Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-19

said:
at is good. 1t Is good. He is strang-
err"
But the man disregarded her interrupt
ton.
He asked you TO marry him in-in-
in spite of what you are and what ann
yes: he is ready to give up his ambi-
ton, his army, his future, his family, ev-
erything. for me--to sacrifice IL all; and
so, of course, l couldn't let him." She
spoke simply. as if her father would sure
" understand and approve her action
while i'm her voice was note or lneVlta-
bic resignation. you see, never under
stood what my blood would mean to him
until tonight. I've been selfish and
thoughtless. / guess. l just wanted him,
and wanted him to take me; but now that
he is mine love him more than l
thought. He is so dear TO me that can
drag him down. can't-l can't! She
went to the open door and stood leanig
against the casing. facing the cool outer
darkness, her face hidden from them her
form sagging YEARLY, as If the struggle
had sapped her whole strength.
AlIuna crept to the trader and looked up
at him eagerly, whispering;
oThis viii end In a little while, john
che IS Young. She cah go back TO the MIS-
sion tomorrow. She will soon forget. -,
"Foreet! Do you think she can forget?
'.It sthe red blood in you-iying. YOU
know you lie. 80,
ar ts 70 save YOUR Iife," she said.
81 know: but it's no use. 10 N w.,,a
he said: you needn't worry nttle
dsnghter." But her ears were deaf. You
needn't give him up, say-this VIII emu
all right" -, - ,aaa-
seeing that she gave no sign OF need
ing. he stepped closer, and swung her
about till she faced him. w.,
.,Can't Won trust me this one timer You
olu,avs have before, Nicola. say ne II
marry you, and 1t will all come out rlsht,
she raised her hopeless eyes anu slIo ,-'
sauely to meet his. then fafiihg' prOhT
Uay. and turned back 10 the uooL'
s-aeyy Won couldn't understand. lion
ca love him SOL! With a cry like
49, Of a wounded animal she ned ou'
,nto the night. where she could give vent
20 her anguish unseen; for she had never
went before her father, but always crept
.r,ev and hid herself until her grief was
.nant Gale would have started attef
her but AIluna dragged him back
fiercely. ... - -.
s.No mo- It means your life, John. Let
the secret die, and she will forget. sne
Is so young. Time will cure her-ume
cures everything. Don't tell her-dont ten
any one-and, above all, don tei lha ,I
soldier, He would not believe nor would
she Even 1 have doubted"
"You?"
yves John. And IL 1 don't believe, what
is a stranger to say? No man know
ing YOU would believe the tale-Wlthout
proof. Suppose she doubted-have you
ever thought of that? Would you not
rather have her die still loving you than
live and disbelieve?" %
yes YES! OF course, live thought OF
that, but-woman, you're worse than
lrattlesnake"
.sEven II he knew, he might not marry
her. You at least are clean, and thaE
other man was a devil. A brave man s
Ife's too great price to pay for a grief
that will die in a year" Alluna was
sneaking swiftly in her own language, her
body tense. her face ablaze, and no man
seeing her could ever again have called
her people stolid.
you think time will cure a love like
that?" he said.
Eyes, yes!"
THAT'S all you know about it. Time
may act that way perhaps in cities and
such places, but out in the hills II Is dif-
ferent. When you've got the breath OF
the forest in YOU, 1 say it is different.
Time-wlry. I've lived fifteen years in the
open with a living memory. Every night
rye dreamed 1t over, every day I've lived
II through: in every campfire / see a
face. and every stormy night girl with
ewes like Necia's calls to me. and have
Ia follow. Every patch of moonlight
shows her ssniling at me, just beyond.
Just in the shadows edge Love! Time!
Why.--AlIuna,. love is the only thing in
the world that never dies. and time only
makes It more enduring"
II Ra he
thrown down when he came in, and step
ped to the door.
where are you going?" inquired the
squaw, fearfully. ..
ITO the barracks to give myself up
She flung herself at him with a great
cry, and seized him about the waist.
You never loved me, John, but have
been a good woman to you, although l
knew you were always thinking Of her
and had no thought of me. 1 have
loved this girl because you loved her, /
have hated your eenmies because you
hated them, and now remember while
iyou forget"
Forget! What do you mean?"
stark"
The man paused. ST did almost forget
him-and after ffteen years!'
LET us Kill him tonight; then we will
go to the soldier together, side by side
4 am your woman. Necia will look after
the little ones.
Gale stared at her. and as he gaZe6
the red pigment underneath her skin
the straight-hanging, manelike hair, the
1 gaudy shawl she never went without,
the shapeless, skin, shod feet, the sloven-
/ ly. ill-fitting garb of a Tnis-east woman
vanished, and he saw her as she was
on a day long past. a slim, shy, silent
creature. with great, watchful, trusting
| eyes and a soul unspoiled. No woman
had ever been so loyal so accomplishing
\ He had robbed her OF her people and
/ her gods. He had shifted hither and yon
| at the call OF his uncertain fortune, OF
! at a sign of that lurking fear that al
ways logged him, and she had never left
| his side, never questioned. never doubt.
| ed but always served him like a slave
| without asking for a part in that other
| love, without sharing in the caresses he
had consecrated TO a woman she had
never seen.
by heaven! You're game. Alluna, but
there's a limit even TO what 1 can take
| from you he said at last 81 don't
ever seem to have noticed II before but
| there is. Mo- I've got to do this thing
! alone tonight all of 1t. for you have
no place in 1t, and / can't let the little
| girl go on like this. The sooner that sol
der knows the better He leaned dowr
and touched her brown mouth with his
I grizzled lips. THANK you. Allunas fol
making a man of me when I'd nearly for.