The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-18


had slept for many weary nights. He
wheeled and made straight for the
vagabond, and, reaching him, leaped
upon him with joyful barks.
Far up the road Danforth was wills
ting for him, but Barry sank down at
the vagabond's feet, and painting, gave
no evidence of attention, except by the
twitching Of a half-cocked ear.
Danforth rode on, and the vagabond
sat down and Rugged the dog.
Barry had decided it. He would take
her away-if she would go. But he
knew she would go. Hidden somewhere
in her was the wild nature that re-
sponded to the restlessness in him, and
the woods called to her, and she would
not close her ears. And the man who
called her Catherine" so easily! AS
his wife she would have society, fam
lily, friends She would live the life
that her grandmother lived, and that
her granddaughter would copy. At her
side would be this man, making
name for himself in the world-a name
for her.
: His eyes looked out over the fields,
and toward the blue line of the noun
tains-the rugged mountains He
I thought of her of her white hands, of
her perfumed hair, of the daintiness
| of her tastes
And he would take her where the
hands would grow brown, and ~ the
| hair rough-he would take her into
the dust and the mud of the road, and
when she was old-he pushed the dog
from him, and his heart stopped-for
himself he was content to think of
death as the brutes die, in some leafy
hollow of the woods, with the birds to
sing requiem-but for her-horrible
His forehead was knit into a frown
20, grandmother, grandmother what
big eyes you have" somebody chanted
He turned his eyes to the gypsy-nk
| vision. The red coat was open. A
rough yellow straw hat was on her
head, and its wreath of peoples stray
gled down over her hair. She had been
running, and a long curl fell on her
shoulder.
81 ran away from Them she began.
Catherine"
could say, and she understood
How did you know" she whisper
ed.
when I heard it, it seemed to me
that l had always known it," he said.
They sat down side by side on the
log that lay near the stream. He knew
it was for the last time, and he knew,
too, that he should always see the
rapt face, with the stiffness upon it.
That he should see the poppy that lay
half against her hair, and half against
her throat. That he should see the
little, restless. white hands that pulled
at the lace handkerchief and more
than all. he should see himself yearn-
ing to do the thing he must not do
to fly with her to the end of the earth.
Out of the blue sky came the far
away roll of thunder, and puff of
cool, damp air. the first hints of
storm but they neither heard nor saw.
Listen, he said, Il have told you
much of my life, but there are some
things that 1 have not told There was
one winter when I was i'll. l had
plenty of provisions. and at first l
dragged around and helped myself
But there came a day when l could
not get up. 1 could not reach for
cup of water, l could only suffer-suf-
fer of fever. and hunger and thirst
My cat was the only living thing near
me, and she came and went through
the little hole 1 had cut for her, and
kept herself alive. But she could no
nothing for me. Do you know what it
means, the lonelineSS-the dread? l
was saved by half-frozen woodsman,
who sought my cabin for shelter
She was troubled. The little noun
tain home seemed peopled by phan-
toms-hideous ones of starvation and
death. What of the care-free life? If
he would tell her of that. But his voice
went on.
That is we'll enough for a man, but
suppose l had had a wife, and that I
had died and she had been left alone
on the mountain with only the old cat
for company? She would have gone
mad Women are different from men"
Yes, women are different" she whis-
pered, but her eyes pleaded.
Sh rose, shivering. The thunder
rolled nearer, the clouds were banked
up in black masses, the trees bent and
the leaves twisted about, and showed
little white signals of distress.
For a moment he stood looking down
upon her, then the old look came into
his eyes, and he placed his hand softly
beneath the roundness of her chin, and
raised the dropping face to him.
From something that 1 see i nyour
eyes, l know that I am no longer the
outcast, the Vagabond, but the king,
the conqueror. Is it not SOP"
He was answered as she chung to
him.
But I am not very much of a fell
low" he tried to speak lightly. God
knows that if I were worth much
would forsake all this, and come to
you to live as a man should live and,
yet have this saving grace that 1 will
not take you into the roughness of my
life"
The storm had come upon them
: fiercely. Her big hat blew back on her
shoulders, and the wind caught her
curls and flung them across his lips.
, With a sudden mighty effort, he put
I, her from him, and pointed to the rain
which was sweeping across the fields.
I'VE must not stay" he said, and with
the dog following them, they left the
little stream, and went through the
trees to the roadside. Far away could
be seen the blurred outlines of a hur-
rying carriage.
"They are coming for me-" she wills
pered.
AS she spoke the rain poured down
upon them. He drew her under the
trees. fastened the red coat around her,
and tied his handkerchief over her
head. Then he stood between her and
the storm. His hat was off, and his
eyes blazed
What 1 might say to you, I will not
say. But you have come into my heart
to stay forever. as 1 would have had
you in my life, had it been best for
you. That you would have gone, l do
not question, for you are mine as 1
am yours
And this to the girl who had ruled
all her life.
The carriage came nearer, and the
storm howled and beat upon him, but
she was within the circle of his arm
They are almost here. 1t is goodby."
They heard now the splashing beat
of the horses hoofs. ad with one touch
of his lips to the clinging hands. he
was gone into the muddy road his hat
pulled over his eyes. his shoulders
! i