The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-29


before he mentioned Eleanor and then
int iniesenceracr:
ms voice was cold and Indifferent; put
his eyes contradicted his tongue, and
his tongue belied his heart. told him
of all her cold, empty, neglected life,
her faded beauty, and her hstless,
happy ways. And after a moments 81
lence, during which he literally trem-
bled with feeling, he muttered, only
justl A life for a. lifei Only just And
yet, poor thingI" And then he rose has
tily, and calling his dogs-of which at
least a dozen were lying around-he left
the hut, Ostensibly to look after our
horses.
During the next year we spent much
time together and I soon felt for him
an affection passing the love of Wo-
man." He was indeed the idol of
large section of country, and the lead
er in all hunting and Indian expedi-
tons; for to these Ismaelites of the
frontier his very name had become
terror Far as the eye could reach the
land was all his own; immense herds
of cattle and cavallards of horses roam
ed over the hills; and the rich bottom
lands yielded him fabulous harvests of
corn and cotton
How did you make all this wealth,
Vaughan asked him, one day.
II didn't make dime of it Jack. For
tune brings in some boats that are not
steered, and she found mine drifting
about and took charge of it, that's ALL
Then there was a pause. We were
both thinging of Eleanor's mistake. He
was the first to hpeak.
II am going tomorrow to hunt up
the trail OF some thieving Comanches
who have run off 20 of my best mares;
like enough 1 may never come back
again If I am missing more than two
days, hunt me UP, old fellow, and bury
me like a Christian
-..77-, L., Tes
est; but an unaccoGnta BILE presentiment
of evil seized me, and 1 urged him to
let me go with him. This he positively
declined, saying thar I was not up to
Indian yet, and would only increase the
danger"
So early next morning he went over
the hills, accompanied by couple of
fine hounds, and carrying his rifle. leav-
ing me in the cabin alone. was sing
ularly nervous and restless; and when
toward sunset [ saw stranger climb
ing the road to our door, was quite
sure he was bringing bad news What
worse?Poor Vaughan had been surpris-
ed and surrounded by Indians; and
though he had fought his way to the
next house. he had arrived there in a
dying condition 7 found him lying on
mattress under some mulberry trees
which shaded the house, bleeding fron,
a dozen wounds A negro woman and
two or three rough but tender-heaN cd
men were doing what they could to pro
long his quickly ebbing life, but no hope
nor rescue could now avail The seal Of
death was on every feature
Don't fret. Jack he said. almost
cheerfully There is really nothf e.
tear" - - q
| did not need to speak to him of his
alfairs; they had been arranged and
explained to me long ago. for he vas
Well aware in what co.'s slant danger he
lived Indeed. all care for OF. Interest
IN ms present life seemed to have van
lshed- lie talked in a rapid, feverish
manner of the past; of his home and
his dead mother; of bis friends and the
pursuits of his youth; but he never
once named Eleanor, and could not
bring myself to introduce the subject
at this hour. As the last tints of sun
set faded in ''ashen slxies' he died
calculating, almost with his last
breath. and with a voice of clad sl1.--
prise, the word '.Motherl" had known
his mother we'll; a lovely little ladv
VINO had idolized her son. and been So
tenderly beloved by him that many had
not hesitated to attribute his exile and
the sale of the old Vaughan Manor
house to grief for her death
assisted the negro woman to Der-
fern the last Offices for him and at
sunrise a little gathering of rough men
whom he had led in many a wild ana
dangerous exploit, helped to Law him in
his grave.
He had left all that he possessed
gold, cattle and iands-to Eleanor. wife
OF Richard Crosby of Snowdor
Heights, Westmoreland; and as soon as
possible L returned to England to in
form her of the bequest.
found her in little breakfast par
Tor Of the fine house for which she had
sold herself. Her beauty was much
faded, her dress slovenly and ungra cs-
full I introduced myself to her ana
named a mutual friend at whose use
to remember, and then looked at me
for further information.
nave just returned from Texas [
continued, and then I paused to see il
with her lover.
Indeed" she answered. quite calm
~ "A very unpleasant country, is it
Il hope you do not think So for n,
come to tell you that a friend has left
you an INN ense estate there"
into the white, passionless face a
great tide of feeling rushed; her ewes
Frightened with their old beauty She
stood up. and with parted lips waited
TOR me to speak again. remained
silent, however for a. moment and in
that moment her heart awoke and
whispered to her by what loss her gain
was made. Then she sat down. and
covering her face with her hands. cried
out, oh, my Lowell my love! After all
these weary years" I tried to COM
- ~ teAiHB oi All MS noble life
how he had succored the sorrowfuI,
and fought for the weak, and defend :
ed helpless women and children with
his own life
And what matters it?' she cried. In
a wild passion of grief; The has left
me, who loved him so dearly, to suffer
all these years, without a. word of com
fort or Of hope'
But he has proved that he has never
forgotten you.n
Yes! Never forgot my most mis-
cradle folly and childish pride. See
| what he has donei Given me gold. and
/ denied me even a look or a word of
/ love or forgiveness! His remem brance
/ of me is the most profound cruelty. I
have bought it with years of misery
and tears of blood. No, no! 1 have
| gold enough, and to spare; and what
has it done for me2 Look at that help
less l1--xaa al -ittir,.-