Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-06-27
naturally clear and rosy. and her eyes.

naturally clear and rosy, and her eyes,
accentuated by dark line beneath
them, were in attractive contrast to
her Redeemed hair. But she was not
thinking of herself or the admiration
she evoked. a subject which was gen
orally of overpowering interest. MAI.
tiers of more poignant moment hao
crowded all else from her mind.
The next week began and advanced
and still no news from Dominick. he
had been gone fourteen days, when
one evening In her perusal OF the pa
per she saw his name. Her trembling
hands pressed the sheet down on the
table. and her eyes devoured the print
ed lines. It was one Of the many snort
dispatches that had come from the
foot-hill mining towns on the recent
storms in the Sierra. 1t was headed
Rocky Bar and contained descrip-
ton Of the situation at Antelope ana
the snow-bound colony there. its
chief item of information was that
Bill Cannon and his daughter were
among the prisoners at Perley's Ho-
tel. A mention was made, only line
or two, of Dominick's walk from ROCKY
Bar. but 1t was treated lightly and
gave no idea of the real seriousness
of that almost fatal excursion.
Berry read the two short para
graphs many times. and her spirits
went up like the needle OF ther-
mometer when the quicksilver 10
grasped in a warm hand. Her RELIEF
was intense. easeful and relaxing. as
the sudden cessation Of a pain. NOT
only was Dominick at last found. but
he was found In place as far re-
moved from his own family and Its In
| fuences as he was from her. And
best of all he was shut up, fncarcerat-
ed, with Bill Cannon, the BONANZA
King. What might not come OF It'll
Berry was not glad of the quarrel.
but It seemed wonderful piece OF
luck that that unpleasant episode
should have sent him into the very
arms of the man that she had always
wanted him to cultivate and who was
the best person in the world for him
to impress favorably. II Bill Cannon,
who had been a friend Of his fathers.
took fancy to Dominick. there was
no knowing what might happen. In
u
Berry saw them almost adopted chill
dren of the Bonanza King. flouting
the Ryans in the pride Of their new
found honors.
It made her feel lenient to Domi-
nick, whose Indifference and neglect
had put her to the torments OF the
last fortnight. After all. he could not
have let her know his whereabouts.
The wires were Just up. and the rural
mail-carrier had not yet been able 10
effect an entrance into the snow-bound
town. Why Dominick had chosen to
go in this direction and had attempted
an impossible walk in a heavy snow
storm Berry did not know. nor Just
now care much. A sensation as near
remorse and tenderness as she could
feel possessed her. Under its soften
ing nfiuence-spurred to generosity
and magnanimity by the lifting of the
weight of anxiety-she decided that
she would write to him. She would
write him letter which would smooth
out the difficulties between them and
bring him home ready to forgive and
be once more his old self, kind, quiet,
and indulgent. as he had been in the
first year Of their marriage.
| Then and there. without further
waiting. she wrote the letter. 1t ran
as follows:
my Dear Husband:-I have only
Just seen in the paper where you are,
and, oh, the relief! For two weeks
now have been half crazy. wondering
about you. waiting to hear from you.
And nothing ever came. Dominick.
dear. II you had seen me sitting here
alone in the den every evening, think
ing and waiting. looking at the clock
and listening all the time, even when
l was trying to read-listening for
your footsteps which never came-you
would have felt very sorry for me;
even you. who were 30 angry that you
left me without a word. It's Just been
hell this last two weeks. You may
not think by the way acted that ]
would have cared, but did, do.
II didn't love you would I mind how
your people treated me? That's what
makes it SO hard. because love you
and want you to be happy with me.
and it's dreadful for me to see them
always getting In between us. till
sometimes lately I have felt they were
going to separate US altogether.
"Oh. my dear husband, don't let that
happen! Don't let them drive me
away from you! II have been bad.
humored and unreasonable, I have had
to bear a lot. / am sorry for the past.
I am sorry for what said to you that
night, and for turning on the gas and
scratching the bed. l am ready to &C
knowledge that was wrong. and was
mean and hateful. And now you ought
to be ready to forgive me and forget
1t all. Come back to me. Please
come back. Don't be angry with me.