The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1911-12-29


told me when / was in trouble in the
mountains to fire two shots from my
revolver and that anyone who heard 1t
would know that 1t was call for help.
| have the little revolver you gave me.
1t brought you to me-
ITO no good end" retorted the man,
bitterly. why seek to reopen the old
wound? You were quite decided, when
you left, that our dream of love was
hut a dream, and that there could be
no realization. Now you have come
back to make me fight the fight all
over again. Was II fair, dear, just be-
cause you wanted to see me again be-
fore you went back east?"
III was fair" she answered steadily,
"because aid not come through idle
curiosity, Cliff. came to tell you that
it was all mistake. did not think
that / could be happy with you in your
cabin. sharing the luck of a prospect
or. and | knew that you would not
share a home you had not earned.
Now | know. Cliff, that woulo
rather live herewith you-than to 60
back home and live in luxury ! came
to tell you that, Cliff.
"tBut you were right before" urged
the man. "You may think that 1t
would be fun to camp out and search
for gold, but you have been born and
bred in the purple, Addie. You don't
know what it is to live on bread and
bacon and to make the bread and cook
the bacon yourself"
i do, because you let me do 1t last
summer" she reminded. 1T Is De-
cause miss those dear old days that
have come back, Cliff. Don't you want
me?"
Want your" he repeated tensely. i
thought that / had fought my hight
and had won, but | haven't. There
has not been minute in the day, Ad-
die, that have not wanted you
Then we'll be married and live
happy ever after" she cried content
edly. kiss me- Cliff, then bandage my
ankle and get down to the hotel or
auntie will be crazy about me-"
Their lips met in a long caress.
Since the early summer, when Addie
Spence had stumbled across the pros
pector's cabin, he had loved the
dainty little woman, but with the
worldly wisdom of her class she had
begged her release from the engage
ment pleading that she never could
be happy in the woods. Wilbur had
ignored her plea that she had enough
for two in her own right, and that her
fathers death would leave her mil
lionaire. He wanted to be the head
of the house, and he could not take
that position unless he was the bread
winner. Now she had come back tc
him in sweet surrender and he was
supremely happy.
1t took but a moment to bandage
the sprained ankle, then he caugh'
her up in his arms and strobe dowr
the well-marked trail that led to the
village. The town had grown w
about the hotel built for the beneh
of those who sought the luxury OF al
expensive hotel even when they talked
of communing with nature. Wilbu
had little in common with the guests
of the hotel, for he despised thei
love of luxury.
He kept away from the village a
much as possible, but he had worl
the trail when he and Addie used t.
stroll in the twilight, and plan tn
roseate future that should be theirs
When the practical side had thrus
itself on the girl she had .coaxed he
n
she might forget Wilbur. Now sh
/ had come back to make confessio
of surrender, and Wilbur whistled hal
PLY as he made his way along. Addi
was scarcely a burden to his arms
| and he made good time until his roc
struck a rounded stone and he wer
heavily to the earth.
He saved her from hurt by twistin
as he fell but when he did not ris
N she called to him in alarm. He we
d digging the earth away with n
hands and he did not seem to hea
!" Presently he arose and built ltt
ID fire of fat pine, and, with an exclam
a ton of satisfaction, he turned towal
id the girl.
ID 'Ive found it," he cried, exultantl
II thought that the vein would
found further up, but this is It, TT
le rains have washed away the dirt ar
ar have left the outcrop showing. We
ut be rich, Addie girl; as rich as yo'
,e father. We can be married and III
in the lap of luxury or in the heart
le the woods, just as you prefer. Yo1
ne two guns were not to call me to a
Of your distress; they were the sigma
Of Dame Fortune, who had q wi
AZ and a gold mine to offer me. 1t w
ou the signal Of success, dear. We ha