The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-05

: Out of the Past
Copyright, 1903, by w. R. Hearst.)
BY Charles Oxford.
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decided footstep along the pathway to
the house, and then the merry tinlle Of
q bell sounded.
To the man inside, the tuneful melody
acted as magic. He rose hastily and
opened the door before servant could
do so.
AS he opened the door he felt the
chill rush of winter air, and caught a
fleeting glimpse of the Deep shoulder
ing sky which formed a crimson back
ground for the woman who was his
divinity, beautiful, breathing reality,
radiant with love and life.
AS he drew her into the house he
kissed her lips and cheeks, her hair. and
the scarlet blood that colored her
cheeks turned q redder hue.
Il have been waiting thirty long min
utes for you; where have you been my
sweet wife," he added tenderly.
The tone was one of reprOof, but the
lover-like reproach was dear. She lift
ed her eyes with a half laughing plea
in them.
II didn't expect you home for an hour
yet, and the air WAS SO tempting !
could not resist going out"
He watched her throw aside her furs
and admired for the hundredth time the
exquisite lineo Of her figure. The bright,
the deep purple toque.
He Thought how surprisingly lovely
she was, and realized with a thrill Of
emotion that this rare woman was his.
She belonged to him alone. Her mind
and heart, her beauty and her soul
were his. A sigh of great contentment
and happiness escaped his lipe.
Come and sit by the fire, and take
some of that Arctic atmosphere off," he
said laughing.
She sat beside him on the oaken set
tie, and for a while neither spoke,
resting In the quiet Of perfect har-
mony, and watching the idle play of the
flames as they darted hither and thith-
er. The evening paper lay at his feet,
and with laugh she picked it up.
Now" she said II will read you all
the news-war, society, politics-which
will you have?" And he. content with
the mere sound Of her voice. murmured,
, Anything"
"Then it will be war;" she declared,
"for that will be the only way we will
ever have any experience about the
subject"
| She read aloud a few items, and then
| her eyes wandered slowly down the list
F, Of wounded and killed.
| David Hathaway" She got no fur
| ther David Hathaway" her heart
echoed, and then suddenly the whole
| brutality and f1erceness, and horror of
war seemed to close down upon her
and stif1e her heart beats. The paper
slipped from her hand like an animate
thing.
II must go upstairs" she said, land
rearrange my hair for dinner"
Something, he knew not what, that
rang in her voice. prompted him to turn
and look at his wife, but she was
shielding her face from the freight
with one white hand.
The slender fingers hid her eyes, and
! cast her face into shadow; thus pro-
tected he could tell nothing of the emo
tons which were surging through her
She rose abruptly, and with o few
I! words, promising to return soon. she
| left the room.
Once in her room she shut the door
quietly, and then walked to the window
and looked out upon the dull purple
twilight; but what lay before her eyer
was not what she saw.
There rose before her mental visor
q lonely grave-perhaps a mere trench
sharing the last breath and sigh Of
David Hathaway. And with this pic.
ture, the knowledge was born in upo1
her that 1t was of her own doing.
Had he not left her five years ago
como what might he would win fortune
or die before he saw her again? Ant
she had promised to wait until then
and she had broken her faith, her vow
Her honor had been killed just as sure
ly as though it had been struck by bull
1 lets.
David" she whispered huskily, IN,
brave boy lover, I thought 1T was tn
end a year ago. when married, bu
now the end has really come. You ar,
dead, and cannot mourn for you.
have wronged you, and can only asl
your forgiveness, for T would no
change things If could love my hus
band. I was lonely-lonely-te me
love. that you understood how it al
happened. and do not make me feel a.
If should be the one to die, for I hav
broken faith, and you have mott"
Ten minutes later she went down
stairs. Her husband had reinstate'
himself by the fire, and, when she en-
tered, he said:
"How long you have kept me wait
ing. was just thinking Of coming up
stairs, to see whether anything ha
happened to you. It seemed forever, al
though have been trying to occupy tn
time in reading. BY the way. T sc
the death notice Of David Hathaway
He got killed by stray bullet durin
q skirmish with the followers Of tn
Mad Mullah. It was a very sad case
Cur1ously enough, met his brother l.
| LILO oIACoI JCoICAodJp d11O lag puLIOAA
holed me for loan. Wanted to brin
back David's wife and child. The
went out a few months ago to Join him
and he had just begun to get togethe
what promised to be prosperous trad
ing business when this disturbance &C
CURED, and as he knew the countr
very well, he joined forces as a scou
The wife and child are left almost des
titute.'
She clutched the arm Of the chat
Flow long had he been maried7' sh
asked.
ooh. two years, believe. poor feI
low!"
And then a great cloud was lifte
from her shoulders and vanished fol
ever; and the exoneration she longe
for came.
Reflections Of Bachelor.
New York Press: The devil never mi
lays his calling list.
Pretty lips don't need sugaring to tast