Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-02-07

hat of straw, twisted into a very coauet-
tlsh shape, and bound about with a rich
silk handkerchief, in which was set q
silver brooch.
O'Rourke absorbed the charming vision
as a whole. He leaped to the broad
grass-grown top of the low wall and
raised his hat with a smile. His wavy
reddish hair and his beautiful beard and
mustache shone in the sun like gold, and
his handsome face was as gay as boys
1t Is not improbable that he looked as
charming to the pretty widow as the
pretty widow looked to him. She came
tripping and blushing and smiling over
the stones of the river-bed, and O'Rourke
ran down the slope with SO excessive an
alacrity that he failed to notice that it
broke suddenly away at the foot. Mrs.
Spry screamed family, but O'Rourke,
who was too late to stay himself, made
the necessary leap in safety-it was but
nine or ten feet deep, and he had soft
turf to alight on-and advanced smiling,
with his crisp hair shining and his right
hand outstretched toward her.
Good morning." he said, this IL a
delightful encounter-for me-"
Mrs. Spry had a bouquet of wild flow
ers In her right hand and a book In her
left but she set the flowers in the hol-
low OF her arm and accepted O'Rourke's
profered hand. He held hers longer than
the absolute necessities of a morning sa-
Lutte demanded, and Mrs. Spry blushed
and dropped her eyes before his ardent
gaze.
You have been gathering howers"
he said, mastering himself by an effort,
but even then hardly knOwing what he
said. quite charming little nosegay."
She held it toward him and their hands
met again. The small bouquet was not
tied, and lest the flowers should fall he
put both hands to 1t, taking her right in
his left whilst he gathered the blossoms
together. She felt that his hands were
trembling little, and he bungled with
the flowers. Just then their eyes met,
the little widows expressive orbs looked
almost frightened, and O'Rourke was as
white as if he were about to faint or to
be hanged, or to lead a forlorn hope. He
dropped the flowers and took the hand
which held the book. The little widow
let the volume fall beside the fallen bios
SONS. She dropped her head, and the
bosom of the pretty morning dress fut-
tered visibly. O'Rourke said not a word,
but he gave a great slow sigh and drew
her toward him by the hands. Then he
simply put both arms around her and
stopped and kissed her hot cheek. Still
he said not word but his heart beat
like a hammer, and he pressed her to
him as If to stile its outrageous riot.
Am l too insolent?" he said at length.
The pretty widow did not seem to think
80, for she stood upon her fallen blossoms
with her cheek upon his breast, and made
no effort to escape. 81 have loved you
from the minute l first saw you. Can
you love me littleT
His tremor was like the tremor of a
over to the little widows mind. He
played the part better than he knew.
"Ye-es," said the lady in a whisper,
into herself as she spoke. Then
here was another lengthy spell of ST.
ence, broken by the near clash of a
lorse's bells and the crack of carriers
whip. At these sounds they started guilt
ly apart, and O'Rourke, falling upon
me knee, gathered up the dropped posy
md the book, and they walked side by
tide, silently, by the dry water course
Until they came upon spot hidden from
he road, where the remaining stump of a
,reat felled beach made convenient
ieat.
Shall we sit here for little while?"
)'Rourke asked. The lady seated herself
n silence, and seeing that she had taken
/ place too near the center to allow room
or her companion, moved a little, and
rev her dress on one side. O'Rourke &C.
,epted the invitation thus dumbly con-
eyed, and placing one arm around her
waist, drew her nearer toward him.
do you think" he said, not being able |
o find anything more original to say
ust then, that you will be able to learn
o love me just little?"
The pretty little woman began to trem-
lie, and searching blindly for her hand
Ierchief, found it at last, and hiding her
ace behind it with both hands, began
o cry.
I'll knew" she sobbed, shat It was
wicked, but IL loved you when l saw
you at Boston. I've al-always thought
bout you since, and when l came to
1u-Europe hoped that should meet
vou."
The ways Of the human heart are
strange, but at this confession the fas-
,inating patriot experienced a twinge of |
hame. For one heeting second he felt a
genuine hate Of humbug.
II will love you very dearly" he said, |
/ moment later, and he meant 1t.
What was to prevent him from loving |
lerf Nothing, If she could always fat |
er his self-love as we'll as she had done |
ust now.
But he had to go back to his pre-
enses. Nature and culture between them |
lad done SO much for him that he had |
orgotten how to walk straight.
Il haven't much to offer you," he said. |
I am poor, and l can't give you a grand |
lome."
She was in such a f1utter at the &C
of all her hopes, so glad |
md so shaken to think herself this hero's |
heroine, this handsome, eloquent, famous,
devoted patriots chosen, that she was |
half hysterical. She dropped her hand |
kerchief from her tear-stained eyes, and |
slapped both hands together like a child, |
and laughed in his face.
why, I've got six million dollars -
He felt Instantly and swiftly he had |
played the fool in pretending not to
know that she was wealthy. The very
1penness of her statement seemed to saw |