The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-05-09
BACK TO LIFE
BY LAURA KIRKMAN.
sssssssssssessssssssssssss

| face ranch life with him tnat only one
woman in hundred strikes happiness
under such conditions.
Pack your trunk, kid" he said kind
ly, patting the bright head that lay de-
jectedly on the round arms. Its got
on your nerves. There's just one thing
to do and that's to get back to civiliza-
ton. I'll try to follow, girl"
You'll follow!" Up came the vel
low head. The blue eyes lighted with
hope. "Oh, John!" she cried, do you
mean it,"
He nodded-first half-heartedly, then
more vigorously and convincingly.
"See!" she cried, clutching the door
lamb, "can you blame me? What girl
brought up to dances and music and
theaters could drop to this without
going half mad?"
He went to her quietly. Soothingly.
he patted her arm, gradually drawing
her away as he did it.
IT know" he said gently. And
come! Now you're going to pack.
You'll go back to your mother-until
we see what can be done"
Back to life!" she caught him up.
The following morning he drove her
to the station.
"Good.by!' he sang out as the train
pulled away.
He stood long time looking after
1t. Then, whistling tune that had
strange bitches in it, he sprang into
his wagon and turned Demons head
homeward.
| When he reached the ranch he flung
the reins over the mares back and
strobe into the house. No doubt one
of the boys would attend to the horse
He went straight to the little room at
the back of the house which had been
Pearls.
Cod" he whispered, bring her
back! Bring her back"
For, all at once, he knew that unless
he had hopes of her coming back he
could not go on. He had thought he
could grit his teeth and work. Now
he knew that he couldn't.
The only way he could get himself
to 60 out with the boys and work was
to tell himself that her first letter
would bring news Of her coming back
| And so he lived, in hope, until the
letter came. One Of his boys deliv
cred it to him two nights later, as he
sat smoking on the back step, watch
ing the red ball of the sun drop behind
the prairie.
With eager hands, he took It. His
fingers trembled as he tore it open. He
bent, shoulders contracted. His eyes
were like fires.
Darling Johnnie he read, Il car
hardly wait till you sell the old place
and come East"
He dropped the letter. He covered
his eyes with his shirt sleeves. His
shoulders heaved He was sobbing as
he had sobbed when little boy.
But gradually he got back the cour
age to go on; "Oh, Johnnie darling this
is the only place to live! have beer
,. in dream Of happiness since l re-
turned OF course could not be SC
happy IL ! didn't know you were com
ing soon. Goodness! How | have
danced, and teaed, and played the
pianola!"
After all he did not 60 on. He coult
not. He knew what the rest of the
letter was like. Hearing a commotior
| In the corral, he got up and pushed his
steps toward it. He dared not sit ant
think.
Ii And it was with welcome that hi
saw an obstreperous broncho tearing
round and round the corral. defyint
authority.
Don't go in" cried the men In hor
ror, as he vaulted the fence and mad,
toward the wild beast.
John laughed. Here, for a moment
he could forget his pain. He headed
off the animal, cornered 1t. Then reck
lessly, step by step, he neared it.
q When he came to he was lying IL
> bed with doctor bending over him
One movement told him that his lie,
], was broken. He lay back, closing hi
eyes in pain.
\ Dimly, he saw figures flying abou
!, waiting on him. He was conscious o
/ some one puttering over the fire. An
|, other of the boys Strengthened his pill
I low. Still another asked him If Their
was anything he wanted.
There's not letter." he asked.
But through the long day none came
; Quietly, he lay on his bed with hi
/ eyes wandering out over the plain
Z The darkness fell at last. Pitch-blach
3 ness came.
Z Johnnie, darling!" he was saying I
himself, as she used to say it. "Ot
Johnnie, darling"
Or was some one else saying it? Sue
denly it seemed to him that a voice i
the pitch-blackness about him was say
ing it. He propped himself up on hi
elbow. Yes, there it was again: