The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-21

neart mad gone out toward the girl.
He wanted her more than anything
on earth. But he did not think 1t
necessary to say that, either to An
drew or to the girl
When Marie came in Andrew took
her hand and gave it to Bob
You'll suit each other" he said.
"'I'll get you to bring the Reverend
Spears along with you when you come
for her. I'll be glad to see her on
my hands. l won't last through the
year."
He did not last through the month.
A stroke during the night left him un-
conscious. and MacFarlane found him
self tied to the place. waiting for old
Andrew to breathe his last before TAX.
ing the girl South to the priest at
Fort Barry. Days passed, and An
drew. sinking daily, still continued
alive. During that time the girl and
Milvaine found themselves constantly
together.
He could not take his eyes from
her. 1t seemed to him that he had
never seen woman so beautiful be-
fore. And she, vaguely disturbed, al
lowed herself the happiness Of his
company without understanding what
1t portended.
They had been spearing fish togeth-
er for the night meal when he found
himself unable to control what was in
his heart.
Your father will not live long,
Marie" he said. Next week should
see the end of everything"
Yes" she said monotonously The
end of-all"
The end of our companionship."
She nodded, and two tears stole
down her cheeks.
Do you love MacFarlane, Marie?"
asked the young man, taking her hand
| in his.
No" she whispered.
Then why are you going to be his
wife,"
My father wishes it,
Swiftly he caught her in his arms.
But love you" he cried. do you
| love me? You do. can see it in your
face"
Their lips met in their first kiss.
And the world, which had always been
so drab, became suddenly heaven to
the girl. At once he pressed his plans
upon her. AS soon as her father was
dead they would take the two horses
and ride to Fort Barry, to be married
there.
The sweetness of their secret filled
their lives. They dared not look at
each other in the cabin, they hardly
spoke. And Bob suspected nothing
Not even when Andrew breathed his
last, nor when he was laid beneath q
pile of stones to keep off wandering
beasts, did he suspect that Milvaine
was planning to steal his sweetheart
from him.
Tomorrow we'll start he told hel
that evening, as he went to his bunk
And for the first time it occurred tc
Marie that he had never kissed her.
He did not hear the horses beine
led out at dawn. Trembling, the CIR
let Milvaine lift her tc the saddle
and they rode away together Otter
they refined in their horses to ex
change embraces
An hour later MacFarlane arose anC
discovered what had happened. Hi.
slow Scotch blood was afire. He pu
on his Inowshoes and followed dog
gedly in the horses wake. He knew
that, soft as the ground was will
melted snow, man could travel a,
fast as horse
The fugitives saw him five mile
: away. from the crest of hill The,
hurried their steeds; but the beasts
hoofs injured by the plunging through
the half-frozen crust, were unable t,
support them. They let them &c
watching them trot back along tn
trail, and went themselves on snow
shoes.
At night MacFarlane was thre
miles distant. He went more SLOWLY
), but tirelessly. All the while, by tn
light CT the moon, he watched tn
: trail. Here they had halted, here the
had gone more slowly. He knew the
!, were tired. 1t would not be dawn be
fore he caught them.
He had let the horses 60 past hin
l. Afoot he was their match. And alon,
: unaided by man or beast, he meant t
wreak revenge with the revolver cal
! ried in his right hand.
Tho tra
nearly upon them. And he halted, sa
istied to rest for an hour. His pre-
was almost in his hands.
When the dawn came up in red an
gold he continued onward. He sa,
the tracks turn aside. They led t,
II ward little rocky recess beside tn
river bank
And there he found them. They ha
fallen asleep from exhaustion. The
lay sleeping, side by side, their hand
y still clasped
MacFarlane stood looking down @
l them, the weapon in his hand. II
had slipped three cartridges into /
He could not kill sleeping man, b,
g. he could awaken him.
Ie The girl smiled in her sleep and h,
10 fingers frightened upon those of Il
young man.
u Suddenly MacFarlane felt himse
10 choking. He lowered the revolve
Then, stopping. he laid it softly at Il
girls feet and, turning. began to NAL
u his way back toward the cabin.
lie Copyright. 1916. by W. G. Chapman.)
it