Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1916-04-28


lowed. grasplng the horses rein. A
into a beaten track. and began TO
mount upward along a rocky ridge.
where the moon gave me good view. II
was a scene of silent desolation.
took one glance backward. but treea |
shut OF all glimpse OF the church. and |
the plateau l thought heard 4 voice,
OF two. calling affair on, perhaps the
cavalrymen again signaling Kelly in
the rAvine. but we had little to fear
from them Our trail could never be
followed before morning. and dawn
would be three hours away, slipped
my weapon back into my belt, coma.
dent Nichols would make no attempt
to desert. He was slouching forward
muttering something to himself a. he
walked. and never even turned bis
head to glance behind. stole look
upward at the lady In the saddle. but
did not venture TO address her she
sat erect. her face slightly averted,
but her thoughts appeared 70 be else
where. and | plodded on. my heart
grown heavy. Beyond doubt abe real
i1ed now what the end was 20 be. In
the rush and excitement Of the past
few days. her natural desire to save
me from the death Of n spy. she had
found no time for thought. for conaid'
Grafton. she had merely obeyed ths
swift impulse OF the moment But
now. riding this dark mountain trail.
all immediate peril left behind she
was facing the future-and regret. Her
fathers death, her sudden abandon.
ment OF home and friends. her dialoy'
atty TO the cause with whicA her aym.
pathiea were enlisted, her forced mar
rage, came fresh 10 her memory like
haunting phantoms. Once. thought,
she lifted e hand. and dashed q tear
from her eye; and her head sank low.
: err. az though she would hide her face.
she was evidently ashamed. Fegretful.
unhappy: n ever she had cared fof
me, even in ordinary friendship, that
feeling had changed into diallke-prob-
: ably into actual hatred. seemed to
feel the change; TO comprehend the
growing horror with which she con.
frontSd the future wanted to tell
her that understood: that ] sympa.
| S1AsMNA4N
stand between her and happiness, Plan
Z after plan dashed through my MIND
ahe should be free: she should 50 e
her own friends, and never see me
again. would arrange TO drop cut OF
her life AZ suddenly es I Had come
into t. But the impetuous words died
unuttared on my hps. Steadily We
pushed on through the darkness, ne
word exchanged between us. slipplng
= and sliding along the rocky trail. fol.
- Loving Nichols down into . black val.
: leg. and then up again 70 = steep. mar.
| row ridge. All about Ne was the night.
A and the silence.
Then the dawn broke. the blach
gloom fading into gray. the clouds Of
u fog In the deep valley below Ne rising
slowly until the rays Of the gising aur
:, lifted them 20 the mountain tops, red
y dening the mist into grOteaQus beauty
\ and revealing the green glad@s he
\ meath. II was q Wild. assclats scene
and we paused on the edge Of what
4 seemed q sheer precipie@ 20 case. Ever
y Nichols stopped. and looked down
y pointing 10 the ridge of rock alonl
II |
n You'll hav' ter pick yer way mighty
careful long thar" he said slowly
"'Tain1 jiat safe fer . hoas. n0how
81 but reckon he'll pick hia own way 81
right. ThaF's q cabin round behin'
that bend whar We mont Git bite to
eat"
who lives therefs
"A fetiar named Iarrhbes: but
reckon thar won't be- nobody t.
HON but the OIL Woman-Blll's col
sertpted."
"A go on down." said after . nj
ment. "and we'll follow slowly. Ho'
b far away lie COyington3"
"Bout twenty mile-in the neI
81 valley beyond them hills."
He disappeared around . shar
ne ledge. and Noreen and ] we're ACNE
ON alone. II seemed TO me. IN al III
world. dare not ever look at bel
u. aB helped her out Of the saddle Tire
AZ. from the long hours OF riding alon
lat the rough trail. she staggered slight
Az. On her feet, and her hands clasped m
nd arm. Our eyes met, and IN the depth
"a; Of hers was the mist Of tears.
lin. Tom" she said earnestly. her vote
liz. faltarlng. Il cannot stand thls an
ca, longer IL must knOw-what-whS
gu ! am 10 your"
ITO mel" echoed. the blood lsal
Ter ing In my veins. DO you not know
Can you feel the slightest doubtf'
at Doubt Il Il al doubt You ksv
to spoken no word TO guide me Va
No married me to save me from Ami
Coyan. You permitted ms 10 con
,ed with you because ! would consent
led nothing else. | do not even kne
sed that il IL your choice that ] so on b
ids side you into the valley"
CHI "Noreen.' and had her hands
ess mine. 1T Is my choice that you !
Of with me all the way through life.
ind dear girl. love YOU"
the The long Iashes bid her eyes. b
her cheeks were crimson: then
] = looked down into the blue depth
un. through the tear mist. and read .
In answer.
tTHE END
~
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