The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-01

ing her that on the morrow / would
certainly find it. I knew that in case
did not our plight indeed was serious.
She wept that night-wept like a child,
starting and moaning often in her
sleep. That night for the first time l
took her in my arms and tried to COM
fort her. 1, being now a savage, pray
ed to the Great Spirit, the Mystery,
that my own blood might not be as
water, that my heart might be strong
the old savage prayers Of primitive
man brought face to face with ma
ture.
When morning came I told her
must go back on the trail. 'See, now.
what this dog has done for u.s. said.
eThe scratches on the ground Of his
little travels poles will make trail
easy to be followed. I must take him
with me and run back the trail. For
you, stay here by the water, and, no
matter what your fears, do not move
from here in any case, even If should
not be back by night"
''But what if you should not come
back?" she said, her terror showing in
her eyes.
ssBut I will come back" replied. 81
will never leave you. I would rise
from my grave to come back to you.
But the time has not yet come to lie
down and die. Be strong. We shall
yet be safe.'
So was obliged to turn and leave
her sitting alone there, the gray sweep
of the merciless plains all about her.
The dog was our savior. Without his
nose 1 could not have traced out the
little travels trail, but he, seeing what
was needed and finding me nosing
along and doubling back and seeking
on the hard ground, seemed to know
what was required or perhaps himself
thought to go back to some old camp
for food. So presently he trotted along,
his ears up, his nose straight ahead,
and 1, a savage, depended upon a crea-
ture still q little lower in the order OF
life, and that creature proved faith
full servant.
We went on at swinging walk or
trot or lope, as the ground said, and ate
up the distance at twice the speed we
had used the day before. In couple
Of hours was close to. where she had
taken the belt, and so at last saw the
dog drop his nose and sniff. There
were the missing riches, pric efess be-
yond gold-the little leaden balls, the
powder, dry in it's horn: the little rolls
Of tow. the knife swung at the girdle!
I knelt down there on the sand, I, John
o;r hoo h.
en-, and raised my frayed and ragged
hands toward the Mystery and begged
that I might be forever free Of the
great crime Of thanklessness. Then,
laughing at the dog and Looping on tire
less as when I was boy, / ran as
though sickness and weakness had
never been mine and presently came
back TO the place where had left her.
She saw me coming. She ran out to
meet me, holding out her arms-I
say she came holding out ner arms to
me.
"Sit down here by my side," COM
manded her. 81 must talk to you. /
WILL will"
do not" she implored. "Ah, what
shall do! You are not fair!'
But 1 took her hands in mine. 81
can endure it no longer" said. II
will not endure it,
She looked at me with her eyes WIDE
looked me full in the face with such
a gaze as I have never seen on any
woman's face.
II love you," said to her. II have
never loved any one else. I can never
love any one again but you" I say
that I, John Cowles, had at that mo-
ment utterly forgotten all Of life and
all Of the world except this then and
there. 81 love your said over and
over again to Her.
She pushed away my arm. They
are all the same" she said as though
to herself.
Eyes, all the same" said. There
is no man who would not love you,
here or anywhere"
ITO how many have you said that?'
she asked me, frowning.
''To some," said to her honestly.
"But it was never thus"
She curled her lip, scorning the
LIutu w A1In SuS udU dShco AOW tuoC
she had it. ''And if any other woman
were here it would be the same. 1t is
because l am here, because we are
alone, because I am a woman-ah, that
is neither wise nor brave nor good Of
your
"That is not true. Were it any 9TH
er woman. yes, what you say might be
true in one way. But love you not
because you are woman. 1t is be-
cause you are Ellen. You would be
the only woman in the world, no mat
ter where we were nor how many
were about us. Though 1 could choose
from all the world, it would be the
same"
"It is the old story" she sighed.
Eyes, the old stoy," said 'It is
the same story, the old one. There
are the witnesses, the hills, the sky"
"You seem to have thought of such
things" she said to me slowly. Il
have not thought. I have simply lived
along, enjoying life. not thinking. Do
l cannot be loved SOL will not be!
/ will not submit that what I have
sometimes dreamed shall be so narrow
as this. John Cowles, woman must
be loved for herself, not for her sex,
by some one who is a man, but who
is beside
'Oh, / have said all that. loved