Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-14

strong" said Mabel Danvers dreamily.
and Lem unconsciouSly lost his lazy.
stoop shouldered air and stiffened in the
saddle His eyes we're q clear. clean
blue, and his hair was light-golden."
she explained. almost shyly. and then.
catching herself up with bitter little
laugh, she added: Il suppose ii was
sandy hair His face was hand-not
bad looking-and there was a sort OF
good look about him. Oh. don't mean
goody -goody; don't like that kind, but
do like clean hearted men"
And Lem Pike was like that in those
days?" asked Lem, watching her with
fascinated eyes.
She nodded. He was like that, and
he was more. He was fastidious about
his dress; be never drank drop-he
did not care for 1t: he had lots OF self
respect and he was as brave as lion.
| But he went away, and he will never
| come back"
| You don't believe me when ! say
that l am Lem Pike:" he demanded.
with a queer look In his eyes.
! How can l when you are so differ
ent?" Her little nose wrinkled disdain-
fully and he was conscious that the
aroma of wakeham's saloon still chung
to him. He shifted awkwardly in his
saddle as he surveyed her from under
his hat brim.
Would you recognize him II be
was to come back looking as he was?"
he asked.
warm light filled her eyes and her
lip trembled. Yes. would know him
anywhere then-but he win never come
back"
81 bet your calculated Lem emphat-
ically. "Win you watch out for him,
say New Years day? That win make
new beginning for him."
"I wonder if he knows that I mar
ried Eve years ago." remarked the girl
irrelevantly.
Lem Pike did not go back to Wake
hams saloon. He turned his back on
the town and went away.
Once he stopped and looked at tho
low range of hills that bounded the
Danvers ranch.
81 don't care IL you are married; TIL
make good yet" he muttered. You
won't look at me like that again.
On New Years day the sky was like
an inverted blue bowl. A light fall Of
snow covered the ground. and ii was so
freezing cold that the film of snow on
the roof of Danvers' ranch house did
not melt In the sun.
Down at the corral there were life and
motion, but up here In the big living
room of the house it was very quiet.
haA RAv
several years past, and so had his frail
little wife. But there was a sister of
BilIs who managed the household with
a firm and kindly hand. Aunt Susan
was sitting upstairs in her room now.
writing letters to all of her friends in
Ohio. Mabel sat In the big rocking
chair at the front window of the liv-
ing room and watched the trail with
! strained eyes.
He said on New Years day, and
the day is almost gone. / might have
. known that it would not happen. he
= couldn't help 1t. It's mans weak
L ness. 1 might have helped him to be
Q strong" she accused herself bitterly.
u HE needed help and encoura cement,
q not sneers. from mel And all the
, years will be blank and dreary without
him. God forgive mel cannot help it!'
e She did not see horseman come
Re slowly up the trail: she did not see
- the dainty tracks pricked by his black
horse. She heard no sound of ap-
n preaching footsteps on the veranda.
IS and when his knock came sharply on
1t the door she sprang to her feet with
ar q co!orless face
IN She pulled the door wide open. and
he came In. Ii was the Lem Pike of
'e old-tall and fair haired. with clean,
i'd clear blue eyes and frank features,
ID now Swallowed by some bitter ex-
er perience He was straight and strong
ct looking. and he carried himself with
or the old time swing of the shoulders
that marked him ont fSom other ard
ok smaller men.
II. Il am beginning all over again"
" he said quietly, land I've come TO
g. you first so you could see the begin
ming. and I'm coming the first of
every year to show you that I've kept
10 It up. owe it TO you to be what you
D. thought i was" He was holding her
~ hands in his. though neither Of them
er seemed TO be aware of the fact.
ne He looked at her appealngly and
en- then closed his eyes an instant Il
Ell suppose better see-your husband be-
ed fore co." he added.
IS The sunset glow was on her hair
m and in her eyes and face as she look
at ed up az him. Nobody told you
was married. and so there was no.
IN body TO tell you that Frank lived only
year and that-tlat''- she faltered
10, for Lem Pike was holding her in his
CT strong arms and looking down into
her glorious eyes.
Pr yes be whispered breathlessly.
81 would rather have you spend the
ed years with me. and each New Year
ne Will be the beginning of another year
he of 10Y for VS. and-and | need a mar
M to run the place, Lem, indeed | do.
she ended