The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-08-02

a thousand things to tell you. things of
the greatest Importance. They have
been upon my tongue for hours, but
now that I behold you 1 grow drunk
with delight and my lips frame nothing
but words of admiration for your
beauty. So! feast my eyes," He re-
tanned his warm clasp Of her fingers,
seeming to envelop her uncomfortably
with his ardor.
"What is it you have to tell mel" she
asked him, withdrawing her hand.
"Well I hardly know where to begin
events have moved so swiftly, and
such incredible things have happened.
Even now I am in a daze, for history
is being made every hour-history for
Mexico, for you, and for me. 1 bring
you good news and bad news; some
thing to startle you and set your brain
in u whirl. I planned to send a mes
senger ahead Of me, and then I said:
No, this is a crisis; therefore no
tongue but mine shall apprise her, no
hand but mine shall comfort her. Only
a coward shrinks from the unpleasant;
l shall tighten her distress and awaken
in her breast new hope, new happi-
ness"
"What do you mean?" Alaire in
quired, sharply. "You say you bring
bad newsY
The general nodded. "In a way, ter.
rible, shocking! And yet I look be.
You'd the immediate and see in it a
blessing. So must you To me it
spells the promise of my unspoken
longings, my whispered prayers" Not
ing his hearers growing bewilderment,
he laid a hand Familiarity upon her
arm. "No matter how I tell you, it will
be a blow, for death is always sud-
den; it always finds us unprepared."
death? WHO'S dead"
"Restrain yourself. Allow for my
clumsiness."
"Who? Please tell me-"
"Someone very close to you and very
dear to you at n time. My knowl-
edge Of your long u%nhappiness alone
gives me courage to speak,"
Alaire raised her futtering fingers to
her throat; her eyes were wide as she
said: "You don't mean-Mr. Austin?"
"Yes." Longorio scrutinized her
closely, as if to measure the effect of
his disclosure. "Senora, you are free ="
Alaire uttered a b%reathless exclama-
ton; then, feeling his gaze burning in
to her, turned away, but not before he
had noted her sudden paIlor, the
!, blanching Of her lips.
This unexpected announcement
dazed her; it scattered her thoughts
and robbed her Of words, but just what
, her dominant emotion was at the mo.
. ment she could not tell. Once her first
giddiness had passed, however, once
; the truth had borne in upon her, she
found that she felt no keen anguish,
= and certainly no impulse to weep
Rather she experienced a vague horror
such as the death Of an acquaintance
or of a familiar relative might evoke
Ed had been anything but a true hus'
band, and her feeling now was more
!, for the memory Of the man he had
been, for the boy she had known and
, loved, than for the man whose name
she bore.
, So he was gone and, Longorio said
she was free. It meant much. She
realized dimly that in this one moment
her whole life had changed. She hat
never thought Of this way out of hel
embarrassments; she had been pre-
pared, in fact, for anything except this
Dead! It was %deplorable, for Ed wal
young. Once the first shock had passed
away, she became conscious of q deeI
pity for the man, and a complete for
giveness for the misery he had caused
her. After a time she faced the news
bearer, and in a strained voice in
CURED:
"How did it happen? Was it-be
cause Of me?"
mo, no! Rest your mind on thai
score. See! I understand your con
J Germ and I share your intimate
thoughts. No, it was an accident, or
dained by God. His end was the result,
Of his W folly, a gunshot wount
while he was drunk, l believe. Now
you will understand why I said that
bore tidings both good and evil, ant
why I, Of all people, should be the one
to impart them"
Alaire turned questioning eyes upor
him, as If to fathom his meaning, ant
he answered her with his brilliant
smile. Failing to evoke a response, he
went on:
"Ever since I heard Of it I have re,
peated over and v e. again, 1T is a
miracle; it is the will of Cod Come
then, we know each other so we'll that
we may speak frankly. Let us be hon
est and pretend to no counterfeit emo
t tons. Let us recognize in this only
+ your deliverance and the certainty OF
2 that blessed happiness which divine
providence offers u both"
"Both?" she repeated, duly.
"Need I be palmer? You know my
heart. You have read me. You under.