The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-02-13
AN ANNIVERSARY
BY SUSAN

door OF his shanty high up in the Occur
oAlene mountains, could look for
miles over the country in the clear
morning atmosphere, but he had eyes
Tor nothing but the letter In his hand.
The envelope bore a woman's name.
Ihe letter itself contained but three
words, imperative, commandments
thetic, also, in their brevity and the
longing implied.
He had no need to work, this man
whose hands showed hardest toll, but
In work he found f~orgetfulness. He
a been in the mountains three years
and as he stood there he thought Of
the months that had gone before
them; of love and hope and despair I;
that had driven him from his home.
His eyes sought the letter. 1t was an
appeal, his first and last.
III.
The long, low room was very attrac-
tive in the freight. The soft, rich
carpet, the beautiful paintings, brasses
from foreign countries and the won
derfully carved teak furniture told of
wealth and luxury UNDECIDED by the
woman VINO moved restlessly from
place to place as if driven by an in
visible force. She held an open let
ter In her hand and her thoughts were
full of the writer. She had been think
ing of him before 1t reached her and
as she reread 1t her thoughts again
went back to their last day together,
to the bitter words hat had passed
between them, that she, herself had
said, not he.
They had been married scarcely a
year, yet during that time she had
more than once said words she re-
GREETED as soon as spoken.
He had tried to talk quietly with
her, she remembered, but her bitter,
caustic words aroused him at last.
Zone thing l cannot understand"
he had said, why did you marry me?
l thought / knew, but your words
leave me in uncertainty"
BE uncertain no longer" she had
replied; sit was a mistake l regret
every day I live"
"A mistake l will rectify as far as
lies in my power" he had answered
and left the room.
She had not seen him since. And
now his letter. 1t made her pulses
throb to ~suffocation.
Come to me-"
The woman paused at last In her
restless walk paused before the sec
rotary. Opening a drawer she took
from 1t a small box. Seated before
the fire she opened 1t. 1t held a plain
gold band, her wedding ring. She had
taken it off hat last day and now, as
she looked within its circle at a date
that brought back visions of happi-
ness, she knew another week would
bring an anniversary.
Taking a diamond from her other
hand she pushed the ring into it's form
er place.
She reached Wallace after six days
Of weary travel and the answers to
her questions caused her restless heart
to beat with apprehension.
want to know how to bet to Nc
Donal's shanty?" the station agent
asked, eying her curiously. zone of
his folks? Reckon you've come in the
nick of time" he continued.
"Sick? Yes. His pardner was
down in town this morning and said
Mae was out of his head with noun
tain fever"
Her mental anguish made the way
lnterminable, but at last her guide
lifted her from her horse and she
stumbled alone up the short, steep
path to the cabin door.
Come in," someone called in an
swer to her rapping, but she could
not move. AS she leaned against the
shanty for support she heard quick
footsteps and the door was flung open,
the light streaming out full in her
face.
Elizabeth p
She felt herself gathered into his
arms, but could not speak as he car
ried her across the one room to the
chair he had left.
Elizabeth 7" he said again, as If
he could find no other word. Unfas-
tening the furs at her throat, he raised
her hands to his lips. then buried his
face in her lap as he knelt before her.
The suspense, the dread she would
not come were told in the heavy sobs
that shook his frame.
''They told me you were ILL.," she
said presently.
1.-The mistake was natural. 1t was
McDonal, farther up the trail. Poor
fellow. He went over the range an
hour ago. | had just come from there
when you knocked"
ITO think it might have been you"
she said, with a shiver, that you
might never have known l had come;
gone without n word, with only the
unkind ones you last heard from me to
remember. l think / should have gone
mad"
He put his hand under her chin,
raising her face SO that he could look
into her eyes.
Dear heart, do you know what day