The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-09-03

RICHARDS MISSION
W. H. Rose in Cleveland Plain Dealer

It was very warm day. The breez
that had sustained the dropping ccurag,
Of the citizens through the heat OF this
night before, died away In the early
morning and the Gazing sun had tn,
held TO itself. There were few oeopl,
on the streets. The long list OF fatal
tiles of the day before had carried q
warning that none dared to ignore IL
the upper part OF the city the snadei
and curtained homes seemed TO browse
in the fierce glow. There was no sign
of life about them.
One house, however, was an cxcep,
ton. On the upper step, with his back
against porch post, sat young man
He was a we'll dressed young man kith
O resolute face and keen dark eyes, Hi
complexion was dark. the com 9lcxiog
of man who had seen much outdoor
exposure, but just now 1t seemed TO bs
overspread with sickly pallor HI
hat was lying on the step by his side.
The young man was ILL., He had ar
rived in the city early that mJrnine
after a long and tiresome railway jour
ney. He had oyerworked himself be-
fore he started. He had lost all desire
for sleep and he could not eat. Their
was fever In his blood when ne reached
the city. The heat had added to III,
malady. But the purpose he had in
view outweighed all physical discom
forts That purpose must be accom-.
plished. Then, whatever the outcome
he could rest.
Richard Burton sad come all the way
from Mexico to ask Agnes Harper to
be his wife. WheL ne went away he
knew that she was the one woman in all
the corld. and his lonely life across ths
Rio Grande had added to this feeling
He had worked very hard in clearing UT
the mining property in which he had
Acquired an interest, for hard work and
consequent success--for he never doubt
cd himself-seemed TO bring Agne;
nearer 10 him. And then when he task
was quite finished and a mining super.
intendent was coming down TO dvids
the burden OF labor and responsibility
feeling Of homesickness fell upcn him.
And It was Agnes he hungered to see
This feeling grew stronger and strong
er. It robbed him Of sleep and nourish-
ment, And when II could no longer be
borne. on the very day that Brtton,
the mining superintendent, arrived, he
piarted on the northward journey. Brit
ton tried to hold him few days.
You're not a well man." he said
You've got a touch of the fever. Sta
here a few days ana let me try to braca
you up"
But Richard was deaf to this entreaty
He was coming North as fast as steam
woa.d bring him; he was going 70 ash
Agnes Harper to be his wife That was
a task that could not be postponed for
any mere physical weakness His mind
must be at rest. Whether It was yes
whether il was no, he must ask tbs mo-
mentous question.
AS for the prospect Of his success, he
kept that armly in the background
When he allowed himself to think OF Il
for fleeting moment he felt that the
char,ss were all against him. she was
rich petted, the idol Of an indulgen'
n Ter, the center OF a circle Of admir-.
ing friends. He was at The very begin
ming Of his career and still struggling
for foothold on solid ground. They
were the best OF friends. they had beoa
playmates before college life drew him
away, but no word Of affection had
passed between them. Why should she
stoop TO him? Yet be must ask her.
Richard Burton carried ont his resolu
ton. He had called and found hei
home. She was as beautiful as biz
dreams had painted her. She had greet.
ed him cordially AMI had called him
Richard. Her mother was visiting
friends In Boston. She herself nai just
returned from house party on lov lax
shore. Aud how was Richard faIing
she had heard somalhlng aben. hls