The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-17

She waited long and vainly for him TO
return.
And he-when he had thrown himself
upon his horse-rode viciously 70 -errys
bachelor shanty. There was nobody there.
He rode away again. straight 20 the house
on the Smith place.
"Henow he shouted. There was no re-
ply He went 10 the door and hammered
on II with the butt OF his revolver. but
nobody answered. The whole world, u
seemed TO him. had turned TO darkness
and silence.
Yet there was an indehnable relief that
II was So
The Smith place was but short distance
from the clump OF willows and the swim
ming hole where he had talked With Jerry
that morning; and less further away was
the big. ugly redwood house where lived
the woman who had written him the let
ter. He saw the solitary lamp.ight To
window and knew she was waiting for
him. A horse Weighed Go the willows as
he passed. but be heard % iudinerently.
He had ridden a good many miles and 10
was late. He had no notion OF going 90
see her when he started. nor when he had
received her letter. But the light was Ia
the window. and she was unhappy. he
knew that and this seemed the only
light left In the world He did know there
was another light In another window and
another woman sObbing herself 20 sleep
for him.
He made up his mind on the instant that
he would step In a few minutes-Only
few minutes-and see her and tell her he
was going away and good-by.
IL was long past midnight when he came
out and rode away. lie heard the rattle
OF a wagon and some men talking They
would meet him near the willows. and ns
spurrcd his horse 90 q lopc. thinking %
pass unrecoguized. RE did not want them
% know that he was coming from the
house-they would not understand.
Hello. Ad King: what e. you d0inE out
this time o. uiEht?' shouted one OF the
men-they were coming home from town
the fellow worked f0r Colonel Gecr.
what are you DOING out here your
SELF replied he, savagely. and rode rap
idly away, Notwithstanding they had
stopped the wagon % talk.
10 was near noon the next day when he
awoke. The world had changed nightly
In one night. lie thought he would put
brave front on his courage and 20 %
Evelyn NcIlif and explain IN some way
his conduct and why he had not returned.
The house was silent. no one answered
his knock AS he came out at the gate "a
man he knew as a member OF the league.
passing by. looked AZ him with a knowing
grin and said: "Well. you've got ger gall
with you to so TO that house to-day"
And why not TO that house to-day ~
choose to-"
"Oh. nothing" said the man. riding
away before Adds could unite and mount
his horse
lie soon learned the story. A man was
found dead with bullet hole IN his body
near the Clump Of willows. and his own
horse saddled and bridled was found IN
the willows. its bride rein having caught
on a limb. II would be useless. he argued
-. nrrrrQ fmT
She would believe her brothers blood
was on his hands. Only time could unravel
the mystery. 50 when the midnight train
rumbled out OF Hanford Adds King sat
by a window looking his farewell out into
the darkness. while shut TN her bedroom
the girl he would have died 20 make
happy. sat by dim lamp. proud and cold
and fearless with the other woman's let
ter on her lap. lie came 90 San Fran
cisco and stayed. year went by and
two. and three lie was no longer the
laughing. boyish fellow he had been. Oc-
casiOuslly "a letter came from the place
that had been HIS home. but uo word
from the one being " whom he lougei
To- hear. But ali things come to him who
waits. II he wait long enough.
on q Christmas morning tho ono mail
delivery irou=h. him two letters bearing
the Hanford postWark. The fret he
opened had "a Christmas card. The letter
accompanying 10 said as news that colonel
Gecr and family had sold 0Ut ard la4
moved 90 san Francisco and that his old
friend Jerry was dead. His heart gave o.
quicker beat az the name of the Ius 1Ud
the possible utarness ~ her. and .ig-
Tor his old friend. Reading the 'ther .et-
ter made the hand that held 90 unsteady.
Lad" it said. 'it was j. Hc took ths
woman ] loved from the shelter Ot ms
HON, and heart and left her. The league
think you have kept faith with them.
and / have avenged her. { have learned
about your love and when ! ann dead.
which time Is near az hand. the girl too
Will know that 10 was not YOU. Yes you
yellow hcaded. over-g grown baby. / have
loved a woman we'll enough TO die for her.
JERRY"
The Christmas sun streamed in az tho
window lit crept 10 the letter In hts hand
and filled IL with golden light. The
Christmas bells were ringing: Peace on
earth and good will toward men"