The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20

the sierras and flooded the world with
a new day.
Harrison stood before TEX. "You
have saved my life. TEX; what are you
going to do with it?"
Nothing"
But / am your Christmas gift" He
made hollow attempt at laugh.
"Then I will give you back to your
self. and Millie, to whom you belong"
He took her two hands and pressed
his lips upon them again and again
He told her she was the only girl In the
world and that he wOrshiped her.
Blushing for the unmanliness OF II. he
explained, in self-defense, his position
with MiIlie, and TEX believed. What OF
womankind would not? Her face shone
with the glory which came first to the
earth when God said. Let there be
light" Then the thing Millie had
whispered to her that day in the fall
arose before her eyes and burned IN her
ears. TT would be a crime for girl
with a misfortune like that IN her fam
ily to let a man marry her"
She drew her hands away from him
saying IN a dull way: II can never be
anything 10 you-never, never. never
No further explanation would she
make. though he pleaded with her for
hours. Finally In very desperation he
told her there was but one thing in
the world would make him give her up.
II she said she did not love him he
would go away.
Slowly and in a queer tone she re-
peated.
oI do not" II was the first lie TEX
had ever told. He arose from his seat
bv her side and stood looking down
upon her bowed head IN silence
From an uneven mound very near the
stump OF the tree he gathered hand
full of peoples. big gold and orange cups
OF sunshine; ne twisted them into a
wreath and laid 1t on Tek's head From
his own finger he took the glittering
stone which had brought such mis-
understanding and slipped 1t on nnger
of hers. She could not hear the vow
he made. She did not lift her face as
he rode away, and he did not look back.
wonder what's keeping Tex" Ola
SoIem repeated: at that very moment
TEX rode slowly into the corral and dis
mounted
Tick" he called. coming to meet her.
A tone IN his voice caused her to look
mn quickly. Could u be "Old soleu."
her father-that man with the spring
ing step; that man with the smiling
face uplifted toward the sky? She
stopped and looked at him, the bride
rein sliding from her fingers.
TEX. I have such a Christmas git
for YOU as only God could give-your
mother. TEX. your motheri She Is all
her sweet beautiful self again. We have
talked all day and waited for you
Every day and every night for seven
dark years have prayed"-he stopped
short in his speech-he was not given
to much speaking. why, TEX, you have
a. crown OF gold thorns on your head!
The poppies, true to their nature. had
gore to sleep in the afternoon and stood
out around her head-a circle OF sharp
pointed spikes Of gold TEX put up her
hand and touched them.
'Tt Is the shadow OF the plains
father" she said and stated into the
house; but involuntarily turned her
face toward the haunted tree. Then II
was that Tek's heart beat up into his
throat, for there was Harrison riding
at a hard gaIlop on her pony's tracks
no mirage, no f1gment Of Overwrougnt
fancy, but himself coming back TO her
She snatched the poppy thorns from
her forehead and hid them In her
bosom. The shadow OF the plains ~@~
lifted forever.