The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-01-16

because he was a lover and a lover
must be filed with dread when she
Is out of his sight, he felt a growing
anxiety. She had lighted the fire last
night; what might have happened to
her since then? Fad she been wan
dering, lost all these days? If moth.
ing else, then had she waited here
half the night and in the end had she
gone on plunGing deep into some can,
yon hidden to him? Would he fine
her we'll? Would he find her at all
Suddenly he called out, thouting
nightly, and began running, though
the way was steep. He had seen Jul
dith, he had found her. She was
standing among the scattered boulders
her back to a great rock. She was
waving to him. Her lips were NOV.
ing, though he could not see that yet
could not hear her tremulous:
"Oh, thank God, thank Godl"
Judith" he called, JUDITH
Now, near enough to see her dis
tinctly, he saw that her face was
white, that the hand she held out was
shaking, that her clothes were torn,
that she looked pitifully in need OF
him. But at last, when he stood at
her side, one of the old rare smiles
came into Judith's tired eyes, her lips
curved. and she said quietly:
Good morning, Bud Lee. You were
very good-to come to me-"
"Oh, Judith" he cried sharply. But
no other word came to his lips then.
The brave little smile had gone, the
whiteness of her face smote him to
the heart. And now she was shaking
from head to foot, and he knew why
she had not stepped out to meet him,
why she had kept her back TO the
rock. He thought that she was go
ing to fall, he saw two big tears start
from the suddenly closed eyelids, and
with little inarticulate cry he took
her into his arms.
IF you had not come, Bud Lee"
she whispered family, Il should have
died, / think"
Very tenderly he gathered her up
so that her little boots were swung
clear of the fiinty ground and she lay
quiet in his arms. He stood a mo-
ment holding her thus, looking with
eyes alternately hard and tender into
her face. He wanted to hold her thus
always, to watch the glad color come
back into her cheeks, to carry her,
like baby, back across the weary
miles and home. And, oddly, per-
haps, the thought came back to him
and hurt him as it had never hurt him
before, that he had once been brutal
with her, that he had crushed her in
his arms and forced upon her lips his
kiss. He had been brutal with Judith,
when now he could kill man for lay
ing little finger on her.
Il have been a brute with you, a
BRUTE" he muttered to himself. But
Judith heard him, her eyes fiuttered
open and into them came again her
glorious smile.
Because you kissed me that night,
Bud Lee?" she asked him.
Don't" he cried sharply. Don't
even remember it, Judith"
"Do you know so little of girl,
Bud Lee" she went on slowly, ito
think that man can so easily-fnd
her lips with his unless-unless she
wants to be kissed?"
He almost doubted his ears; he
could hardly believe that he had seen
what he had seen in Judith's eyes.
They were closed now, she lay quiet
in his arms, it seemed that she had
tainted, or was asleep, so very white
and still was she. He had forgotten
that he must carry her to where he
could lay her down and bring water
to her, give her something to eat. He
just stood motioniess, holding her to
him, staring hungrily down at her.
Are you going to play-Tm your
baby-all day, Bud Lee?" she asked
softly.
He carried her swiftly away from
the ring of boulders and to a little
grassy, level spot where he put her
down with lingering tenderness. Ju-
these months! Judith had let him kiss
her because she wanted to be kissed
by him!
He raked some Goals out of the
ashes, hastily set some slices of bacon
to fry, cursed himself for not having
brought coffee and milk and sugar
and steak and flask of whisky and
enough other articles to load a mule.
He ran down into the canyon and
brought water in his hat, swearing
at himself all the way up that he had
not brought cup. He put his arm
about her while she drank; kept his
arm about her, kneeling at her side,
while he gave her little, crisp slice
of bacon, held his arm there when
she had finished, watching her solicit
ously.
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