The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-11-25

fore Jim with her hands clasped. "Iiow
can l thank your" she cried. "He is
everything | have, he is everything in
the world to me-"
BE my friend" said Jim holding
out his hand.
That was Jlm's chance. Friendship
ripened. One day he asked her to be-
come his wife. Then the strange look
of fear that he knew so well came
into her eyes.
"No, you must not ask me that"
And, seeing Jims distress, she added:
~ will tell you the truth. l am a
runaway wife. l cannot speak i'll Of
my husband now. l could have borne
with his ipfidelities, with his abuse,
butt did not want my boy to grow
up 10 be like him."
II was weeks afterward that she
told him all. Her husband wns
wealthy man in Omaha. When she
found that she could endure life with
him no longer she had run away,
penniless, save for her railroad ticket.
He had one redeeming quality: he
loved his son. On this account she
knew that he would leave no stone
unturned to find them.
Jim went away, sorrowing. He
knew now that she could never be
his. For she shrank instinctively, he
felt without asking from the pub
licity of divorce. Besides, to seek
a No hnr hns hat nd
on her trail. She wanted to let the
years roll between them, creating an
ever widening barrier, until she felt
that the past could never stretch out
its grisly hand upon her.
So the months changed into years.
1t was nearly three years since Leilas
coming when something happened
which Jim had always known to be
inevitable.
1t was morning, and he was on the
high pastures with his cattle when
he saw her running toward him, with
the boy, scrambling up the steep hill
side. She reached him; her face wal
white with fear.
HE has found mew she gasped
20, save mel Help mel"
Up the road came the toot Of ar
auto horn. Jim saw the car clint
the grade like heavy locomotive
The car stopped. A man leapet
out. a man In the prime of life, alb
surdly strong, absurdly healthy, will
the buster, and yet, the sense Of pow
er, that sometimes accompanies tn,
successful man.
He leaped to the ground and ad
vanced upon the woman, smiling. jim
barred his path.
my wife," he said.
81 know" answered Jim.
"See here, young man. You don
perhaps understand. I am here t
claim my own, my legal own, m
wife and child. She has nothing t
fear from me. l have never laid IN
hands upon her. Stand out Of IN
path"
you may have n legal right" sal
jim, "but you amt going to take her
The man laughed, whipped Off hi
coat, and displayed pair Of musculu
arms. "Her lover?" he sneered.
"God witness, there has never bee
love between u.s." answered jim.
The woman sprang between then
"Jim, he is right" she said. "No
he has found me, must go with him
Jim, amazed at tie change of att
tude, stood absolutely mute. The mn
nodded.
Good for you" he said. 'Leil
: the past Is past. You'll never hei
, Of it from me. It's only for the boy
= sake l want you back. And i gue'
you'll be happier than you were"
: Mechanically the girl entered Il
r auto. They lifted the boy inside. TT
t horn footed. They were gone. Al
( Jim stared foolishly after them.
r How strong the bonds between hu
band and wife! She was gone out
: his life. He had never dreamed
( such u thing. But why had she gol
o with him, when he was ready to fig
! for her?
jim did not understand wome
9 their changes, their seuse of du
Q coming in so oddly ut critical IN
e ments. Like a man in a dream
e watched the car shoot down the hi
g 1t was going very fast The bral
IL was damaged by the rough road,
i fact, but Jim did not know that.
he thought was that It was going We
q fast toward the cutting And su