Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-08-23

man had harder time than she. he
loved herr"
1T looked like it," answered Kirkby
IF you had seen him. his remorse
his anguish, his horror" said Matt
land, you wouldn't have had any
doubt about IT, But 1t is getting late
In the mountains everybody gets uI
at daybreak- Your sleeping bags are
in the tents. ladies'; time tn go tc
bed"
AS the party broke up. old Kirkby
rose slowly to his feet; he looked
meaningly toward the young woman
upon whom the spell Of the tragedy
still fingered. he nodded toward the
young brook. and then repeated his
( speaking glance at her. His meaning
was patent. although no one else had
seen the covert invitation.
Come Kirkby," said the girl in
quick response. you shall be my es-
cort. want drink before turn in,
No. never mind" she said. as Brad.
shaw and Philips both volunteered.
mot this time"
The old frontiersman and the young
girl strolled of together. They stop
ped by the brink of the rushing tor
rent a few yards away. The noise
that 1t made drowned the low tones of
their voices and kept the others, busy
preparing to retire. from hearing what
they said.
That amt quite all the story, Miss
Enid" said the old trapper meaningly.
There was another man."
What" exclaimed the girl.
"Oh, there wasn't nothin' wrong
with Louise Rosser, witch she was
Louise Newbold. but there was an
other man; / suspected 1t afore. that's
why she was sad. Wen we found her
body knowed 1T"
Il don't understand"
''These'n explain" said Kirkby. He
drew out from his rough hunting coat
a package of soiled letters; they were
carefully enclosed in an oil skin and
tied with faded ribbon. You see.
he continued. holding them in his
hand yet carefully concealing them
from the people at the fire. Wen
she fell OF the cliff-somehow the
mule lost bis footin'. nobody never
knowed how. Ieastways the mule was
dead an couldn't tell-she struck on
a spur or shelf about a hundred feet
below the brink; evidently she was
carryin' the letters In her dress. Her
bosom was frightfully tore open an
the letters was iyin' there. Newbold
didn't see 'em, because he went down
into the canon an came up to the
shelf, or butte head. Were the body
was lyin'. but we dropped down |
was the first man down an got 'em.
Nobody else seem me, an there amt
no human eyes. not even my wife's.
that's ever looked on them letters. ex-
cept mine and now yourn."
You are going to give them to
me?"
Il am" said Kirkby.
But why?"
Il want you to know the hull story.
But why. again?"
Il rather guess them letters1l tell.
answered the old man evasively, IAN
I like you. and don't want to see
you throwed away"
What do you mean?" asked the girl
curiously, thrilling to the so.emnity OF
the moment. the seriousness. the kind
affection of the old fronfersman. the
weird scene. the fire Sight. the tents
cleaning ghostlike. tie black wall of
the canon and the <ops of the noun
tain range broade;ting out beneath the
stars in the gear sky where they
twinkled abore he- head. the strange
and terrible story. and now the letters
in her hand. which somehow seemed
to be ipa5ued with human feeling
Kirkbyf patted her on the shoulder
Read the letters" he said; athey'll
tellfthe story. Good night"