The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1907-03-14

SlQe CQo SClll waters.
She said the psalm with him, and
be grew quiet again.
"You will go away with your hus-
band, and go at once" He sat up
suddenly from where he had been
lying, the light of a new design in his
eyes,.
"Come-you will need protection
now-I must marry you at once. Sure
ly that will be an office acceptable in
the sight of God. And you will re-
member me better for it-and kinder.
Come, Prudence; come, Ruel!"
"But, father, you are sick, and so
weak-let us wait"
ct will give me such joy to do it
and this is the last"
She looked at Follett questioningly,
but gave him her hand silently when
he arose from the ground where he
had been sitting.
He'd like it, and it's what we want
all simple" he said.
In the light of the fire, they stood
with hands joined, and the little man,
too, got to his feet, helping himself
up by the cairn against which he had
been leaning.
Then, with the unceasing beats OF
the funeral drum in their ears, he
made them man and wife.
do you, Ruel, take Prudence by
the right hand to receive her unto
yourself to be your lawful and welded
wife, and you to be her lawful and
welded husband for time and etern-
ity-"
Thus far he had followed the form
ula of his church, but now he depart
ed from it with something like def
ance coming up in his voice.
with a covenant and promise ON
your part that you will cleave to her
and to none other, so help you God,
taking never another wife in spite of
promise or threat of any priesthood
whatsoever, cleaving unto her and her
alone with singleness Of hearth"
When they had made their re-
sponses, and while the drum was
beating upon his heart, he pronounced
them man and wife, sealing upon
them "the blessing of the holy resur-
rection, with power to come forth in
the morning clothed with glory and
Immortality"
When he had spoken the final
words of the ceremony, he seemed
to lose himself from weakness,
reaching out his hands for support.
They helped him down on to the sad
die blanket that Follett had brought,
and the latter now went for more
wood.
When he came back they were again
reciting the psalm that had seemed
to quiet the sufferer.
"'Yea, though l walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, | will
fear no evil; for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort
me-"
Follett spread the other saddle
blanket over him. He lay on his side,
his face to the fire, one moment say.
ing over the words of the psalm, but
the next listening in abject terror to
something the others could not hear.
81 wonder you don't hear their
screams" he said, in n of these mo-
ments; but their blood is not upon
you.' Then, after a little:
"See, it is growing light over there.
Now they will soon be here. They
will know where l had to come, and
they will have a spade" He seemed
to be fainting in his last weakness.
Another hour they sat silently be-
side him. Slowly the dark over the
eastern hill lightened to a gray. Then
the gray paled until a flush of pink
was there, and they could see about
them IN the chill of the morning.
Then came a silence that startled
them all. The drum had stopped and
the night-long vibrations ceased from
their ears.
They looked toward the little man
with relief, for the drumming had
tortured him. But his breathing was
shallow and irregular now, and from
time to time they could hear a rattle
in his throat. His eyes, when he
opened them, were looking far Off
He was turning restlessly and mutter.
lug dSdlu. DIG LOOh Ills uduus duu
found them cold and moist.
His fever must have broken" she
said, hopfully. The little man opened
his eyes to look up at her, and spoke
though a%bsently, and not as if he saw
her:
"They will have a spade with them
when they come, never fear. And the
spot must not be forgotten-3O0 yards
north of the dwarf cedar, then straight
over the ridge and halfway down, to
the other cedar below the sandstone
and uncoffined, with the book here
in this pocket where I have it. Thou
preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies: Thou
anointest my head. with oil; my cup
runneth over. Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days OF
my life: and I will dwell in the house
of the Lord forever"
He started up in terror of something
that seemed to be behind him, but fell
back, and a moment later was ramb'
ling off through some sermon of the
bygone year.
Slowly, then, the little smile faded
the Wistful light of it diving for the