Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-10-03
" II. S. CANFIELD.
"A Maid of the West" "Fergy the Guide" "The Herrons
Dance" Etc


past, what future would the cold and
sensible woman predict for me? Think
of these things, do not attempt to soft
en- them, and then tell me what it was
that | saw in your eyes.
1t had come. She recognized the com
ing and joyed in it. Every narrow ira
dition, every prejudice, every rigid pre-
cept OF her CONSTRUCTED girlhood fell
from her as garment. Her Unborn
high courage sprang to front the new
condition as resolutely as any long for
gotten ancestor had fronted Saracen or
northern invader. She rose and placed
her hand upon his arm and the strength
of her love was IN her deep voice as
she said:
You saw that which you would have
seen days ago, Weston, if you had
known less of men and more of wom-
en-"
He caught her to him with his unin-
jured arm and strained her to his broad
breast showering kisses upon her glori-
Gus hair. drunk with the wonder and
splendor Of this most unexpected gift,
She leaned against him plant. submits
sive, wondering, too, at the change in
herself and thrilled from head to foot
by this, her first and only passion. She
could feel his kisses in every fibre Of
her being; though as yet his lips had
not touched hers. and she knew that
whatever he might have been and
whatever he still might be, she was his
as utterly as though she had been de-
voted to him since her earliest infancy.
Through devious ways they had come
together and henceforward 1t was in
evitable that their lives should be in
dissoluble.
you love me?" he asked, sure of it.,
but anxious for the assurance.
81 love you"
"You will wait for me, and, forsak-
ing kindred. come with me to some far
country where shall build our homer"
II will wait for you"
He raised her chin with his hand.
looked once more into her eyes. drank
deeply of their depths and dropped his
lips upon hers In a clinging earess.
Now. Lois English since child had
not been kissed by man and the fire
Of 1t ran through her and made her
afraid and half ashamed. she could not
have told why. She was wildly happy.
yet she shrunk from him. Weston, a
man of quick and fine feeling, OWNED
and released her. She sank into chair
and covered her face with her hands.
Even her small ears showed pink. He
stood beside her, his hand resting light
ly on the back OF the chair, and waited
for her to regain control. There was
nothing in his bearing to indicate aught
save a respectful, almost reverential
tenderness. The knowledge OF her love
was as yet too new to him to make her
any the less sacred in his eyes. There
was still about her the halo OF semi
divinity with which he had invested
her in his lonely feverish hours. Fin
ally he said:
The glory Of your love Is so great
Lois, that can scarcely realize that 1t
Is mine. | feel unworthy; | know that
I am unworthy. | am so far beneath
you that the task of climbing to your
plane seems impossible. | shall be
drawn upward by you however. | now
have something to live fora some
thing more dear and precious and of a
higher value than ever fell to man be-
fore. | know now, IL | did not know
before that | was not born to be con-
Wet. You and /, my sweetheart, shall
be all In all to each other yet, and my
wife shall not be afraid to look any
woman in the face"
She slipped her hand upon his, placed
her forehead on it and sat listening.
I'VE part tonight but only for brief
time. | trust Nothing can harm me.
for your affection will be a shield
feel that every atom OF my strength
L o. al L,t 81
ing is beyond me SO that 1t be achieved
fer you. You will hear from me in only
a little while-before | turn my face to
the interior of the Mexican republic. II
will be, at the most, but few months
ere ! return for you. shall find you
here, true and hopeful and patient
know"
you will find me here. true and
hopeful, but not patient How could
be-"
He stopped to brush his lips against
her hair and went on:
Il do not know the thing for which
I am best fitted but any field OF hui
man endeavor must prove fruitful II
the work be done for you, For such a
prize what man would not strive his
uttermost? Distance Is but a trife; 1t
Is the lapse Of time only that counts
do not know how | shall reach you, but
will return and then we Will not be
parted any more. The nour grows late
and | must tell you goodbye Before
you go give me some token, something
about you that has belonged to you
and 1t shall act as my messenger"
She rose quietly, lookei at him and
slipped from a finger little band of
old gold, set with small unpublished
cornelian. The stone showed redly and
duly in the dim light
1T was my mothers" she said sim
ply. giving it to him. Il have never
worn another ring.
He placed it in the interior Of his
cartridge belt, carefully buckling II
down. Tossing the belt upon the chair
Il fell heavily. with faint chink as OF
metal. He looked at her with half
smile.
I Il shall not starve,' he said There
| is much gold in IT, Your Engllghmen
are honest and they are fair fighters
/ except one" II was hi second refer
ence TO Maude. but apparently the
thought passed from him instantly and
| hts white forehead was clear OF frown