Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-12-07

iaasi4sis, Il Ills 5das Il tell you a SC.
cret. boat get augry and bark. will
your ! haYcnt ted you before be.
roiitA here Wasn't time before I vTni
away. But / mot Ter at Mrs. Man.
toms tail three weeks before I sailed.
Yes, ter, hcr, jess: just think Of Il; tue
embodiment Of opr dfcam-hIuc eyes,
w~olAoElincss. grace. all. everything
that YOU and | TAD yearned tor al
ii!ese years.
Il knew her three weeks. and just
think Of Il. Jess. she said she loyed me
erd she promised TO come and sit * ,hg
other side Of tho Ore and 10 tease Us
and kiss "a au1 make tea Ter Us. All.
little WOMAN. I 6esan 70 believe that
Il dream yves coming true" The col.
lie lifted herself with a quick spring
md stood upright on her knees aud
prickiug Up her ears 20 listen began "a
BART furlously AZ the farther door Of
tie gsoa.
yea are nervous. i.ttie woman"
Bentley sa.d. Now settle back and
let Lt ten you the rest. have wanted
50 much to tell somebody. It tas been
rather hard 70 keep Il shut up Ia ones
heart without even the comfort Of a
friendly. patient eLc. I went away
with her kiss burning on ny lips. |
hated b 20 without her. but i vas
war. and that meant duty. AMI Il was
The Il thing for which | bad worked
and studied and fitted myself FOR 20
years. She wrote 20 nc. Jess; yes
grand letters; ard. lame minded dog
that | am, ! didn't know how to an.
s1Ycr Ter In the way che wanted. |
couldn't wen grasp what she was dirty
Ing at. and l used % think at times
that she was aiming ut a smashup.
Well. then | fell II and couldn't WRIT
II ell. Brt she wrote Cad Kept ~ Nrlt
ing for months, but ! didn't get the lot
tcrs. | don't know what they were
thinking q down there to hold them
back. Her ,hey are, less. In my
blouse. ard tie last enc is awfully bit
ter; yes, awCully bitter, little woman.
and guess the Jig IL up. Cad. ! don't
blame her. Six months without p
word. and then she wrote and said she
hated inc and Ioathed me and dctcstcd
me Nnd that I was Il coward and that !
coCll fever see her again"
Again the collie sprang up and bark
ed still m0rc furlously. Then Mrs.
Blossom came In and asked him If he
would not 90 and look at his room aud
SEQ whether or not everything was all
right.
81 think there is something which
annOys the dog" be said. as he got up
TO do her bidding. But She had disap.
peared again,
BENTLEY went 10 his room and stood
at the door and locked in. IL seemed
dreary to him. lie did not have the
heart to inspect Mrs. Blossoms ar.
raugements. lie turned again TO 20
back TO the Gre. As he reached the
door OF bis den lie glanced toward the
chair at tho other side Of the hearth
and then stepped back suddenly and
steadied himself against the door
frame. For II moment lac felt dizzy
lie ran his fingers across his hot eye
lids to shut cut the vision. A slender,
glrllsh figure leaned back In its dreamy
depths. BENTLEY looked ugain, and the
vision seemed fuller to Ills tired, sur
prised brain.
"Louise!" he whispered audisAy.
a yellow head turned aud smiled at
him In an old. familiar way, lie stole
over 20 his chair and sat down, look.
Ing at the quiet, graceful girl.
Louise, Louise" he whispered feel.
ingly. The collie sprang at her skirts
and barked Indignantly. a strange
beIng filled the depths OF the sacred
armchair. which Jess had been taught
never 10 use herself and to protect
with religious vigilance against ln;rud-
rrs. Now II was occupied.
Bentley watched her curiously. She
smiled again and dropped her head IN
her hands and watched the fire criti.
cally.
Louise, is Il you, dcarcstf"
yes, II Is l." she answered calmly.
''The newspapers said that you had
been MORALLY wounded, but the sur
geOn cabled other news. and l conclud;
cd that he knew. | came today to In.
qulre for you Of your housekcepcr, and
you surprised me here"
Louise, DO you love me!"
THAT is not the question we ought 10
consider. have proved my lcge." she
said firmly.
Louise. | love you. and you know
a." he cried out wildly, won't you
come aud occupy that armchair al.
waysT'
Some Time" she laughed exuitant-
ly, with sudden gayety. as she got up
to run toward the door. She stopped
In the middle Of the room and came
back an1 leaned over TO Kiss the spot
on his hond devoid Of It's silken gray
hairs and then the sunburued cheeks,
scanned with lines Of long suffering,
and thru The dear limp arm with It's
glorious wound.
"Yes. som" time" she laughed hap