The daily Alaskan., 1907-05-04
ON THE BORDER
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 cry evidence Of distress. On bed lay young girl She was either uncon' scious OF sleeping, for she was very low, and 1t was impossible to tell whether it was sleep or coma.
 They are lighting at the front the old man unused, and if anything should happen to Bert it would turn the scale. But if anything does hap pen she must not be told, Still, would 1t not be better for her to know 1t and dle instead Of living on the life of JesOlutiou in store for herr
 The doctors opinion that she will weather the storm and get well have little confidence in. Is 1t his opinion, pr does he say lt to keep me Up:"
 The nurse came Iu and begged she old man Go go tD bed. He refused, tell ing her to go into a room across the hall. lie down and leave him to watch alone. If anything important occurred he would call her. She went over to the bed. laid he1 hand on the sick girls forehead and looked at her long and auxiously. Then she turned and told him that ir was not best she should leave. But he firmly refused to go himself. and she took a book and went Into the room he had indicated.
 Ever since her mother died" be unused on. she has been all have bad to live for. Sometimes it seems to me that an the love she has had for me has been merged In her love for Bert. That's natural All the love ! had for my parent was nothing compared with the love l bore her mother And when her mother died l gave it aIl to my little girl
 "I wonder whats going on down there Last nights dispatches were that a light couldn't be put or twenty four hours. We know what they do almost as soon as they do it. Bert must take his chances-oUe out of three or four or i've, l suppose-while here lies the girl he loves aud who loves him. having not one chance in dozen. 1T be dies she will never smile again. IT she dies I will never smile again. but he he is young He r4n forget or replace the old with the naw.'
 Curious thoughts run through the mind of one la suspense. The old n1u fell to cou5avng ug all sorts of possi- bIe happenings. He tauc.cd hls girl again iu health, her lover safely re turned. their meeting. In thcIr happI ness he forgot that he would be left alone or remembering it was mitigated that they were happy. He pictured Bert physical wreck coming to find the girl he. loved gone; the young mans agony. followed by a settled CloOA,. This came the nearer home to him. for It was what be would have to suffer himself.
 Then be went back to the period when she whose life hung by a thread was jumping her rope. rolling her hoop. He saw her grow from child to maiden. from maiden to woman. How quickly ir had an come about. And now lt she died, what had all his ef- forts to raise her. her studies her ac- complishmeuts. availedE All swept away at the ceasing of a heart to beat And her longer life, what of 1t? Every effort he had made or should make would be neutrallZed
 The patient stirred. The watcher was about to go into the other room and call the nurse when the girl suddenly, with a strength that astouishcd him, sat up and fixed her eyes on vacancy or. as it seemed. some one in the center Of the room.
 Bert. oh. Bert. Rave you COmeF
 She stretched forth her arms, and the focus Of her vision seemed to draw nearer Co herself. Her arms folded, she raised her face as though for kiss. then fell oack on the pillow.
 Tbe old uan sprang to the bedside and was j0Iaed a moment later by the nurse, who quickly slipped her arms under the invalid and raised her. See ing no sign of life. she placed her hand on the girls heart. Then she looked up and said.
 shes gone
 The old man went to a table, sat down and. placing his arms on it, rest cd bis head on them The nurse laid the dead girls arms beside her, turn ed, looked at the old man pityiugly and left the room. The case was closed for her. and iu a day or two she would be ready for the next one.
 The old man remained where he was. The clock struck the hours successive ly-1. 9. 8, 1. 8. Then there was the sound of boys running in the street below and&houting:
 Extra. Great battle at SantlagO"'
 The old man started up. Going into the hall. he rang for a servant. One of them had been up all night to summon a doctor If needed. He responded at once. and hIs master ordered hlm to bring him a paper. In It was a tele- gram announcing the last battle of the Spanlsh-American war, with partial list of the killed and wounded. Among the former was the name Lieutenant Albert Hubbard.
 As the old man read 1t something Ike a smile fitted across his face.
 Thank God" be said, they have .. 4,.,+y,orf provI6nDca yvhn r,