Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-12-01

against the wan and stared at hIIS In
voiceless terror. He dropped instead
lily TO his knee, as If to worship AT a
shrine.
"Oh, do not go away!' he whispered.
81 know it is only a dream of mine. so
many times have | seen you eyer since
the night the frigate struck and ! sent
you to your death on that rocky pass
In that beating sea. Aye, in the long
hours Of the fever-but you did not
shrink away from me then; you listen.
ed to me say | love you, and you an
swered." He stretched out his hand
toward her In tender appeal. She bent
forward toward him. lie rose to his
feet, half in terror.
"Kate," he said uncertainty, lis II In
deed you? Are you alive AGAIN.
She was nearer now One glad cry
broke from her lips. He was In her
arms again and she was ciasped 10 ms
heart-a real woman and no dream. no
vision! What the wind could only
family shadow forth upon her cheek.
sprang into life under the touch OF his
fevered lips. and color flooded them
like a wave. Laughing, crying. sob
bling, she chung TO him, kissed him with
little incoherent murmurs. gaZed at
him, wept Owe him. kissed him .gain.
Al the troubles of the intervening days
Of sadness and privation faded away
from her like a disused chrysalis, and
she sparkled with life and love like a
butterfly new born.
He that was dead was alive again;
he had come back and he was heret
As for him, in fearful surprise, he held
her to his breast once more. still unbe-
lieving. She noticed then an empty
sleeve and raised 1t tenderly to her lips.
IL lost it after an action with the
British ship Yarmouth. 1t was only a
flesh wound at first. We were long In
reaching Charleston. The arm had to
be amputated. 1t was a fearful ac-
ton"
81 know It," she interrupted. Il was
there"
"You. Katharine. Alb, that woman
on the ship! was not deceived then.
and yet | could not believe it,"
yes, twas l. gloried in your
bravery until l saw you lying. as I
thought, dead on the deck. Oh, John.
the horror of that moment! Then l
called you and you did not answer.
Then l wanted to die, too, but now l
am alive again and s. happy-but for
this" she lifted the empty sleeve to her
lips. How you must have suffered.
my poor darling" she went on, her
eyes filling with tears, her heart yearn-
ing over him. "And how Ill you look.
and | keep you standing here-how
thoughtless! Come to the bench here
and sit down. Lean on me-"
May; but, Kate. you, too, have suf-
fered. See!' He lifted her arm; the
loose sleeve fell back. "Oh. how thin
1t is, and how smooth and round and
plump 1t was when I kissed 1t lastl"
he said as he raised 1t tenderly again
to his lips.
ut is nothing, John. ! shall be all
right now that you are here. You poor
shattered lover, how you must have
suffered" she went on, with a sob In
her voice.
ooh Katharine, this" looking down
at his empty sleeve, was nothing to
what ! suffered before, when ! thought
! had killed your
when you thought you had killed
me!' she said in surprise. They were
sitting close together now, and she had
his hand in both her own. How,
when, was thatT'
And then he told her rapidly about
the loss Of he Radnor and the idea
which her note had given that she was
IN board Of 1t.
sand you led that ship down to de-
struction. believing ! was on her! How
could you do it, John?" she said re-
~proachfully.
"It was my duty. darling Kate" he
said desperately.
"And did you love your duty more
than meY,
ITO ne Cocuradi