The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-08-31
XIV. fcontInued).

Having little else to do, she stualeu
4ha man. and she studied him with
warm desire and an enthusiastic pre-
disuosition to find the best 10 han.
She would not have been a human
girl IL she had not been thrlileo ~
the very heart Of her By what tne
man had done for her. She recognized I
that whether he asserted It OF not ne
had established an everlasting ana
fndisputable claim upon her
The circumstances of their hrst
meeting. which as the days passea
did not seem quite so horrible to her,
and yet thought OF which would
bring the blood to her cheek still on
the instant, had In some way turned
her over to him. His consideration
of her, his gracious tenderness 10
ward her, his absolute abnegation, ms
evident Overwhelming desire TO please
her, to make the anomalous SITUATION
In which they stood to each other
bearable ID spite Of their lonely ana
unobseryed intimacy, by an absoiute
lack of presumption on his part-aii
those things touched her profoundly.
Although she did not recognize the
fact then perhaps, she loved him from
the moment her eyes had opened IN
the mist and rain after inst aW1ul
battle In the torrent to see him bend
ing over her.
No sight that had ever met Emo
Maitland's eyes was SO glorious, SO
ave inspiring SO uplifting and mag
nificent as the view from the verge
Of the cliff In the sunlight OF some
bright winter morning. Few women
had ever enjoyed such privileges as
hers. she did not know whether she
\ liked the winter crowned range best
/ that way, or whether she preferred
the snowy world. glittering cold In the
moonlight; or even whether i was
more attractive when it was dark ane
the peaks and drifts we're only light
i ed by the stars which shone never 90
brightly as just above her head.
When he allowed her she loved y
stand sometimes In the full fury @
the gale with the wind shrleklng ane
sobbing like lost souls In some lc.
inferno through the hills and over tn
pines, the snow beating upon her, IN
sleet cutting her face Il she dared t
turn toward the storm. Generally n
left her alone In the quieter moments
but In the tempest he stood watchfu
on guard by her side, buttress1ng mel
protecting her, sheltering her. lndee
his presence then was necessary
without him she could scarce haV
maintained a footing The force 9
the wind might have hurled her dow
the mountain but for his strong arm
When the cold grew too great he le
her back carefully to the hut and To
warm fire.
All, yes, life and the world wei
both beautiful to her then. In nigh
In day. by sunlight by moonlight,
calm and storm. Yet 1t made no q
ference what was spread before u
wonaan's eyes. what glorious pictul
was exhibited to her gaze, she cou
not look at 1t more than a momel
without thinking Of the man. WI
the most fascinating panorama To
the earth's surface could spread b
fore human vision to engage her 9
tention, she looked into her oV
heart and saw there this man!
Oh, she had fought against It
first, but lately she had luxuriat'
In it. She loved him. she loved hiI
And why not? What is 1t that Wo
en- love in men! Strength Of bod
She could remember yet how he q
carried her over the mountains IN
midst Of the storm, how she had be
SO hravely upboEpe by his arms to
heart She realized later what ia
that had been, what a feat OF strens
The uprooting of that sapling and
overturning of that huge Grizzly W.
child's play to the long portage
the almost impossible canon 9
mountain side which had brought
TO this dear haven.
Was it strength Of character
sought. resolution, determinatit
This man had deliberately Withdra