Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-09-26


ed for him and the hole in coat and
shirt through which the bullet had
torn its way had been neatly darned
by one of the numerous Mexican
seamstresses. she noted that 1t was
the typical frontier costume OF the
Mexicans, short. dark velvet coat,
brown silk shirt with low collar show
ing the hollow at the base of his white
throat, dark trousers made of heavy,
smooth French weaving and high heel
ed boots. The only thing lacking was
the sombrero. which had been lost In
the river About his middle was a
crimson scarf of silk such as his COM
rades were used to wear.
You should not have arisen, Mr.
Weston" she said hurriedly. You are
not vet strong. | should have forbid
den it if had known"
Surely he replied with a smile
"and should have obeyed. Therefore
| did not let you know. | am stronger
than you think however. The wound,
as YOU know. is nearly healed a man
much more badly hurt would grow
whole under such care as you have
given me-
"You are not strong enough" she
repeated steadily There was some
other reason. Why did you do it?"
Il was tired of the confinement
THAT is not true. Tell me the
TRUTH" Her voice had taken on the
!mperious tone of the physician TO
refractory patient. He smiled as If he
liked it. then said:
You would as we'll know, | think
The fact is, Miss English, have noted
that your double duty is wearing you
know that many Of your hours are
passed in the school room and the
time that is left is spent in adding to
my comfort You have grown pals
from lack of accustomed exercise.
would be a selfish beast indeed, IL
permitted this for longer than would
be necessary. In another day | shall
tell Mr.. Glynn that | am ready for the
officers. | shall give him my parole
not to attempt to escape and await
their arrival
The girls next words were OF vital
moment to her, though she did not
know it then. Long afterward she
looked back and realized their weight.
She said
He would not take your parole"
What" Weston's eyes had grown
a shade darker and his strong jaw set.
He would not take your parole.
have heard him say So The moment
he thinks you strong enough TO travel,
and therefore strong enough to attempt
to escape, he will place guard in the
room and notify the officers Remem-
Der he does not know you at all
Il remember that to his credit was
- 7 oh ~ of Ia I'm,
a parole he would refuse, | shall not
notify him Of my condition and | shall
attempt TO escape. II escape seems pos
sible Where | am to go, though. and
what am 10 do is dark to me, My old
life is broken: it is behind me; since
knowing you, | would not return to it;
such action would be a dissertation Of
your memory BY my offenses my coun-
try Is barred to me | know OF no ca
reer to which man OF my age could
devote himself Besides any career in
any land hut this would separate me
far from you"
He had spoken too rapidly for inter-
rupticn. Though her heart beat furi-
ously, her face was calm, She pretend
ed to have missed wholly the import OF
his last words and she said
But surely to man like you many
countries offer many fields, With your
youth and strength and intelligence
there is almost nothing beyond your
achievement. Is II impossible for you
to remember what you once were and
strive to be that man again? Can you
not stir the dead ashes Of your ambi-
lions and, finding one small spark. stir
I il into flame? Can you not say to your
self. In spite of past errors. past Of
! lenses. past crimes, perhaps. still am
| |. and my life is all before me to make
or mar as | will Don't you know the
| lines-Henley's | think: l am the
Master Of my fate, | am the Captain
OF my soul
| More beautiful than ever. she plead.
| ed with him for his own redemption
land IL seemed to her that she must win.
/ because she desired II 50. His next
words. however were lifeless and the
| fire died in her:
Il might do that thing II II we're
worth while, but it ia not. In all this
/ world. Miss English. there Is no one 10
| be benefited by my mortality except
I myself, and FOR myself / care nothing
! | shall attempt to escape in ali prob
ability, but merely TO avoid the physi-
cal punishment for my wrongdoiag.
For the disgrace OF that punishment !
care little could hardly be more dis
graced than am. The prison gnrb is
warm In winter | shall wear il, may
be, without Qualm.'
THAT is not true." She spoke sharp
~ almost angrily.
Thank you for the denial Never
theless 1t is measurably true. The out
cast Miss English. lifts his hand
against all men and the hands of all
men are lifted against him. Other men
may make him suffer. but they can dc
little to make him ashamed. They
have already branded him by their rep
rotation ard pursuit. and fashioning
his clothing according TO q certain pat
tern and Gu. seems trivial In compari-
son. Let N. say. however. that you
used lust now a word which must re-
prdiate. You told mellow beautifully
4 alone know--that | might raise my
self In spite OF past errors. past Of
fenses, past crimes Errors | have
many-whA man has not3 offenses
have comnitted-few men are blame.