The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-11-13

Her husband" he murmured. Il
had forgotten"
He whirled his horse about and
rode hastily away. The man called
after him and Mary tainted. but, all
unmindful of these things, he went on,
never stopping and never looking
back.
At the ranch he dismounted and
went in. There was no one there ex-
cept the cook, a dissipated wretch
whom Conard had taken in and pulled
through a spell of fever. Who this
cook was, and where he hailed from,
no one knew. He had come to the
ranch unlabeled, and the cowboys had
stamped the word "Chucky" on him
for a name and let it go at that.
Conard hastily gathered a few things
in a travelling bag and then wrote a
note of instructions to his foreman.
He had taken up the bag and turned
toward the door when the cook came
in from the kitchen and asked for a
moment Of his time. Conard whirled
about and said shortly:
Well what is it?"
replied. do you expect to be away
long?"
Yes Perhaps forever. Why?"
Nothing. l only wanted to thank
you for all your kindness to me. L"
Conard turned away impatiently.
"You must not bother to speak of
that" he said. 1T was nothing, and
it is all right. l am in a hurry now,
for | must reach the station in time
for the train. Good-by."
He hurried out, threw himself into
the saddle and dashed away toward
the little station which lay ten miles
distant.
There was more-very much more
the cook would have said, and it would
have been of great Importance to
Conard 1t was something he had been
for a long time intending to say, but
he had delayed because he had found
it cruelty hard to speak.
Conard was scarcely a mile away
wbsr man came breathlessly to the
ranch from the opposite direction. 1t
was the man Conard had seen with his
arm about Mary. AS he came around
! a
to face with the cook. Both men
started, then stared blankly at each
other
"You." the cook finally gasped.
"You here?"
And the other merely repeated:
You here?"
There was a long pause and the
&c
rested on the ground. In low, hesi-
tating tones he said:
Il have been here long time, but
Conard don't know. He has been good
to me- l meant to tell b 'm-svery-
thing, but Well, it takes courage.
He is a good man, and I like him. I
would be glad to make him happy.
But you! How is it that you are
| here?"
Il live on that vacant claim over
! there" the other replied with motion
of his head Moved there last week. "
He paused moment, then added: go,
it is Conard, sure enough?"
"Yes. Have you seen him."
''At a distance. | did not know, but
she said it was him."
The cooks face redeemed, then paled.
Hanging his head lower yet, and sink
ing his voice almost TO whisper he
said:
Then she is there with your
The other nodded. He stood for 3
moment silent and thoughtful, then he
said: s E.
"The past is thing of the past and
it must not be revived. There shall be
no step backward-no undOing of that
which is done. You had your chance,
and you failed; and it was all your
own fault You should understand it
so.' f
81 do," the cook murmured God
alone knows how we'll l understand it. .
Il am glad you see it so,'' the other
replied 1T might have been better
if you had seen it SO years ago. But
all that is of the past. All / have to
say now is that she must not be dis
turbed." -. ..s... .
"She shall never be disturbed-by
me-" 80
"And she must never see you again !"
"She never shall"
.She is free. You have no right
now"
81 know"
There was a long pause, then the
cook added:
"But about Conard? Does she still
care for him?" ~ n4
eyes. I came to see him to explain.
Where is he?"
"He has gone
"Gone? Where?"