Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-06-05
"But why7' her glance shifted from

to him that he might as well tell her
all. 1t might be better for her to hear
it from his own lips than to get dis
storted report from others.
II have had trouble with sgd Hart"
He wondered at the strange calmness.
that had suddenly come over him in
her presence. ut took place just
there, round the bend; you'd better
turn your pony the other way"
Her face was as full OF agony as her
shrill voice when she said:
"You don't mean that you have"
He nodded. "They are removing the
body now. Please be calm; don't be
afraid Of me! l had to do it; he would
have killed me. Perhaps it would have
been better if+he had. / have always
thought I'd rather die than kill man,
even in defense of my own life. but in
the heat of the fight I did not look at
it that way. All wanted was to hit
him-to hit him in the, heart before he
could kill me-"
Every muscle in her body seemed to
lend an ear to what he was saying.
The reins fell from her inert fingers.
"Oh Ronald" (she, had never called
the name aloud before, and it thrilled
him to the center of his benumbed
being), ''for Gods sake, tell me it is
not true-there must be some mis-
take"
'None whatever" was his reply, as
his desperate eyes Toasted on her
sweet, lovc-flled face. Evelyn, dar-
ling" gentle glow showed in his
face like the flame of his inward. spir-
itual fire, there was never the slight
est hope for our love, but had there
been, this would have killed it. You
have been only hopeless dream to
me. l have been unworthy of even
your faith in ne; this is the end;
my struggles were great enough be-
fore, my burden is now too heavy to
bear. Without CLEAN of hope can
not novel haven't that"
She gazed at him steadily, her glance
continually softening.
II shall be true to you, always" she
said. 81 love you. more than do my
lis wiz Lie SullCl eS5
much as you. Remember that. shall
not have one moments peace. Already
/ feel like an old woman. Where are
you going, Ronald?
He told her calmly enough.
81 guess that is best-if anything
can be best" she said. bitterly. 81
know where the sheriff. lives. Get in
the cart with me; shall drive there;
it is only mile
THAT will never do" he drew back;
your father"
She shrugged a shoulder, and took
up the reins in a pair of suddenly firm
hands.
"As if could think of my father
when you are in such distress. should
be ashamed of myself if lost one min
ute with you between now and
"But," he broke in, Il have never felt
that l had the right to-even your
friendship-it would be unheard of, it
would-oh! you see it would be unman-
~ of me, at such time, particularly,
to allow young girl to compromise"
TT would be unmanly of you to re-
fuse to let me see you as Ion, as pos
sible, when your calamity is killing me.
Oh, do come!"
Her melting eyes seemed to draw him
outside of himself. AS he took his seat
beside her a sweet sense of her sym
pathy took possession of him and
warmed him through and through. A
momentary feeling of citation bounded
and thumped in his breast as the little
bay pony started back along the road
at brisk trot. She was first to speak
why have you never told me before
that you loved me?'
Because" he made answer, 81 have
hardly felt that had the right to tell
myself so. I have been fighting it eve,
since I first saw you that day in the
meadow"
You are different from me, Ronald
He read vast truth in her deep, despair
ing eyes. II have never for one instant
fought my love for you. / have gloried
in its growth. I'd rather go to prison
with you than to a palace with any
other man."
IHe ROAD was very shady; large trees
grew on each side of it and their foliage
was interlaced overhead. He had a
strong inclination to clasp her in his
arms, but he did not give in to It; he told
himself that his bloodstained hands
should not pollute her being. Already
he was taking advantage of her in al
lowing her to drive with him when to
be seen with him at such time would
excite widespread comment. He made
no answer to what she had just said and
in looking in her face he saw that he1
eyes were full of tears.
What is the matter?" he asked.
Her breast heaved convulsively.
ut has occurred to me that am driv.
ing you to prison." she said, simply
the last word ending in sob.
He would have comforted her if he
could, but there was nothing in his
mind to say. The awful realization was
stealing back upon him that in killing
| sgd Hart he had blighted his whole flu
ture, covered the sun of his hopes with
human blood. They drove out into ar
| open space where cotton-fields
stretched out on one side. Behind then
Il