Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-03-31
CHAPTER XXX.
The Red Death,

The Red Death.
SO they were left, these two-the
asst and the West-alone upon the
lightly pyre of the jumbled peaks.
nly the forbidding spine of the Hog
ack, running like a great thin blade
Ugh between the red surf creeping at
base, carried a passage out of the
barring death Siletz had planned
hat the splendid black should make
first.
Now she turned back to the two
hen she loved-the Preacher, silent
nder the shielding ferns with his
bible and his flute, Sandry prone upon
he earth, his face in the pine nee
lies. She passed him and knelt beside
he other. Her eyes were dim with
he old look of emotion She barred
he white face and gazed long upon
t, The call of blood had ever held
her to this man mysteriously, though
both were ignorant of the vital tie
between them, the Preacher because
of the dreamy blank in his mind since
he tragedy of that far-off day, Siletz
because Kolawmie, wise beyond his
generation, had seen how blood takes
to its own, even at it's cost. He had
loved her mother and had tried to
make her Indian, though she was
white, waif of the old frontier and
he had seen her break her heart and
die
Therefore, after silent hours by the
Great Waters he had accepted the
mandate of Destiny and had taken the
babe of the Broken Sign and given
her to the only white woman he would
rust, Ma Daily, who took her with
few questions when she saw he would
not tell her history. So now SiletZ
oOked for the first and last time con-
Fcously upon her own. Presently she
eaned over and kissed him softly, re-
Laced the ferns and rose
Beside Sandry she stopped, stood a
moment gazing around at the pine
|oles that doomed like fearful ghosts
b the smoke, and sat down beside
i'm, tucking her feet with the age-old
bottom of the blanket-wearers beneath
er skirt, so deeply had she absorbed
be ways of the dusky people whom
he loved
She did not speak.
When at last the man. his face
rawn out of all semblance to itself,
Used his eyes to her she was calm
the hills before the fire He looked
her, raising himself on his elbow.
)rn in him.
So this was the West, the world he
had once thought so unbearabe, this
was the wild, the untaught, the crude
this slim forest creature who served
him without question because he had
bought her with a kiss, who asked
nothing, who stayed by him to die be-
cause she loved him! Who still be-
lieved in him despite that others dec
laration that she was his promised
wife! And yonder went his world,
his cultured, polished East, riding
down to life and safety, her love for
gotten in the face Of danger! Yonder
went what he had thought the best
blood of the Iand!"
Nay, he had been wrong! 1t was
here beside him, its feet tucked under
1t in meekness, the savagery hidden in
its dim black eyes! The last barrier
went down in Walter Sandry, the last
last strand of prejudice broke with a
snap. He rolled near and caught the
hem of her ragged skirt.
Little S'letz!" he said brokenly,
oh, Little Sletz! What am that YOU
should have done this thing!"
She looked down at him and the
rare smile curled up the corners of the
lips above the sign.
You are my man." she said softly,
the king of the whole world! You
are the light on the waters, Sandry,
the mist in the valleys, the path to
the feet of God! Only | have lost my
footing thereon"
A tender usefulness rang in her
voice. She fell silent, after her fash
ion when great emotions stirred her
Sandry's eyes smarted under blind
ing tears. His chin was quiverine
with the mighty emotions that swelled
his heart to bursting and his scorched
and b!ackened hands chung. trembling
to Siletz skirt.
See, little one! come at last &c
your God above the seal Take nv
hand that we may go together, and
pray"
But the girl raised a calm face tc
the unspeakable heavens-a face in
which all struggle had been stilled
where there was neither hope nor fear
only great content.
No" she said, 81 cannot pray fol
] have no soul. | have lost 1t as the
price of love"
The man could not speak and she
answered the look in his face.
I'VE will go together. You have haC
no God. | have forsworn mine. We
will go to hell-it is the right law
the sure and just wage of SIM" she
was falling into the stately Bible Ian
guage, taking on the simple dignity O
the Preachers way and manner. blu
we will go together. ! give my sou
to you"
IL