Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-04-14

1t seemed higher. higher. all the Will
higher My brain began to whirl
returned to my lounge. was veal
and languid.
While ! was recovering from my gid
diness a door opened and my lost lov,
came into the room. At first sh,
looked anxious, then smiled.
For moment | was in doubt If /
were really she. 1t did not appear
that she was changed. but that
looked at her through different eyes
from before. Her figure did not face
me. but she was looking at me side
wise. l was troubled. l longed fol
her. she was with me. but was moi
sure she was the same person. While
gazed in perplexity she turned, and
| saw the birthmark on her neck.
Then she came to me, seemingly wad-
ing through water, and took my hand.
| drew her down beside me and said
reproachfully:
why did you leave me?"
Il couldn't help it. 1t was fate. Ev-
erything changes in this world"
1t did not occur to me that this was
vague answer. At any rate, was
satisfied with it.
Are you going away again 2" asked.
mo. not now: some day"
when will that be?"
"A long, long while from now"
And will you love me until this sep
aration comes?'
Il will love you always, here and
where | 60"
Il will so with you. You shall not
go without me-"
Then hand in hand we were climb
ing the mountain l had seen from the
window. We seemed to be ascending
as if bouyed by wings Eager to reach
that cloudlike summit 1 had seen, we
pressed on and on, but whenever /
looked up to see if we neared it we
were as far below as before. Turning
TO look back. the houses beneath ap-
peared like ant hills Then / felt the
snow slowly moving beneath me.
1T is an avalanche" / exclaimed.
We We're turned toward the valley
and hand in hand slid down the noun
tain. Though we moved with accel-
Grated pace, we kept our feet. We
were like two gulls soaring. then, turn !
ing their wings aslant, sailing down an |
aerial incline. Suddenly the snow be-
fore us began to pile up against the
base of a cliff. We lost our balance,
and. head downward, | felt tons of |
snow piling on top of me.
No bones broken" | heard a voice
say close beside me. IF there's no in
.ernal Injury he will be all right"
opened my eyes. l was lying on
hard snow. while people stood about
ne, all looking very anxious. One of
hem. girl, stood gazing down upon
ne with a pair of mild eyes in which
here was world of sympathy. There
must have been something in my
glance to affect her, for she lowered
Ter eyes. blushed and turned away. As
'he did so she exposed one side of
Ter neck. 1t bore a birthmark shaped
ike a rose leaf.
Whats the matter?' | asked.
Matter! Why. you have fallen twen-
y feet from the ledge up there"
l remembered passing over a ledge,
,ut l didn't remember anything else.
How long have been uncon-
cious?' l asked.
You fell this very minute. Here;
axe a little of this"
A party of tourists happened to be
,assing when fell and among them a
loctor. From where lay l could see
he Alpine peak Jungfrau. had been
ooking at it during the period Of my
which might have
'een an indnitesimally small fraction
# time. l had seen the girl with a
'irthmark only during the same space
f time.
They wished to assist me to the ho-
el just below. at Sheidig, but I con-
luded to try my legs. The doctor
ave me bis hand. and 1 got on my
eet. One Of the tourists who stood
bout me volunteered TO go with me,
'ut / got on fairly well without his
ssistance.
What l have recorded is the begin
ing Of a love story; but. though 1
ave no objection TO telling a dream,
shrink from giving the thoughts and
ceilings Of myself and the lady Of my
owe. was less interested in dis
overing whether l had displaced any
( my internal parts than getting on
he track Of the girl with a birth
Dark. missed her at Sheidig, but
aw her the next evening at the Kur-
all (casino) at Interlaken. slipping a
emoDade. logged her footsteps for
ays before 1 succeeded in corralling
is. before could find her s
GIFTED, so to speak. and l could get
mutual acquaintance to introduce
le. ! finally cornered her on the Rigo.
ear Lucerne. and. as luck would have ]
= my friend Jim Thompson was there.
DO. and was acquainted with her. l
I expected under the influence Of my
ream that / should have as easy a c
me getting her as I had during that /
,ng drawn out infnitesimally short 1
eriod. Instead. / had a real woman J
, deal with and not a creation Of my {
wn fancy.
There was no dream for her. was |
} her an ordinary parsonage with +
HON neither dreams nor romance had
nythlng 70 do. was obliged to lay o