Warren sheaf., 1908-06-18

Down In q little swale, Just before
/ they had halted, she had noticed the
bunch grass growing long and rank.
She dew ct It, tore It up, handful BY
handful. till she had high pile, which
she gathered In her arms and carried
to the car. Pitching 1t in, she was OF
again, needless Of Alfred's protest.
Three times she made the short jour
ney, pausing at the door after the
third load to catch her breath.
Aren't you coming in this time!
You must let me help you,' he said,
partly rising, but falling back.
mo, no! Don't move! You aren't
able to; and II you do I won't GOMEZ"
she replied emphatically, though her
face was shining. Turn your head
away, and don't look till I say
| 'Here!'"
II cant turn away from you, Stel-
la!" he said whimsically, yet tender
| ly; and her eyes dropped Still, she
did not move. 3.r ....>.
"Oh, come, dearest, won't you?
Don't wait so long. Ill-I'u turn
|
back my head Did you ever play
Green Gravel when you were little
tad? My head is turned back"
Esther never knew how she man
! aged the climb through the great,
gaping door, yards above the sloping
ground; still, she was there, standing
before him.
He spoke no word, but gazed up into
her tender, bending face. Light
speech that had bridged the first tense
moments was impossible now Pain,
misunderstanding, pride, prudence,
even the years, fed. She loved him,
loved him! Nothing else counted.
Lean down. Stella. sweetheart."
he whispered at last his eyes draw
ing her with his words.
She knelt beside him. The long
separation melted into the land of the
unremembered.
| The engine whistle startled them
shortly, and brakeman came with q
blanket for Alfred, his coat, and
Esther's bags and cloak
| "Wiu the fireman live?" Alfred
asked, while Esther helped him into
his coat
1--WE think so, but can't tell surely,
of course. Poor fellow! He's con.
scious now" The sympathy in the
mans tones brought Esthers tears.
Gould l do anything? Some"
she began haltingly.
I'm sure l can,' Alfred exclaimed,
half rising again.
The brakeman waved him back.
Miss Anthony, don't let him! He had
pretty good shaking up himself;
but that's nothing to what he did. No
one knows how he ever pried that
wheel off from poor Dooly's leg; but
he did, and held it free till we came,
the sun broiling him like beefsteak,
and Dooly begging all the time to be
put out OF his misery. That's enough
for one day. You keep him right
| here"
Alfred tried vainly to stop the story.
The brakeman finished, prompted by
! Esther's eager, appreciative face. Yet
he left them shortly, and the train
started. Then Esther turned toward
the cabbages.
What in the world" Alfred began
I'm captain now," she interrupted
I'm going to make you comfortabl
before the last shred of daylight goes"
1T won't be dark: there's a moon"
Much light a four-days-old moon
will give!" she scoffed.
But I'm comfortable now, if you
will only come and sit beside me-"
Needless of his importuning, she
continued piling the cabbages away
till one forward corner was bare
| whats that for?"
''You must sleep; and it will be bit
ter cold. This is"
| "Sleep! Sleep tonight, with you
here? Never!"
She smiled at him, yet persisted,
throwing the soft grass in the corner,
smoothing it carefully. "Come. Let
me help you over here. 1t is too cold
| there by the door,
Dear tyrant!" He smiled happily,
and pulled himself up by the door
handle. But he was unsteady, and
would have fallen had she not sup
ported him. For once she was CRATE
full for her strength.
Lie down. I think you'll find that
a tolerable substitute for hair mat
| tress.' 81
THE worm turns. l won't! I'll sit
down, though, and in that corner, il
you'll sit beside me-"
She demurred, to indulge him final
ly; and, seated side by side on the
floor, with cabbages tumbling about
their feet, they wandered in Arcadia.
Amabel, Esther's hiding, Alfred's cap
ture and illness, his search for her,
college and business life 1T was a tale
OF the years told by the light of the
thin desert moon Ss
| But Gideon's part In the story
Esther modified, allowing Alfred to be-
lieve that her flight from Colfax had
been the impulsive result Of fear for
him, as was her wild race to Virginia
! CITY E5z