Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-18
nd minutely folded sheet of note

and minutely FOLDED Sneet OF note
paper.
That's my Dolly's letter to me,
she said, land it doesn't sound like
her voice broke. He took the letter
from her and read it.
No, 1t doesn't" he said And hi
said it roughly, because nothing
brought rough speech out of the mar
so surely as tears-when they were II
his own eyes.
Well" said Mrs. Kimbal with q
sigh. lets talk"
mo" said saterlee. 'let's think"
They could hear from far ahead
q sound as of roaring waters.
That" said Saterlee dryly, Evil
be ella river. Mebbe we'll have tC
think about getting across that first
It's a river now. by the sound of it
if it never was before"
Fortunately it's not dark yet,
said Mrs. Kimbal.
THE last time l had trouble will
river" said Saterlee, was wher
my first wife died. That was the
American river in flood. | had tc
cross it to get doctor. We'd gone
prospectin'-ju the old woman and
me-more for lark than profit"
He broke off short. And there's
ella river" he said.
81 hoped you were going to tell
me what your poor wife said in her
letter" said Mrs. Kimbal.
"Oh. Ma'am," he said, hesitated,
cleared his throat, and became con-
fused.
IF you'd rather not" said Mrs.
Kimbal.
1T isn't that" he said. at would
seem like Dragging
Surely not" she said.
Saterlee, with his eyes on the
broad brown flood which they were
approaching, repeated like a lesson:
'Mark-I'm dying. | want it to
do good, not harm. Jenny always
though the world of you. You'll be
lonely when I'm gone. ! don't want
YOU to be lonely. You gave me peace
on earth. And you can't be happy
unless you've got a woman to pet
and pamper. That's your ma
ture-"
He paused. r
THAT was ALL" he said, and wiped
his forehead with the palm of his
hand ut just stopped there"
I'm glad you told me-" said Mrs.
Kimbal gently.
When they came to where the road
disappeared under the swift, unbrok-
en- brown of ella river, the old horse
paused
1T all depends" said Saterlee.
chow deep the water runs over the
road, and whether we can keep to
the road. Can you swim, Ma'am?"
Mrs. Kimbal admitted that, in
clothes made to the purpose, and in
very shallow water, she was not
without proficiency
"Would you rather We turned
back?" he asked.
II feel sure you'll get me over"
said she.
For some moments Satellee con-
sidered the river, knitting his brows
to see better, for the light was failing
by leaps and bounds. Then, in an
embarrassed voice:
i've got to do it," he said. TITS
only right"
What" said Mrs Kimbal.
Il feel sure" he said, that under
the circumstances you'll make every
allowance, Ma am
Without further hesitation-in fact,
with almost desperate haste, as il
wishing to dispose of a disagreeable
duty-he ripped open the buttons of
his waistcoat and removed it at the
same time with his coat, as if the
two had been but one garment.
please" she said, don't mind any
thing-on my account
He reached desperately for his
boots unlaced them and took them
off.
why" exclaimed Mrs. Kimbal,
"both your heels need darning!"
Saterlee had tied his boots together,
and was fastening them around his
neck by the remainder of the laces.
'I haven't anybody to do my darn
ing now" he said. MY girls are all
at school. except two that's married
So He finished his knot, took
the reins in his left hand and the
whip in his right,
At first the old mare would not
bulge. Saterlee brought down the
whip upon her with a sound like that
of small cannon. She sighed and
walked gingerly into the river
The water rose slowly. and they
were half way across before it had
reached the hubs of the wheels. But
the mare appeared to be in deeper
She refused to advance, and once
more turned and stared with a kline
Of wistful rudeness, Then she saw
the whip. before it fell made a des.
perate plunge, and floundered for
ward into deep water-but without
the buggy.
One rotten shaft had broken clear
off. both rotten traces. and the reins
upon which hitherto there had beer
no warning pull, we're jerked from
Sateriee's loose fingers. The old mare
reached the further shore presently
swimming and scrambling upon d
descending diagonal, stalked sedstely
up the bank. and then stood still
only turning her head TO look at the
buggy stranded in mid-stream.
Saterlee was climbing out of the
buggy.