Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1908-12-10

St1SO ~ blSuI Cdlle IOE uS CuGl
with David Stires. and the latter sent
her out for a walk.
All was quiet. No wisp of smoke
curled from the cabin chimney, no
work was forward, for Harry had
climbed far up the mountain. alone
with his thoughts. 1t was a favorable
opportunity.
Jessica had the Hateful draft in her
hand as she ran quickly down the
trail and across the cleared space to
the cabin door. 1t was wide open.
Peer1ng warily, she saw that both
rooms were empty. and, with a guilty
last glance about her, she entered. A
nail in the wall held an old violin. and
beneath it was a shelf of books. She
took one from the meager row and
opened 1t curiously. 1t was David
Copperfield," and she saw with kim
ding interest that heavy lines were
drawn along certain Of the pages. She
looked about her. Where should she
put the draft? He had left a marker
IN the book. He would open it again
no doubt. She laid the draft between
the printed leaves, beyond the marker.
Then, replacing the volume on the
tened back up the steep trail to the
Knob.
Leaning back against the warm rock,
Tapped in the serene peacefulness of
the spot, Jessica fell into ~reverie.
Never since her wedding day had
she said to herself boldly Il love him"
never till yesterday. Now all was
changed. Her thought was a trcmu-
lous assurances: 81 shall stay here near
him day after day, watching. Some
day his memory will come back, and
then my love will comfort him. The
town will forget it has hated and will
come to honor him. Some time, seeing
how he is changed, his father will for
give him and take him back. and we
shall all three go home to the white
house in the aspens. If not. then my
place will still be with Hugh. Perhaps
we shall live here. Perhaps Il cabin
like that will be home, and | shall live
with him and work with him and care
for him."
Thus she dreamed-a new day dream.
unravaged by the sordid tests of yer
ity.
So absorbed was she that she did not
hear a step approaching over the
springy moss, a sharply broken breath
as the intruder stified an exclamation.
She had drawn her handkerchief
across her eyes against the dancing
giimmer of sunlight. Suddenly il drop
ped to her lap, and she half turned.
In an instant of surprise, as IIarry'S
look flashed into hers, q name sprang
unbidden TO her lipS-a name that
struck his strained face to sudden
whiteness, ringing in his ears liko fix
note of a sunllen bell. All that was
clamoring in him for speech rushed
into words.
"You call my name" he cried you
know me. Have l Yer been Hugh to
you? Your face, that white band
across your eyes, your voice, they came
to me like something far away that |
have known. l was mistaken. l was
crazy to think that YOU
He stopped. 4 wave of sympathy
passed over her. She felt q mao wish
to throw all aside, to cry to him: "YoN
did know me! You loved me once. |
am Jessica-I am your wife," SO in
tense was her emotion that it seemed
to her as if she had spoken his name
again audibly, but her lips had not
moved, and the tap of a woodpeckei
on a nearby trunk sounded With harsh
distinctness.
SI 1,nt-o r-nrInI tN t,Nn,I. 40 rn,, - Ci,r
sail after an instant in which she
struggled for self control. "You did
a brave thing yesterday "a splendid
thing. 1t saved me from SORROW all
my life!"
lie put aside her thanks with a ges-
ture. You saved me also. You found
me i'll and suffering, and your horse
carried me to my cabin
81 want to tell you she went on
hastily. her fingers lacing, that ! dc
not judge you as others do. l know
about your past life-what you have
forgotten. know you have put it al
behind you"
His face changed swiftly. Today
the determination with which he haC
striven to put from his mind the prob
lem of his clouded past had broker
down. In the light of the charge
which had been flung in his teeth the
afternoon before, his imagination hat
dwelt in%tolerably IN it.
"You know" he said hoarsely. "Ie1
you say that! They stoned me in The
street the day l came back. Yester
day they counted me a thief. 1t is Xix
a hideous nightmare that l can't wake
from. Who am I? Where did l com
from? l dare not ask for fear of fur
Their shame! Can you imagine wha'
that means?"
She came close to him and touched
his arm.
t 81 know all that you suffer-" She
> said. "You are doing the strong thing
, the brave thing! The man in you il
not astray now
tS3 - it was lost bu
>, ~ ~ If has found it