The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-12-04
my breath. rnen she called to me, and

my breath. Tnen sne called to me. ant
I went.
II tell you. l was thankful thai da,
for the fortune that had made III,
take good care of my horse, for rod
like Death on a windstorm. | rodt
through the streets of Mesa, WHERE
they lived. and past the lights of Ben
nett's big saloon, where heard til,
sound of DEVILS revelry and IA shril
voiced woman singing woman tht
like of which he had tried to make my
Merridy. | skulked or sneaked
me take back roads, SO | cane up te
his house from the front and tied my
horse to his gatepost. She heard mt
on the steps AID opened tie door.
"'You SEN for me- sad |. Where
is hep But he had gone away to q
neighboring camp and wouldn't be
back until morning. at which | felt
the way a thief must feel, for I'd
hoped to meet him in his own house.
| couldn't think very clearly, however,
because of the change in her. She
was SO thin and worn and sad-sadder
than any woman I'd ever seen. I'd
changed 4 heap myself. Anyhow that
was the first thing she spoke about,
and the tears came into her eyes as
she breathed:
Poor boy! You took it very hard,
didn't your
"'You sent for me- said L. Which
road did he take?'
"eThere's nothing you can do she
answered. I sen to make SURF that
you still love me-
Ibid you ever doubt it? said /, at
which she began to cry like a woman
who has worn out all emotion.
"tCan you feel the same after what
I've made you suffer- she said, and ]
reckon she must have read the answer
in my eyes. for | never was much good
at talking. and the sight of her, so
changed, had taken the speech out Of
me, leaving nothing but aches and
pains and ashes in It's place. When she
saw what she wished to know she told
me the story-the whole miserable sto-
ry-that I'd heard enough of to suspect.
Why she'd married the other mar she
couldn't explain herself. except that
1t was a woman's whim-I had stayed
away, and he had come the oftener-
part pique and part the mans dare
devil fascination.
"'He's a fiend,' she told me. I've
stood all I car. He'll make a bad wo.
man of me as sure as he will of the
little one If | stay on here. SO | have
decided to go and take her with me-
"'Where?' said l.
Wherever you say she answered,
and yet did not understand, not till ]
saw the look in her eyes. Then as 1t
dawned on me she broke down, for it
was a terrible thing for a good woman
to offer.
cts all for the little girlr she cried.
More than her life depends upon 1t.
We must get her away from him.
"She saw it was her only course and
went where her heart was calling"
The lieutenant met the look of ap-
peal In the traders eyes and nodded
to imply his complete understanding
and approval.
I'VE love some women for their
goodness, others we love for their frail-
ness. but there never was one who
combined the two like her. and now
tnat / knew h loved me l began to
believe again there was a God some
where. I'd never seen the youngster,
~ <l,- la ~. ~ yrLo, - .r,ac ,1aarto-
and l remember my boots made such
a devil of a humping on the floor that
she laid her slim white finger on her
lips and smiled at me. All the fingers
in the world began to choke at my
throat and all the blood in me COM
menced to pound at my heart when l
looked on that little sleeping kiddie.
The tears began to roll out of my eyes,
and because they had been dry for four
years they scalded like melted metal.
That was the only time. l ever wept.
The sight of her baby did it.
81 love her already | whispered
and I'll spend my life making her
happy and making a lady of her.
which clillched what wayering doubt
the mother had, and she began to plan
quickly, the fear coming on her of a
sudden that our scheme might fail. l
was for riding away with both of them
that night, back through the streets of
Mesa and up into the hills, where I'd
have held them single handed against
mar or devil. but she wouldn't hear
Of It. go, -. COZ, 20
long way from here, where the world
won't find us and the little n a