The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-06-12
CHAPTER VII
The Halt and tho blind


Tho swee, valley. surrounded By iis
mountains. was now a sight 10 quick.
en- the pulse Of any heart alive 20
beauty. as Il lay In ita long viNtas be.
fore them but neither Of these two
saw the mountains or tho trees. or
tho green levels that lay between.
I, was Mary Warren who at last
spoke. after deep breath. as tho
Eummoning her resolution. You're
an honest man" said she. II ought
TO BE- homes, with you"
Il reckon that's 40 enough.
ma'an.- sald sim Gage. nut jus,
told you ain'i been honest with you
I never wrote ono Of them letters
tina, you got, was some one else. ''
But you cam, to NEE, you're
here"
Yes. but I didn't write them let.
iers. That was all done b. friends Of
mine
That's very strange. That's Jus,
the reason wanted to tell you that
hadn't been honest<i never wrote
the letters tina, you got II was my
fRsANNt AIfNit Ntl9ltsN
1907 That's funny. ain, ~. Some
folks has funny ldees - jokes I
reckon they thought this was a joke
IL aia't"
Your letters seemed like you Hecm
now" she broke in. II, seems TO
mo you must have written every
word"
"Ma'am--" said Sim Gage. and
broke down.
Yes. SIR
Them IL the finru, words ever
heard In my llfc' ! ain't been much.
IL I could only live up 20 them words.
now
Besides" no went on. rising
happiness in his tone. seems like
you and mo was one just as honest
an the other. and both meaning fair.
That makes mo feel a heap easier.
II Il does you. you're welcome"
Blind as she was. Mary Warren
knew now the gulf between this
mans life and hers hut his words
were 40 kind. And she 40 much
needed friend
You're forgiving man. Mr..
Gage" said abe.
mo. I amt. I'm a awful man.
When you learn more about me
you'li think I'm tho worst man you
ever seen
Wen have 10 wait" was all that
Mary Warren could think TO say.
But after a time she turned her face
toward him once more.
DO you know" said she. Il think
you're n gentleman
"Oh, my Lordr' said Sim Gage. his
eyes going every which way. "oh.
my good Lordr'
We'll, It's true. Look-you haven,
said a word or done thing-you
haven't touched me--or lhughed-or
or hinted-not once. That's being
gentleman. in time like this.
This--,his is a very hard place for "A
woman
ut amt so easy fer n mani But /
couldn't have done no ~other way.
could IT,
Sho made no answer. Are there
many other women In this valley,
VII tttfl Sut dHhfh AIiff u Tune.
who are they7 what are they
like7"
Five. in 20 miles between my
place and town. ma'am." he an.
swercd. when. they're home. The
ncaredest one TO us is about couple
miles. unless you cut thru the fields. -
who Is sho2 What Is she like7"
THAT is Mis- Davidson. our school.
ma'am-- She's tho only woman I
seen Almost all last summer. unlesscn
onct In n while "A woman would come
out with some fishing party In n au.
tomobile."
After n pause, he remarked:
You said you'd be going back
homo again before long2"
II haven't any home"
Nor no folks neither"
There's not a soul in the world
that i could go back to. MIR. Gage.
80 now, I've told you the truth"
But there was oncet, maybe?" he
said shrewdly. How old are your
He flushed suddenly at this question,
which he asked before he thought.
I'm Is"
You don't look that old Me, I'm
81. I'm too old to marry. Now I
never will"
How do you know" she said
What do you mcan?' AS she spoke