Gunnison news-champion., 1912-11-08

e~" -n~s< ssrS& s&EAso q an
sor Dssshs. ke ka~ sGtee lsA< a czsz~d
man huf yos Hsst ss'- sae caught
my srE- s<ssHG ne toe ard the .hsshse
where the horse wss eoncsas~d. th~a
ssaasas paused sIi.h . 80 shsusht
Tsha his baf ssa eoas-~ she xhss-
Usrsd sS,fty. THESE are B-5.ssh par
sSOla befws~s h~re end sis ksss are.
osick. end I viz haze yosr hsrss ~
ss<d.-
] did - dir~cs~d. f~elsne the vslss
~ the suggestion. aud. . moment lss~r.
10 al appesrsnos an oGkcsr Il 0s~en .
Rangers. slipp<d throusA the thichet
a trees. asd TODD the ssias froa her
hands.
You ~in 20 ssraishs sscs into shs
house,"
"Yes." she said obeassafly: th~n ea-
seaded her hand. ''eoodby. Aajoe
LA~pence. I suppose this ends our
sGauainsance"
MOI n ! csa avoid such . fate" Z
repas<d. hosaine her aneers ciossly ~
] believed that I am not sure huf I
would return to the cell. II has beea
. strange intimacy into which w< have
been throwR; three days have made
us old friends. saEely yeu cannot be-
Iseve me 90 unerateful - your words
seem TO imply"
"Bu' ] deserve no gratitude" mah-
ing no eaort TO draw away, vet lookr
nag into my face frankly. Perhaps
yoa have misunderstood Is II not
possible for the women Of these Colo
nies to sscrifce as well as the men IN
the cause of patriotism? You must
not believe that ] have done this mere
iy for your sake. Major Lawrence"
yet ! would like to believe so." I
insisted warmly. You are the daush
ter 0f a loyalist.'
And Eric 10 the son Of a leyaIist,'
laughiRely. "and wears ContiaentsI
uniform. | en- not privileged to go so
far. restrained by the limitations Of
sex, yet ! may be equally a rebel"
Which would seem to mean that all
your kindness toward me would have
been similarly given to any patriot
soldier"
"Why-why, yes; IL think So"
And | do not, Mistress Claire; ]
refuse to 30 believe" Her eyes
flashed mp at me. and | lost all re
strsint In their swift challenge. 4 am
going to speak-just q word, yet !
must give 1t utterance before | ride
out into the dark, away from you. .
love you. II makes no difference to
me where your sympathies may be- iu
this struggle, you have won my heart
Look sp. dear. and listen. ] am going
back to camp. back to the campaign.
! know not what the night, what the
morrow may bring. hut ] know for.
ever ] love you, and that II | live ]
shall surely come back. Will you be
glad? Will you promise me welcome?"
! could feel her trembse, yet there
was no shrinking in her face. no alarm.
"Oh, why were yOu compelled to
say that! ! tried % hard not to let
you. II cannot make the promise,
It would not be right"
Not right"
mo, you do not know me. I told
you before ] was q sham, q fraud, not
what ! appeared to be. l will not En-
plain even to you. and yos must not
ask me. Only II hurts ne to hear
you say what you have, and be com
PEELED to return this answer"
You care then-yOG % n0t die
Gnise that"
She threw her head bach proudly.
making no attempt to withdraw her
sands.
Yes, care; any woman would. II
% not true that ! have served you
merely because you were . soldier 0f
The Colonies. ! think 1t was true, per-
haps, at first, but-but later 1t was
different. Oh! why do ] say this!
Why do I delay your departure by con-
sentihG to remain here In converse
ton! Major Lawrence, cannot yov
realise that my only desire 10 to have
you get away safely?"
''Bst that 10 not my only Aesire."
protested. 1T must - weeks, months,
before ! can hope TO zee you again.
] an a servant 0f the Colonies, and
must go where Am sent; we are upon
the verge Of q campaign involving en-
posure and battle. I may not evea
come forth alive. Must I 10 without
q word. without . hope? Claire, Claire.
sweetheart, you have no right to turn
me away. because Of some phantom e
Imagination"
But 1t is not. It 10 terribly real"
Il care not: would still love yOu
in spite Of all: you may be . spy-a
British spy-but the fact would mean
nothing to me. l would trust you,
Claire. your womanhood; I should
know that whatever you did Was In
accordance with your conscience, and
be content--if yeu but love Ne. AID,
thank God! know you Do"
"1-l-no! You cannot mean that!"
"Ay. but ! do. Have you supposed
! could not read the message of thoss
eyes? Oh. 1t may be dark. Dear. Bot
there is a star-sleam. anl when the
lashes lift-they confess . thousand
times more than your lips ackn0wh
edge. Yet I insist on the lips! Nov
foil me- Z" ana I hold hep - - s><m2l