The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-29
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!: Out of the Past +;
Bv Charles Oxford.

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Copyright, 1908, by W. R. Hearst,)
The great creaking iron gate swung
upon it's hinges, there was light yet
decided footstep along the pathway to
the house, and then the merry tinkle Of
bell sounded.
To the man inside, the tuneful melody
acted as magic. He rose hastily and
opened the door before servant could
do so. E
AS he opened the door he felt the
chill rush of winter air, and caught
f1eeting 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 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 half laughing plea
in them. =
II didn't expect you home for an hour
yet, and the air was So tempting I
could not resist going out"
| He watched her throw aside her furs.
and admired for the hundredth time the
exquisite lines of her figure. The bright,
gold hair glinted and sparkled against
the deep purple toque.
| He thought how surpa ssingly lovely
she was, and realized with 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. 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-
err. The evening paper lay at his feet,
and with laugh she picked 1t up.
Now" she said IT 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
| of wounded and killed.
! David Hathaway" She got no fur
Their. David Hathaway" her heart
| echoed, and then suddenly the whole
brutality and ferceness, 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, "and
rearrange my hair for dinner"
| 1o
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 few
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 eyes
was not what she saw.
There rose before her mental vision
lonely grave-perhaps mere trench
/ sharing the last breath and sigh Of
David Hathaway. And with this pic
ture, the knowledge was born in upon
her that it was of her own doing
with the assertion upon his lips that
come what might he would win fortune
or die before he saw her again? And
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
let's
David" she whispered huskily. my
brave boy lover, I thought it was the
end a year ago, when I married, but
now the end has really come. You are
dead, and I cannot mourn for you. I
have wronged you, and I can only ask
your forgiveness, for I would not
change things if could-I love my hus-
band. I was lonely-lonely-tell me,
love, that you understood how it all
happened, and do not make me feel as
If I should be the one to die, for have
broken faith, and you have not!"
Ten minutes later she went down
stairs. Her husband had reinstated
himself by the fire, and, when she en-
tered, he said:
How long you have kept me wait
ing. I was just thinking of coming up
stairs, to see whether anything had
happened to you. 1t seemed forever, al
though have been trying to occupy the
time in reading. BY the way, see
the death notice of David Hathaway.
He got killed by a stray bullet during
q skirmish with the followers of the
Mad Mullah. 1t was very sad case.
Curicusly enough, met his brother in
the street yesterday, and he button
holed me for a loan. Wanted to bring
back David's wife and child. They
went out a few months ago to join him;
and he had just begun to get together
what promised to be a prosperous trad
ing business when this disturbance &C.
CURED, and as he knew the country
very WELL he joined forces as scout.
The wife and child are left almost des-
titute."
She clutched the arm Of the chair
'How long had he been maried?" she
asked.
"oh. two years, believe, poor fell
low!" .-s8s I