The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-05-23

I HEARD HER DISTINCTLY SAY Il Do
and married Jean Densow. do not
comprehend now how | met the out
stretched hands of congratulations.
what inane words mumbled / was
conscious merely of regret. humilia-
ton, intense shame. She never spoke.
but heard her sob chokingly as she
hid her face on her fathers shoulder.
George had disappeared. but | could
hear the sound of horses being led for
ward over the grass below.
"Well. goodby, little girl" 1t was
the coonels voice. The ride isn't a
long one, and you can scarcely under
stand how greatly it will relieve me to
know that you are safe in the care of
| friends"
| remember assisting the girl into the
saddle. slipping her little foot into the
/ stirrup. All at once | apprehended the
sweet charm of her young womanhood,
coupled with an odd feeling of per-
sonal interest | had never even
spoken to her; she had never once
spoken TO me-yet she was my wife.
Some way the thought thrilled me as
| If | had received an electric shock
Jean Denslow was already actually
mine; ! could claim her by law: she
bore my name-why. she didn't even
know what my name was.
To my immense relief she drew rein
sharply to the right. and we headed
eastward 1t was like riding blindfold.
ed. so black was all ahead. with what
appeared TO be thick forest on either
side, At II steady stride we rode on
ward through the gloom in silence. an
embarrassing constraint upon MS both.
Again and again | glanced toward her,
my lips opening for speech. yet unable
to utter the first syllable. | had in
my heart the fear of coward.
| wanted her to respect my motives,
to understand what ii was which had
driven me into such an act of deceit.
Not even justified in my own mind.
yet dreamed ! might possibly Justify
myself in some small degree before
her. Once. as If the constrained ST.
lence had become unbearable. she ven
tured n commonplace remark upon the
black stiffness of the night. to which
must have replied stitiiy enough. for
both Immediately relapsed into silence;
the only sound was made by our
horses boots now pounding along a
road grown hard and rocky ms we
steadily rose into higher attitudes In |
the narrow bed of n stream we drew |
rein to permit the animals to drink
thirStily.
II rather expected to encounter pick
cts along the road" | began. staring |
about into the night. Have they been
withdrawn"
| imagined she glanced toward me
as If in surprise at my words or rem
dered suspicious by the sound Of my
voice.
"All pickets in this direction were
recalled last night. when General Hus-
ton returned TO his brigade" she re-
piled indfTerenty.
Then we are already between the
lines?"
Neither army has ever been east
on this slope of the mountains, so far
rs | know"
Haven't heard there was ford
IT Coulter's?'
Just below the landing, yes: but 1t
S narrow and never safe when the
water is at all high. Why. we crossed
I together only last summer on our
way to Frankyn."
''ro be sure. so we did. ! have pass
d through so much since then that
iave grown forGetful"
The horses lifted their heads. their
vet nostrils dripping. and we rode up
he opposite bank. noticing a star or
wo peeping shyly out from among the
aged clouds.