The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1901-01-03
happy face tina. made Honore look for

came down the path to meet him, and
she wondered if all the blaze ard
sparkle of a title would be worth the
glory in Jim's eyesi
All day long there fingered IN
Honore Marchmont's memory the
picture at the gate. The little pain OIL
trodden earth that led from the door,
way through the dew-wet, swaylng
hollyhocks to the gate beyond, and al
the gate, the woman In the blue print
gown and the eager, happy eyes oil the
man who waited for her. At nlgntIaii
she could endure it no longer. inc
Count was leaving on the late tram
he was im~patient-it must be now OF
never. he told Mrs. Marchmont, so WIN
the recriminations, pleading and en-
treaties of her mother in her ears anu
q letter in her bosom from the mar sna
loved, Honore spurred her horse on
toward the hills.
1t was Just dusk when the horse
stumbled along the dusty lane, now
through the somber wood. There were
only the sounds of the night to be
heard. The low cry of a late bird, the
mufffed lowing of distant cattle, the
stunning bass of a bullfrog by the
stream and the lighter melody OF a
~locust's trill. A covey of birds, frl2ht-
ened by the passer, flew with a WHIT
Of brown wings into a hedge by the
roadside, a fluttering bat went bllndly
by and the dark range of forest trees
stood s%ilhouetted against the hushed
western sky.
She came again to the little mouse
she had passed in the morning ana
the girl was waiting at the gate.
Honore reined her horse and spoke
quickly: 81 saw you here this morn
ing-I hoped you would be here when
l came tonight, l wanted to speak with
you" She hesitated. WAS that man
at the gate-this morning-was he
your lover?"
The girl peered up into the face
above her and answered yes
Was he-do you love him-are you
happy?"
The girl at the gate came closer and
laid her hand on the bride rein. Il
know what you want-I knew this
morning. wanted you to come back.
You are Miss Marchmont at the hotel
over there" she nodded her head to-
ward the lower range OF hills. Il
saw you that day when you rode past
with the two of them-that little, black
Count and the man that looks like my
JIM"
JIM" uttered Miss Marchmont
breathlessly, is his name Jim, too?"
Yes, Jim-Jim Watson" the girl
went on, peering up into the face that
bent down over her.
I've watched you, oh, so often. |
was sorry when he went away and the
other one staid. | just knew you
couldn't love him, but | was afraid for
you. Let me tell you about myself and
then you'll know, you'll understand.
I've lived here all my life" she went
on in a quiet. ~passionless voice. Il
was born in that little room there,
where we cook and eat and sleep. and
when l was a little thing no higher
than your knee, Jim and me played to-
gether, and he carried me oyer the
stony places in the mountains and
brought me the first arbutus and the
finest trout and quail and all the SIM
pie gifts of these woods of ours. When
| was seventeen | went TO work 1t tho
hotel, and | saw the other girls over
there, who, like you, had come to spend
the summer, and | envied their dresses,
swishing with silk and their white
hands heavied with rings, and when |
would come home after my work was
over, / hated this poor little path and
| loathed the one crowded room and
spurned the flowers with my Feet and
Jim poor JIM broke his heart.
Il used to sing. and one day at my
work, a lady heard me. She called me
to her; she made me sing again and
again; she showered me with praises
and hattery-and believed her. l went
away. / worked and studied and sang
and the world was good to me. Maybe
it was one year-maybe two-but one
morning | awoke and my mouth
yearned for the taste OF new milk, and
my eyes ached for the mountains and
the streams and the hollyhocks and
my heart hungered for love; love, for
which all the wealth and fame and
power in the world will not COM
pensate; enough; | came homeland
here l am-and here is finland here
alone is happiness"
She. ceased speaking, and the girl
on the horse bent down and kissed the
straight white part where the brown
hair rippled away on either side the
woman's head.
Goodnight" she said softly. God
bless you and yours.
Goodnight" called out the other, in
the fast gathering gloom. Good
night. and God bless you and Jim."
Health Omcers Havo Trou bles.
Trouble is brewing in Frankfort,