The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-06-19

out of him. For years he had heard
but the cold, harsh tones of his ward
ers. For years he had been spoken tc
and treated as if he were dog. And sc
the strange, kindly tones had made
him afraid. He had never heard such
tones before-or he did not remember
having hear dthem.
How surprised he had been when the
warder told him that he was to go out
that morning. He could hardly believe
his ears. He had forgotten that his
time was up. He had instinctively be-
gun to get ready for the dull round of
the day. The night before the warder
had told him that he was to go out on
the morrow, but the words made no
impression on him. His mind had be-
come slack and confused There We're
times in the last few days when the
scenes Of his surroundings left him en-
tirely. He moved in dull dark dream.
He went quickly down the road-a
tall, bent figure of a man that seemed
to shrink into itself. His movement
was at once furtive and swift-as if he
were trying to escape observation. And
though he walked swiftly, yet there
was the curious suggestion Of hest
fancy in the pose of his body which
comes to those who do not know where
they are going-to those that are lost.
A Woman's voice!
Suddenly he heard woman's voice
as he passed swiftly. Years and years
had come and gone since he heard a
woman's voice. He almost stopped. A
woman's voice! 1t sounded so beauti-
full and strange. 1t thrilled him and
had upon him an effect that was magi-
CAL And all at once his mind began
to awaken. The look of dumb, blank
fear left his eyes. That morning he
had left the prison and was free! He
was as free as the people who were
passing him! He was free to go where
he chose-to do as he 'choSe-to be as
he chose!
The sound of the womans' voice had
awakened him. He was no longer
thing of the prison. He was man!
And a flood of remembrance sud-
denly came upon him. The life he had
lived before the life in the prison was
stretched out before him. Again he was
hearing a Woman's voice. 1t was COM
ing to him through the past.
IT love you," said the voice Of the
past. II love you. have always loved
you. You are the man of all men for
me. I think of you when you are away
when you are gone. love you"
IT care not" said the voice of the
past again, 'if you have done this
thing. 1 care not If you are guilty. I
love you, WILL always love you. mo
matter what happens, remember
this
The voice Of the past sounded so clear
to him. He had heard it through a long
distance and darkness, but it sounded
as clear and beautiful to him as it did
on that night long ago, when he had
told her of what was about to befall
him. And then had come disgrace and
His friends had gone the
way that friends go when a man falls.
He stood alone-alone, but for the wom-
an who loved him. Her faith was proof
even against the knowledge Of his guilt
and disgrace. And then had come the
dock-and then the sentence. She was
not there when sentence had been
passed upon him. She could not bear
to hear the cold, terrible words Of
judgment!
Surely this woman who had loved him
must be dead. Surely she must have
gone the way that all go. 1t had been
a long time since he had heard from
her. So long, that he had forgotten her.
But, stay! Had he heard from her in
the last few days? 1t seemed to him
that-but he could not tell. He had for
gotten her till just moment ago. The
sound Of the woman's voice had
brought her memory back to him. In
the prison his soul had died. 1t was only
beginning to awaken now in the light
of the warmth of the bright, clear sun
light
If she were not dead, did she still
think Of him? Did she still remember
him? Did she still love him?
He was mad to ask himself such ques-
lions. She must have changed towards