Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-02-22

VIZ SSA S&OS SIS ENANN" SoSAiSh AhS uE
her bride rein.
whats the matter with me?
haven't changed so much as all that
Everybody else knew me when l came
back yesterday"
You can't be Lem Pike" she insist.
ed. II used to know him. and he didn't
loook at all like you"
What did he look like?" demanded
Lem sullenly.
The girls eyes left his face and were
focused on the distant horizon line.
Against its blue gray mist she seemed
to see a picture of the past.
Lem Pike was tall and straight and
strong" said Mabel Danvers dreamily,
and Lem unconsciously lost his lazy,
stoop shouldered air and stiffened in the
saddle. His eyes were a clear. clean
blue, and his hair vas light-golden.'
she explained, almost shyly. and then,
catching herself up with q bitter little
laugh. she added: 81 suppose it was
sandy hair. His face was hand-not
bad looking-and there was a sort of
good look about him. Oh. l don't mean
goody-goody; I don't like that kind, but
l 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; he never drank a drop-he
did not care for it: he had lots of self
respect and he was as brave as a lion.
But he went away. and he will never
come back"
"You don't believe me when l say
that I am Lem Pike?" he demanded.
with a queer look in his eyes.
"How can I when you are so differ
ent?" Her little nose wrinkled disdain-
fully and he was conscious that the
aroma of Wakeham's saloon still clung
to him. He shifted awkwardly in his
saddle as he surveyed her from under
his hat brim.
"Would you recognize him if he
was to come back looking as he wasp
he asked.
A warm light filed her eyes and her
lip trembled. Eyes. I would know him
anywhere then-but he will never come
back"
II bet you!" calculated Lem emphat-
ically. Twill you watch out for him,
say New Years day? That will make
a new beginning for him."
Il wonder if he knows that l mar
ried five 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 the
low range of hills that bounded the
Danvers ranch.
Il don't core if you are married; I'll
make good get" he muttered. "You
won't look at me like hat again.
= Il y X
On New Years day the sky was like
an Inverted blue bowl. A light fall Of
snow covered the ground. and it was 50
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.
Old Bill Danvers had been dead for
several years past. and so had his frail
little wife. But there was a sister of
Bills 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 it. It's mans weak
ness. l might have helped him to be
strong" she accused herself bitterly.
H needed help and encouragement.
not sneers. from me. And all the
years will be blank and dreary without
him. God forgive mel cannot help it!''
She did not see a horseman come
slowly up the trail: she did not see
the dainty tracks pricked by his black
horse. She heard no sound of ap-
preaching footsteps on the veranda,
and when his knock came sharply on
the door she sprang to her feet with
a colorless facs.
She pulled the door wide open, and
he came in. 1t was the Lem Pike Of
old-tall and fair haired. with clean,
clear blue eyes and frank features.
now Swallowed by some bitter ex-
perience. He was straight and strong
looking. and he carried himself with
the old time swing Of the shoulders
that marked him out from other and
smaller men.
81 am beginning all over again."
he said quietly. land I've come to
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
it up. I w it to you to be what you
thought l was" He was holding her
hands in his. though neither of them
seemed to be aware Of the fact.
He looked at her appealingly and
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