The Cook County herald., 1902-11-15
Bv H. S. CANFIELD

copyrighted, 1901, by I
CHAPTER XII.-(Continued.)
''You love me?" he asked, sure of 1t,
but anxious for the assurance.
II love you."
''You will wait for me and, forsak-
Ing kindred come with me to some
far country where I shall build our
homer
Il 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 caress.
Now, Lois English since child had
not been kissed by man and the fire
of it 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. Wes-
ton, man of quick and fine feeling,
OWNED and released her. She sank
into a chair and covered her face with
her hands. Even her small ears show
ed pink. He stood beside her, his hand
chair, and waited for her to regain
control There was nothing in his
bearing to indicate aught save a re-
spectful, almost streverential, 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-di-
vinity with which he had invested her
in his lonely feverish hours. Finally
he said:
The glory of your love is so great
Lois, that I can scarcely realize that
it is mine. feel unworthy; 1 know
that l am unworthy. I am so far be-
reath you that the task of climbing
to your plane seems impossible.
shall be drawn upward by you, how
ever. I now have something to live
fora something more dear and pre-
cious and of higher value than ever
fell to man before. I know now, If I
did net know before, that I was not
born to be a convict. You and I, 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 lis
tening.
I'VE part tonight but only for brief
time, I trust. Nothing can harm me,
for your affection will be shield. 1
feel that every atom of my strength
has returned. feel that almost moth
ing is beyond me so that it be achiev-
ed for you. You will hear from me in
only a little while-before I turn my
face to the interior of the Mexican
Republic. 1t will be, at the most, but
a few months ere I return for you.
shall find you here, true and hopeful
and patient I know"
You will find me here, true and
hopeful, but not patient How could
I 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 if
the work be done for you. For such a
prize what man would not strive his
uttermost? Distance is but a trife:
it is the lapse of time only that counts.
l do not know how 1 shall reach you,
but l will return and then we will not
be parted any more. The hour grows
late and I must tell you goodbye. Be-
fore you go give me some token, some-
thing about you that has belonged to
you and it shall act as my messenger"
She rose quietly, looked at him and
slipped from a finger little band of
old gold, set with a small unpublished
cornelian. The stone showed redly
and duly in the dim light.
1T was my mother's,' she said SIM
ply, giving it to him. "I have never
worn another ring"
He placed it in the interior of his
cartridge belt, carefully buckling it
down. Tossing the belt upon the
chair, it fell heavily, with a faint
chink as of metal. He looked at her
with half smile:
Il shall not starve," he said. "There
is much gold in it. Your Englishmen
are honest and they are fair fighters
except one" 1t was his second refer
ence to Maude, but apparently the
thought passed from him instantly and
his white forehead was clear of frown
as he came to her and took her unre-
sistingly in his arms. He kissed her
gravely and tenderly, put her from
him, holding her at arms length and
gazing at her face as though he wish
ed to re-impress each lineament upon
his memory, dropped his hands by his
side and said: Goodnight"
Without a word or backward glance
she turned and went from him, her
head dropping, her hands crossed in
front of her, her eyes heavy with un-
shed tears.
The mans next actions were char
acteristic. He bolted the door, re-
moved his coat and lifted various
heavy articles of furniture with his
left hand. putting much strain upon
1t. He doubled his fist, drew it to his
injured shoulder and shot It four or
five times in rapid succession and with
all of his force. This caused him to
Vince slightly with pain, yet he
smiled. Nearly as good as new. he