The Tupelo journal., 1903-11-06

and you failed; and 1t vas all youl
own fault. You should understand II
So" +@gtf
Il do" the cook murmured. God
alone knows how well l understand it"
h i 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 l have to
say now is that she must not be dis
turbed."
she shall never be disturbed-by
me-"
And she must never see you again"
"She never shall"
"She is free. You have 40 right
now" W#ff StE
81 know"
There was a long pause, then the
cook added:
But about Conard? Does she still
care for him?"
Yes. l came to see him to explain.
Where is he?"
He has gone
Gone? Where?"
Il don't know. He said he w.-s going
away. Perhaps forever"
The other turned aside with bowed
head, his heart heavy with disappoint-
ment. The cook watched him for a
moment in silence, then, with an air of
greater manliness than he had ever
shown, he said:
Her happiness shall not be further
wrecked. Conard shall know and come
back"
But, how" the other asked.
Il will follow and tel him."
"You!"
Yes. Great Heavens, man, don't
you know l love her? /"
He tore himself abruptly away and
ran out to the corral. Five minutes
later he emerged on horseback and set
off across the prairie in the direction
Conard mad gone. 1t vas ten miles to
the station and only an hour till train
time, SO there was no time to lose.
During that ride he recalled many
things of the past. He say himself a
young man again, with a promising
future, making ardent love to a young
and beautiful girl. He recalled an
evening in June, when, with the roses
in bloom about him, he and she had
plighted troth, and sealed the sweet
compact with their first kiss. Then
there was hat day when they had
stood together before the old minis
ter and had been made one. How he
had thought that event the browning
n of all earthly bliss!
Then he thought of all that had
happened since. Of his falling into
dissolute habits, his neglect Of the
woman he had promised to cherish,
and, worse still, his striking her and
driving her out into the night.
Then he thought of what he was
doing at hat moment, and, with a
groan of heart-wrung anguish he
cried:
For her sake! For her sake!"
AS he galloped into the little town
and down it's one street he saw Conard
standing in front of the station and
the train pulling up. S%pringing from
his horse he ran along the platform
and, just as Conard was stepping on
the train, laid his hand on his shoul-
der.
Don't 60" he painted. "She wants
you-here."
Conard turned and stared inquir-
ingly at the cook. The train moved
on without him. she" To him that
could mean but one person in all the
world. After awhile he said eagerly:
"What do you mean?"
Mary" the other replied. "She
wants you. Go back to her."
Conard grew calmer.
What do you know of herr" he
asked. Have you seen herr"
me see herr" Then growing
strangely quiet: mo, l have not seen
her. But it is all right"
How do you know"
That doesn't matter. l know she
loves you. Go to her and make her
happy"
Conard's face flushed with joy, then
became deathly pale. The other was
offering him honey and norwood,
and he was tasting them alternately.
Presently he said sternly:
you have no right to say that. She
has a husband"
The cook shook his head slowly.
You are mistaken" he replied. "She
has no husband-not now"
Conard looked quickly up, wonder
ing not more at the cooks words than
at the pathos in his voice.
II saw her husband with her." he
said. HE came and placed his arm
about her."
mo, not her husband" the cook re-
piled. ut was only her father"
Her father! Then where is her
husband?"
The cooks head dropped and for a
long while he was silent. Finally, in
low tones he murmured:
Her husband, he-he is dead"
AS Conard rode back across the prai-
rie there was a new hope and a new
joy in his heart, but on the station
platform a man sat all alone, his life
dark and barren, and his heart empty
of everything save sorrow and regret.
Looking after Conard, away out
across the level plain, the cook slowly
shook his head and murmured:
Dead to her-and soon to be dead
to all the world"
The next day a man was found dead
on the prairie.
Conard nor any of the COWBOYS knew