Cañon City record., 1906-09-13

a girl, and there was really nothing else
| that would do justice to the occasion"
1T was the least you could do, should
think" Mrs. Gordon declared, with
feeling.
ooh, promised to do more than that"
he added, laughing little, apparently
ashamed of his feeling. u assured her
that some day, when ! was man,
would come back and repay her for what
she had done. promised never to for
get her And / never have forgotten
her, for that matter; though, of course,
never went back there and never even
knew her name"
"You really ought to have gone back.
You ought to have gone back and mar
ried her." said Mrs Gordon, laughingly.
| That's the way they do in books"
"Oh, spoke extravagantly," he admit
ted, little hurt by her tone. "a man
will when he's just escaped with his
life. Bat ] meant it all at the time. / am
not ashamed of it. She saved my life,
and if I could have repaid her should
have done it. And even now, though
she is woman by this time and has
probably forgotten all about it, 1 should
like to meet her, if only to acknowledge
my Indebtedness. Oh, no. A man
doesn't forget thing like that"
The retirement of the ladies inter
rupted- their conversation.
As Mrs. Gordon left him, she paused
to remark: "Oh, am sure / appreciate
your feeling. 1t docs you credit. And
II am very glad you told me this
A startling thought had come to Mrs.
Gordon as she was leaving the table, and
she was engrossed with the possibilities
it suggested. When the men struggled
! in a window seat, quite alone She looked
approached she rose, and with an impul
sive movement held out her hand He
looked puzzled
81 don't know but it was wrong not
to tell you at the table," she commenced
| hurriedly, "to let you tell me that story
without knowing. But could not speak
somehow, there before them ALL And l
may have seemed not to appreciate your
noble remembrance of me. But / am
sure you will understand my feeling. |
did not realize it at first. And then it
all came over me-the rush of old memo
ries-"
Downs dropsed her hand and gazed
at her moment in sheer amazement.
why" he stammered "Why, II
Good heavens!' - he exclaimed. DO you
mean to say that you-"
| "Yes," she said II think l was the
one I feel sure must have been.
Though, of course, was so young that
can't really be certain. l remember
such an incident-of Northern soldiers
stopping there and the horsemen riding
up. But l never should have guessed
it was you."
"And you-you were the little girl
found there at the spring house. Downs
exclaimed "Why, it's simply astonish-
ing!" He looked at her critically.
BLACK hair and eyes," he muttered. do
you know, believe-there's no mistake.
You're not as thought that girl-you,
at her again, there is something about
you that seems familiar, too-an express
| sion about the eyes, look that ! seem
to have seen before. This is certainly
wonderful coincidence"
eyes, isn't it" She motioncd him to
| a seat beside her own. 81 wish ! could
remember it better" she added, 'but
was so young then, and SO many things
happened in those war days. ] used
often to watch the soldiers march past
the house. And when the straggers
would come along would sometimes
slip off down to the spring house, where
they stopped
"Well, Tn glad happened to tell it,
said Downs. sand, do you know, felt
| from the first that there was something
strangely attractive about you. ] must
tell Fenwick and the Others
"No, please don't mention it." she
said hurriedly 1T would be most en-
barrassing for me"
"Of course, whatever you wish. But
feel as though / owed you the public
acknowledgment. l don't see why
"Call it woman's vanity" she an
swered, with laugh.
"Vanity?"
"Why, yes Don't you see, if was
eight years old in war times, must be
oh, ever so old by now."
| "Eh? Oh, yes, see. understand.
But I'm sure you don't look it. Upon
my word, you don't. But I'm very glad
to have discovered you again, for have
often wondered whatever became OF you.
But at all events, can thank you now,
after the years that have passed, with
out fear of being misunderstood. And
if there was anything / could do to re-
pay you-1 don't mean that. OF course,
| never could repay you-but to show my
appreciation-if there was anything |
could do to prove that, / would do it
gladly"
| Would you" said Mrs. Gordon, low
ering her voice and gazing earnestly into
his face There is something you could
do-something that is of great import
ance to me. But l fear-I'm afraid /
ought not to ask you."
| Downs gasped. If it had come in any
other way he could have met it.
Anything | can do-anything that it