The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-11-07
from the shelter Or MS arms.
would spoil you to grow up"

ut Is so good to be alive and to o
you like this!" she continued dreamily,
staring into the fire. 81 seem to have
come out of a gloomy house. into the
glory of a warm spring day, for my
eyes are blinded, and 1 can't see half
the beautifuls I want to. there are SO
many about me-"
"Those are my arms" i~nterjected the
soldier lightly in an effort to ward off
her growing seriousness.
.I've never been afraid Of anything,
and yet l feel so safe inside them.
Isn't 1t queer?"
The young man became conscious of
a vague discomfort and realized dimly
that for hours now he had been smooth
ering with words and caresses a some
thing that had striven with him to be
heard, a something that instead Of
dying grew stronger the more utterly
this innocent maid yielded to him. It
was as If he had ridden impulse with
rough spurs in a fierce desire to dis
lance certain voices and in the first
mad gallop had lost them, but now far
back heard them calling again more
strongly every moment. A mans hon
or II old may travel feebly, but its
pursuit is persistent. 1t was the talk
about his people that had raised this
uneasiness and INDIGESTION, he thought.
Why had he ever started it?
1.-THE marvellous part Of it ALL" con-
tinued the girl, sis that it will never
end. 1 know l shall love you always.
Do you suppose 1 am really different
from other girlsT"
Everything is different tonight-the
whole world" he declared tmpatiently.
1--WE had a big handicap" she said,
"but you must help me to overcome 1t.
I want to be like your sister,"
He rose and piled more wood upon
the fire. What possessed the girl? 1t
was as If she knew each cunning joint
Of his armor. as If she had realized her
peril and had set about the awakening
of his conscience deliberately and with
a cautious wisdom beyond her years.
Well, she had done 1t, and he swore to
himself. Then he melted at the sight
Of her, crouched there against the
shadows, following his every move
ulGlI Will aSl SOul LII hCl "a Co. NhS
tenderest trace Of a smile upon her
lips.
When she beheld him gazing at her
she tilted her head sideways daintily,
like a little bird.
"Oh, myl What a fierce you are all
at oncev'
Her smile flashed up as if illumined
by the leaping blaze, and he crossed
| quickly, kneeling beside her.
He piled up a great sweet scented
couch of springy boughs and fashioned
her a pillow out of a bundle of smaller
ones, around which he wrapped his
khaki coat; then he removed her high
laced boots and, taking her tiny feet,
one in the palm Of either hand, bowed
his head over them and kissed them
with a sense of her gracious purity
| and his own unworthiness. He spread
one of the big gray blankets over her
| and tucked her in, while she sighed l
delightful languor, looking up at him
| oil the time.
"Tll sit here beside you for awhile"
he said. 81 want to smoke a bit"
At times a great desire to feel her
In his arms, to have her on his breast,
surged over him. for he had lived long
apart from women, and the solitude of
the night seemed to mock him. He
was a strong man, and in his veins
ran the blood Of hayward forbears
who were wont to possess that which
they conquered in the lists Of love,
mingled with which was the blood Of
spirited southern women who had or
occasion loved not wisely, according to
Kentucky rumor, but only too well.
Nevertheless they were honest men
and women, If oversentimental, and
had transmitted to him a heritage of
chivalry and a high sense Of honor and
courage. Her love had placed a bar
insurmountable than her blood.
He gently withdrew his fingers from
her grasp and, seeing the other side of
the wickiup, covered himself over
without disturbing her and fell asleep.
It was early dawn when Necia crept
to him.
81 dreamed you had gone away" she
SdIu, SulVcIluS NlOiCAIy duu WluS
close. "Oh, it was a terrible awaken
ing
II was too tired to dream" he said.
$50 1 had to come and see IL you
were really here"
! He quickly rekindled the fire, and
they made a hasty breakfast. Before
the warmth of the rising sun had pen
etrated the cold air they had climbed
the ridge and obtained a wondrOus
view Of broken country, the bills
alight with the morning rays, the val
legs misty and mystical.
81 wish Stark was not one of Lees
party" he said once. "He may mis-
understand our being together this
way"
"But when he learns that we love
each other that will explain every
thing"
"I am not SO sure. He doesn't know
you as Lee and Poleon and your IA
Their do. I think we had better say