The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1899-05-20
place, while his heart foretold !

place, while his heart foretold q |
negative reply. At last some one
had seen her in her boat alone pull |
ing up the river. In five minutes he
was following up the painless river
ON. whose ripping surface no print
pf.boat keel helped him on.
!. The hours went on, the dusk grew
to dark; but that Helen might now
be at home awaiting him he never
for a moment thought. She was
here, and he must find her.
He rested a moment on his oars,
and as he leaned thus, scanning the
sedgy borders of the stream, the
moon threw her searchlight across
the. gloomy waters. In the silveryr
ray he saw dark object swaying
md swinging with the current. He
padded to it quickly. 1t twas canoe
small, light and empty. From the
bow a rope dropped into the water,
now hanging loose as an eddy swept
the boat backward, now pulling taut
from an invisible anchor. McDougal
caught the apchor rope and ndl,ed e
gently and steadily toward him. he
felt strong resistance, then heavy
weight rising with his effort. He.
dared not think what 1t might be,
and yet when woman's hand APP
'peared beneath his own he did not
start, except to clasp In his the poor
dead fingers. Over the boats side
he leaned and drew her to him until
her fair head rose above tho surface
and her loose, hair floated out Then,
- he bent his face close over hers,
be seemed to see again the barren
mesa, the dull background of the
evening sky, Desmond's approach
ing figure and the woman of his
vision and to breathe the heavy odor
/ Of dying water lilies and of reedy
shores. The waters parted ms he
took his burden from their hosom to
his own, and in. the cleft he seemed
to see Desmond's blue eyes smiling
Tup to his.
He laid her gently down and tool
up the oars again. As he left the
charmed circle around the pool ht
cast one more glance upward to the
kindly light above, but into his face
had come a look that a man, unless
indeed, he had babes conscience
might fear to encounter,
Two days later, as he stepped
upon the gangplank of tho outgoing
steamer, he heard the thick voice 0
an Indian aek oxcitedly:" IL he here
the soldier devili Him named Des
mond. Gomez But Tony'll fin
um." Then the steamer swun
around, a:lt, MtDougal was left t
his own dark thoughts. Il.
At the station he found the sui
stitute glad to be relieved, and hi
leave had not expired before he wa
alone once mole, gazing out acros
the mesa and nursing his sick soul
He stood thus one evening, whe
suddenly across his haggard face
cruel smile spread itself from lips
eyes. For moment he gazed il
tently ahead beneath his shadin
hund, then reached back to whe1
his rifle stood, inside the door. n
raised it to his shoulder, took care
full aim aud fired. AS the gun dro]
ped from his careless fingers he IA
madly toward the spot where only
few uprooted tufts Of sagebrush tol
of his bullets course. The mesa We
untenanted, but when he hung b.
rife in its place that night the d.
mon looked no longer from his gra
eyes, but then and always his for
head bore the signs Of one acquain
ed with grief.
A few days later he found lettt
in the wayside box addressed in q
unfamiliar hand and signed by Il
sheriff of - county, Or. 1t reat
: DEAR SIR-Yours wns the only address foul
, on tho body Of one Duane Desmond, shot he
I on the evening Of the I'd inst. by an Ai,nche
dian. Tho Indian had followed him for wee
and when he finally come up with his Wet
shot him down III cold blood. When arreste
. he manifested no concern. but stated Tint I
man had Lew itched and stolen his daught,
D Hoping tho young man was nothing to you
remain, etc.
McDougal folded the lette
q "Thank God, he said aloud, eth
I 1t was his wrath and not his poe
!. erring bouy that / slewi God al
4 Helen forgive me for my mad int
q tioni''-Alice D. Baukhage in Arg
. maui.