The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-06-22
WANDERERS T o
VeveY Wahsta

IA VI Ills lIlpeElOuS Olu 1uInef-Sle Il
reserved. prim little woman of five
~and-twenty; he five years younger,
handsome, eager for life and its in
terests, full of highly charged suscepti-
blltties. In an age gone by she would
have been of the clustered women who
stitched their souls into their needle
work, and he found her austere and
unr~esponsive. The difference of tenn
permanent estranged them absolutely.
and, after the name of his kind. he
went roaming.
Ihe young blood in him was not ig-
noble. but there We're in
favor of divorce, he was
TOO careless or too Indifferent to refute,
and the decree had been passed four
years while he was at the other
end of the world.
He had returned to his native land
on affairs which had long required SUI
pervision. 1t was in his mind to marry
again if possible. A passion of nos
talsia had seized him, and he got off
the train at the little roadside station
for a glimpse of the old home.
\ sudden tense swelling of the throat
took him as he looked around. the
sense OF race stirring his soul to it's
depths. And there reflection ceased,
for a turn of the road disclosed-her!
For a moment or so they gazed at each
other in bewilderment. The next mo-
iiiShe' iSi DiSdlu coming UleNeQly as
II n had been running hard, her eyes
wide and fixed like one in actual fear,
she made a blind, stumbling movement,
as If to turn back. but was numbered
by a trembling which shook her fierce
ly from head to foot.
Il beg your p%ardon." he said awk-
wardly, his ace white and startled.
y did not expect to see you-believe
me, l thought you were travelling"
AS the conventional words were
spoken she turned to him.
"Why-are you-here?" she asked,
without raising her eyes.
II wanted-to have-a look at the
old place" he said haltingly. I hadn't
any thought of seeing-er-you. 1t was
merely an-impulse, that's all. I'm
very sorry he concluded hurriedly. I
really didn't mean to intrude on you"
suddenly that he ~involuntarily moved
orwar whitman arm outstretched. She
drew back to steady herself against
the wooden gate.
There is nothing to stay for. is
there" she said inconsequently, her
as 1t used to be, so dull and solemn;
you never liked it, you know"
No; there is nothing to come for"
ne echoed. mot even the usual quarrel:
but l need not ask if you are happy.
What has changed you SO amazingly
&S Oto l0 lShC4 o0o-
denly.
Again the scared look swept across
her face.
~"Changed: 1-Tm-not changed
am 2" she stammered.
All! Forgive me-" he said, with a
fine grace which ever made him so
beloved a sinner. L have no right to
pry into your source of happiness. I'm
glad of it,. Goodby."
"A new husband, of course-one who
is loved" he reflected bitterly. and
she is afraid lest 1 discover her para
disc. l wonde who he is? Was ever
woman so openly anXipus to be rid of
me-" He reached the sleepy wayside
station to see the train turning the
curve between the high banks on it's
whirl to the city.
when is the next train?' he called
to the clerk.
'Three-fifteen, down express"
Turning out OF the wicket gate ne
walked along the highroad. There was
nearly an hour to wait.
His thoughts turned to the woman
For whom had she bloomed so Fluent
ly, he unused, his min imagining a
gracious, womanly form underneath
the towering boughs. Who had soft
ened the austere mouth: had lit up the
calm eyes? He had left a woman of
ice and logic. This was a woman With
vital blood in her veins, whose eyes
held some dear secret.
A joyous laugh fell suddenly on the
silence, the delicious, caroling laugh of
a little hild He smiled involuntalily,
stopping TO listen. 1t was a goodly
sound to hear in the old wood along
with the new spring. he thought. Again
it rang out, "a n shrill. and he
turned in the direction form which it
came, a green and flowery corner en-
closed within i~nterlacing trees and
sh- ubs which had been Il beloved play
ground Of his own unfettered child
hood.
The bursts OF laughter were mingled
with the mellow notes of a woman's
voice, he heard. as he drew nearer. He
parted the screen Of leaves and young
boughs. and looked into the arpor.
Astride a dropping bough of horse
chestnut just breaking into soft plumes
of blossom, sat a child. his flower
crowned head thrown back. his little
throat swelling with laughter as a
birds with song. Holoing him East
While she swung him. up n down, up
and down, was a woman, whose UNI
bound hair fell round her like a great
mantle.
His smile faded as her voice rose soft
Hush-a-by baby; on the tree-top:
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks, the cradle will
Down will come baby, cradle, and all!
Steadying himself by the saplings,
Robert Annandale turned to go, the
only atonement he could make, he
thought. stupidity. Slowly moving as
in pain. some dry twigs cracked under
his feet.
She ooked UP, unspeakable dread
blanching her face ia leaping into her
eyes.
oh. you followed me, them" she
cried wildly. crushing the child wildly
against her bosom. He is all I have:
you have-so much-you don need
him. We will g%o--auite away an9 not
trouble you at all. You-see he-.needs
me, he's-so-little":" Her voice rose
in pitiful anguish. '1ll-lend him to
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES he's bigger"
Dumb in the face of Il truth un-
dreamed of, humblcd to the soul by
her agony and fear, Robert AnnandaIe
walked to the primrose bank and knelt
beside her.
Amy! Am I 50 utterly lost that you
think these things of me?" he said
hoarsely. II was too late for the tram.
and i came up to the wood-just-
just" He stopped chokingly. How
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