The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-11-21

I'm all alone 0nderneat' de stars beside
my campfire an talk wit i'm in my
bark canoe dan go Twin wit you in
fine house an let i'm get col an die"
"But I told him I'd marry you-that
l had always intended to. He'll be-
lieve l was lying" she moaned in dis
tress.
dis worl' mus live forever, an OATS
love. If we kill i'm den it's purity poor
place for stoppin' In. I'm cut off my
han for help you, Necia, but l can't
be husban' to no woman in fun"
Poleon waited patiently until her
paroxysm of sobbing had passed, then
gently raised her and led her out through
the back door into the summer day,
which an hour ago had been so bright
and promising and was now so gray
and dismal. File followed her with his
eyes until she disappeared inside the
log house.
can OATS de end of it ALL" he unused.
give year I've wait-an' JUS for dis"
Meade Burrell never knew how he
gained his quarters, but when he had
done so he locked his door behind him,
then loosed his hold on things mate
rial. He ragged about the room like a
wild animal and vented his spite on
every inanimate thing that lay within
reach. AS yet his mind grasped but
DULY the fact that she was to marry
another, but gradually this thought in
turn took possession of him. She
would be some one else's wife in two
days. The thought drove the lover
frantic, and he felt that madness lay
that way if he dwelt on such fancies
for long.
AS he grew -calmer his reason began
to dissect the scene that had taken
place in the store, and he wondered
whether she had been lying to him,
after all. No doubt she had been en-
gagged to the Frenchman and had al
ways planned to wed Poleon, for that
was not out of reason. She might
even have set out mischievously to
ANUS herself with him, but at the
recollection of those rapturous hours
they had spent together he declared
aloud that she had loved him, and him
only. Every instinct in him shouted
that she loved him in spite of her
cruel protestations.
A maj came with his supper, but he
called to him to begone. There are
those who believe that in passing from
daylight to darkness a subtle transit
ton ccurs akin to the change from
positive to negative in an electrical
current and that this intangible, un-
traceable atmospheric influence exerts
a definite p%sychical effect upon men
and their modes of thought. Be this
as it may, it is certain that as the
night grew darker the lieutenant's
mood changed. He lost his fierce an
ger at the girl and reasoned that he
owed it to her to set himself right in
her eyes; that in all justice to her he
ought t O prove his own sincerity.
An up river steamboat was just land
ing as he neared the trading post-a
freighter, as he noted by her lights.
In the glare at the river bank he saw
Poleon and the trader, who had evil
IDENTIFY returned from Lees creek, and
without accosting them he hurried on
to the store. Peering in from the dark
ness, he saw Alluna. No doubt Necia
was alone In the house behind. So he
stumbled around to the back to find
the window Of her room aglow behind
It's curtain, and, receiving no answer
to his knock, he entered, for it was
customary at Gales to waive cere-
mony. Inside the big room he paused,
then stepped swiftly across and rap
ped at her door, falling back a pace as
she came out.
Instead of speaking at once, as he
had planned, to prevent her escaping,
he was struck speeches., for the
vision that met his eyes was that
which he had seen one blithe spring
morning three months before, but to-
night there was no shawl to conceal
her sweetly rounded neck and Shout
ders, whose whiteness was startling
against the black of the ballroom
gown. The slim gold chain hung
around her neck, and her, hair was
piled high, as before. He noted every
smallest detail as she stood there wait
ing for him TO speak, forgetful Of ev-
erything else.
She had put OF the gown again to
see If perchance there might be some
mark Of her blood or breed that had
escaped her previous scrutiny, and, as
there was no one to observe her, she
had attired herself slowly, absorbed
In her whimsy. Her wistful beauty
dazed the young man and robbed him
Of the words he had ~rehearsed, but as
she made to flee from him, with a
pitiful gesture, toward her room the
fear of losing her aroused him and
spurred his wit.
Don't go away! l have something
l must tell you. I've thought 1t over,
and you've got to listen, Necia."
81 am listening" she answered very
quietly.
Understand me, I'm not whining,
and I'm willing to take my medicine.
I couldn't talk or think very straight
this afternoon, but you were wrong"
Eyes, 1 know now 1 was wrong. 1t
---~t III kxyIf