. her lovely lace
now full turned toward him. half pill
loweA on the white and rounded arm
he used to kiss with such rapture In the
touch Of his lipa Her white brow was
shaded BY the curling wealth Of her
soft. shining hair. The white eyelids
droopsd their long curving lashes over
shs rounded cheska family hinged with
the rosy hue Of youth and health. The
exquisite lips. warm. delicatsly nodded.
parted Just enough to reveal the white,
even. pearly teeth The snowy, round
Cd throat and neck and shoulders were
enhanced In their beauty BY the flmy
fabric Of her gown. beneath which her
full bosom slowly rose and fell In health.
full respiration. How beautiful she was,
how fair Q picture oi almoss girlish In
nocencs and freedom from all worldly
druss or carsi Even now. in the light
of al the gradual revelation Of hsr shall
low. sslGsh vanity. the heart Of the
man ysaensd ovsr and softensd to her.
II hs hsd only realised. V - bad
only known moes a ths world aad life
and dusy other than mere soldier oblisa.
sioa, bow diGsrsss all might have bssa
Whss sigAs haA - - ask haR 70 - he
wtese 0hs sboalA hsse weddsd . naa
nan1 yuagS ~ oun1ae-ooo 0tso4 70
guSib 81 Alssse ~. ahls - laviah
iazssy spss ~. u ws0r IL ~
fauls that abe haA bssa - ehoa06eaaA
ppns eisii What eiD bed hsr moebse
Sssa bsa0s hsel Whist slss could ooe
sspsss a h@i Woald she mi0 hims b
wosl0sd Nos loaG. NOS long. Thank
0o6i Rssasy sseh - hsrs would soon
win Sne her and baby home and oomfoe.
such - hs could nsvss give. That VS.
oil over 0omcshins almost like . sob
rose from biz heart - be bent and soft.
ly touched with his lips the 6ossins
curl above her temple. than turned back
% resume his work and refaos bis trou.
blea Thank God. Mullane's pistol
would soon end them all and save bin
from the sin that was in his soul the
day be took his own revolver with him.
She was sleeping sill when the morn.
ing gun ahook the shutter Of her win.
dow and hs went forth 70 meet the sor-
rows of anosher day. - b had mes
those Of the pass-aloneL
The air was strangely sill. yet the
smoke from the kitchen chimneys back
Of the barrncks settled downward about
shs sdobe capping or driftcd aimlessiy
along the roof sreea Down In the stream
bed and over about the low bluffs Of the
farther shoes swallows and nndmartins
wsfo shooting and slanting aboat their
nesss in clamoroua. complaining gyra-
sion. The dag, run up 70 the sopwass u
the crack Of the gun. hung limp and
lifclcss without 20 much % . dutter.
Away 70 the northwest. over the pine
crcsts Of the range. . beis Of billowy
cloud CLEANED snow white st their sam-
mits. bus frUwped dark and ominous
underneath. Huge masrea Of camulua
halloonlikc. thrust distended checks 10
the morning kis. Of the sun. but these
were we'll down n the vert. The osisnt
and the sepifh skies were necklesA
Over as shs stables swo four male
seans wsrs hitching In. end army wsR.
cos wess teius laden with eeataee.
1uncheon baskets. We. boxes a bottled
bese. band iustTumeuss and the like.
oil going ahead 70 the white Gate
while Frsxisr's bandsmen were 70 fol-
low In smother % soon % they bad In
isked bseakfass Tbeir duty would -
% ~ up sks tents. the dancinR pavilion
end the lupph tables On tho level gf0en
In . lovely dell . mile within fhe esses
ssd have eveSythina In readiness
assinss Tho conina q the toyoss parsy
srun the puss Il We planned 70 casry
ebs women foit and soch NJ -
coaids's rtds IN shs avsilabbs snss-
lances snd sysine wagons. while -
eavsiisss would cantor along ~ hosue-
bsrk They WosIA Issch - .. deoca
- and nifs through the afessDouo
hosss haze . nppIemestssy biss cd
b4S toward O'Clock aDA drive hoOe-
Vsrd b-soes dark '.Capfsts nefelay