Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-01-05

which had taken her from him. He
mu1Ablcd like an old man robbed, az
tears splashed his face.
At last he reached the boat. In the
bottom was a piece Of cedar chip tied
to her handkerchief. Leaplng at Il
nerccly. he grasped It with shaking
hand. Then he rolled up his eyes, his
fingers fumbling with the knot. his lips
dawn white. Scrawled on the chip
with a pencil was n message: "rve
gone for good. You were kind, but l
could not abide you or the country.
I've gone with one rs Will take me all
over the world"
with bis mouth working tensely he
started to drag himself back. His
brain was flying high up and down
again. Darling lights played before
his eyes. The wLirllng ground leaped
away from him. Crawling on, he
reached the door, where, down on all
fours. like n dog, he flung up his head
aud looked around the rooms wildly.
Everything In them spoke with a trum-
pet voice Of her. lie let his head fall
on the sill. Then n groan came heavily
from his lips. and he was calm.
The next week a new captain came
on the river steamer.
The birds flying across the river on
their why to the south saw a woman,
dressed gaudily and In vulgar fashion,
making her way from the landing to
the little house on NHnee's island. At
the door a gnunt man watched her.
With II dazed stumbling he walked
forth n little way to meet her.
81 have come pack after these years."
she said. looking up to the little home,
which, small and poor rs 1t was, seem
cd to hold out hope Of peace to her.
But he said nothing. only staring at
her With eyes in which burned a faint
spark. Once he shlyered at the croak-
Ing notes In her voice.
Into the house she followed him dog.
gedly. She picked up her duties where
she had left them years before. touch
Ing n chair here and moving something
there. She took a broom and fell to
sweeping feverishly, until she flung 1t
down contemptuously and sank Into n
chair with n gasp. He had watched
her silently with slow burning eyes.
"yhy don't you speak? ?" she cried.
Her rising voice was hard and crac-
king. There was a launt on her lips.
Her hands on her hips conveyed an in
science Of boldness.
81 have come back to you in kind
ness" she said. her tones going higher
and her voice growing more rasping.
IL know the worth Of a woman like
inc. When my captain died, l could
Lave lad many n fair chance, but ]
thought of you. and somehow l wanted
to come hero. Aren't you going to
make upT" she cried angrily.
God, what a difference In those
yenrsl His lips pressed together stern
ly.
why don't you spcak?" she scream.
ed. How dare you treat me like
like She paused and then laughed
with her brazen notes.
But the dancing lights were In his
brain again and before his eyes and
around bin Il boiling fame that roared
The room was whlrling. He saw 1t all
streaked and spangled with fierce color
the floor. the chairs, the fiat stove,
the II or TN. ana among them her
face, the lips leering, the eyes staring.
Staggering to his feet, he CROPPED with
his arms, His hands clutched at sou"
thing soft and warm that yielded under
his contracting fingers. They closed
tightly. gripping hard to stop tho whirl
Ing Of the earth. The fame shot up
madly, and, blinded In the dark, he fell,
living stretched on tlle floor
Years later, the Upper end Of the Is
land settled. pity still endured among
the people for the lonely man who llv-
ed on the lower end. They told stran-
gers touching there OF the young wife
whom he had ever seen from the day
she ran away With the captain Of the
rlunr stnn NOR nnl hn u.na LIZ Ia Lie