The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-02-15
A FROST AND
a THAW
BY ELLIOT WALKER

WlIn ner pony manu- pressed naTu over
her mouth.
The end Is COMM" she muttered
behind the tightly closed fingers. Il
simply can't endure him any longer"
Under the scanty gray hair, brushed
mercilessly lack from the anxious
brow, her e.es. strained, fHel and
hopeless, presently roved with 4 s,aw
despair from the yellow aifte ell
ing to the clean, worn dresser, " ere
stood the shining tins in readin7 = r
the mornings milk Dropping her
hand. Dorcas gazed at them q:o@.,y.
Forty years I've flied pans right
here. Oh! What amt l done rieht
here? Stood and worked, and tho1"it,
and planned, laughed and cried, h !; y
and mis- rable, summer and win err
rain and shine. Lord! Lord! Lord"
She clasped her forehead, groanny
bitterly, with no tears, unconscio sly
counting the well-used household inn
PIGMENTS hanging neatly on their
nails, and the array of canisters and
small spice-hoxes on the shelf To
drop dead would be mercy" she
whispered. IF | dared
Picking up keen edged bread knife,
the woman patted the sharp point
with a finger, smiling grimly wl'la
she pokad her corset ribs,
''If | hal heart, twcrld be about
here, l pose. Pshaw: That's no
way. IL you get to thinkin' of that
No! While the fits on me I'll tel
him. Just rs | am, I'll 81 out to the
barn and tell him I'm goi From his
actions lately, he ought 70 be wiliin
enough. My soul! when did it all
start, and what for? It's like a Will
of Ice. beginnin' with drop an1
CROWN, CROWN. till we're sroEe apart
as wide as the poles. He knows it
know 1t. It's beyond ever msltin'.
Nothin' to % but one thing"
Across the yard, unmindful of the
dew still SOAKING the uncut grass ard
tho fact of nor low heel rodden -
pers, Mrs. Cope marched sto. ~,
blind to the early sunshine, deaf to
her favorite robins, inteLt only upon
the words Burning in her brain.
saying. mumbling her lower lip. "lll
say 'Beecher. what's the use? "
there's any omfort left on earth for
either of us we'll never find 1t togeta-
err And he'll say-well-not much,
guess. Why no need of luggin' tfl7
knife out here" she added. surprised
ly. II thought | put 1t Town"
The great barn door stuck and
creaked disn,ally as Dorcas squeezed
through, pushing an aperture suffi
GENTLY wide to allow ingrsss for her
narrow figure. Hes in here some
whsre. she said to herself, with y
added irritation at the. delay, As she
peered about. The COWS amt ont
yet. What's that ladder dom there!
What's"
A low, dreadful cry burst from her.
Then she went up the ladder like
mad creature. bent over a beam and
slashed with the bread knife.
Bee her Cope fell heavily in a heap.
Half gliding, half dropping, his vie
descended with perilSus agility, few
to h:.o. ,ore the moose from his neck,
rolled him over and sank to her knees.
Mr.. Cope was very much alive. albeit
somewhat purple and greatly shame
faced and dIsmayed. His rope had not
been properly ADJUSTED. Having tied
his feet and hands with strong twins
he was undergoing slow and pain
full process of strangulation, with ne
power to expedite matters, when his
better half had appeared on the scene
Gaaplng few times, he cleared his
throat for speech.
"Dorcas Cope, don't you never let
on! Cut them strings and II get up"
Promise me you'll never try this
ag':n! II rot, I'll leave you tied,
Beecher Cope. I'll call in the neigh.
bors-I'll-"
The LORI. hearin' me. I've had
enough, Doreas."
Her face was like white flint az
she shipped the bonds, helped him
stagger stif1iy to his feet, and took his
arm.
Come right in the house, Bescher,"
she said, quietly.
GU Oid hNNA WdlASu
submissive4y by her side re had not
trsmbied at The prospect OF death, but
now he snud dered, leaning against the
wc,.aan with his head lo-rrreti.
"Yor druv me to it, he sruntsd ag-
excessively.
"i1ow?"
81 dunno how. | can't tell; but you
did. For ten years you've been drivin'
me to it, Dorcas-I couldn't stand it
another day"
''Humph!" Mrs. Copes throaty ex-
clamatlon was hardly distinct.
They reached the kitchen. The half
prepared breakfast was on the range.
Set down." said the woman,
strangely. Drink this cup of hot tea.
Throat hurt you?"
N Ono, not much. Kind of
choky
He kulped the beverage and held
out his cup 1or more. Dorcas sat and
slipped hers.
Nov then" she said.
Cope Strengthened up "Dorcas, he
oaCan Shakily have | eye~ sco'ded