University of Missouri College of Engineering - Shamrock Yearbook (Columbia, MO)

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. tg-lofxs - X .Tp -it .XY j ful love possessed him, and how utterly lost he was without her. 'She was dressed in simple white-again with that Hlmy lace at her throat. Her hair WaS don in those lustrous coils, so bright and soft that he would have given a tenth of his gold mine to touch them with his hands. And she was glad to see him. Her eagerness shone in her eyes, in the warm Hush of her cheeks, in 'the joyous tremble of her voice. That night, too, passed like a dream in paradise for him. For a long time they sat alone, she had brought him the cigars and urged him to smoke. They talked about the North, of its frozen wastes, its wild life, and 'the tragedies of the gold-mad men. He told her of his own adventures, how long he had sought for gold himself. I expect to go back some time in August, he said. , ' I She leaned toward him, last night's strange excitement glowing for the first time in her eyes. I You are going back? You Will see him? In her eagerness she laid a hand on his arm. I am going back. It would be possi- ble to see Given. The touch of her hand did not lighten the Weight that was tugging again at his heart. It is a long journey, and-in he was looking at her closely as he spoke, jus- -tice Given may not be there when I re- turn. It is possible that he may have gone into another part of the Wilder- ness. I-Ife saw her quiver as she drew back, He has been there all these years, she said, as if she were speaking to her- self. He wouldnot move now. His own voice was low, scarcely above a whisper, and she looked at him quick- ly and strangely, a Hush in her cheeks. It was late when he bade her good- night. Again he felt the warm thrill of her hand as it lay in his. The next aft- ernoon he was to take her out driving. The days and weeks that followed these first meetings with her were weighted with many things for George. Neither she nor her father enlightened him concerning their interest in the man that they were so interested in. Several times he believed that she 'Was on the point of confiding in him, but each time there came that strange fear in her eyes, and she caught herself. Lewis did not urge. He asked no questions that might be embarrasing. He knew, after the third Week had passed, that she could no longer be un- conscious of his love, even though the mystery of the man in the North re- strained him from making a declaration of it. There was not a day in the week that they did not see each other. As their acquaintance became closer, and as she saw in him more and more of that something which he had not spoken, a change developed in her. At first it puzzled and then alarmed him. At times she almost seemed frightened. One evening, when his love was trem- bling on his lips, she turned suddenly white. It was the middle of July before the words came from him at last. In two or three weeks he was starting for the North. It was evening, and they were alone in the big room, with the cool breeze from the lake drifting in on them. He made no effort to touch her as he told her of his love, butwhen he was done, she know that a strong man Twenty

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9E - nun. tall rob- him 'he Vere vere and she ming :pe- 3112 vild his e in her and had ship un- l he e a the her his the gto to Phe her .nf- on- ' n der at more than once. It was if he had done something to frighten her. We-my father and I-are interested in himf' she said., Her words cost her a visible effort. He noticed a quick throbbing in her throat, just above the filmy lace. Mr, Lewis, won't you par- don this-this betrayal of excitement in myself? It must be unaccountable to you. Perhaps a little later you will understand. We are imposing on you by not conflding in you what this inter- est is, and I beg of you to forgive me. But there is a reason. - Her hands rested lightly on his shoul- ders. Her eyes implored him. I will not ask for confidences which you are not free to give, he said very gently. He was rewarded by a soft glow of thankfulness. 1 About then her father entered the roomg then for a period of nearly three hours he vividly told them how and where he had met Given. What friends they had grown to be, of the lonely life there in the wilderness with' only the yapping and the howling of the foxes and the wolves. Of the awful silence that you could almost hear. Of the bit- ter cold. After-.he had left he still felt the thrill of the warm, parting pressure of her hand, he saw the gratitude in her eyes, he heard her voice, low and tremu- lous, asking him to come again tomor- row evening. His brain was in a strange whirl of excitement, and he laughed- laughed with a gladness which he had not felt before in all of the days of his life. He had told a' great many things that night, but he'wondered why that haunt- ing fear had come into her eyes when Nineteen he happened to mention the Mounted Police. But he had asked them no ques- tions, he had not tried to pry into the secret which they so evidentlydesired to keep from him. Now, alone in the cool night, he asked himself a hundred questions, and yet with 'a feeling that he understood a great deal of what they had kept from'him. Something had whispered to him then-and whispered to him now-that Justice Given was not the man's right name, and that to her and her father he was a brother and son. This thought, as long as he could think it without a doubt, filled his cup of hope to the overflowing. . But the doubt per- sisted. It wasllike a spark that refused to go out. Who was justice Given? What was he, the' engineer, now' the half'-wild trapper, to Mary Courtley? Yes-he could be but that one thing-a brother-a black sheep-a wanderer. A son who had disappeared-and now was found. But ifhe was that, only that, why would they not tell him? The doubt sputtered up again. Hle did not go to bed, he was anxious for theday and the evening that was to follow. A woman had unsettled hisworld. His gold mine now became an unimportant reality. Everything faded into the back- ground and only the woman remained. He was like a boy living in the anticipa- tion of a great promise-restless and even feverishly anxious all day. He made all sorts of 'inquiries about Cap- tain Courtley. None seemed to know anything of him or where he had come from. That night, when he saw Mary Court- ley again, he wanted-to reach out his arms to her. He wanted to make her understand how completely his wonder-

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SE lick. Wh imd- ill of : aff. Vmg. Jwed WC!! Jrgg. tiled man Feral the time EYES, i no had : un- . the i re :tion veek As Ld as that rn, a at if At :ned rem- enly the two the vere cool on her rhen H1211 vent? ' had laid his heart and his soul at her feet. He had never seen her whiter. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap. There was a silence in which he did not breathe. Her answer came so slow and low that he leaned forward to hear. I am sorry, she said. It's my fault -that you love me. I knew. And yet I let you come again and again. I have done wrong. It is not fair now for me to tell you to go-without a chance. You would want me if I did not love you? You would marry me if I did not love you ? Hlis heart pounded. He forgot every- thing but that he loved this woman with a love beyond his power to reason. I don't think I could live without you nowf' he cried in a low voice. And I swear to make you love me. It must come. It is inconceivable that I cannot make you love me-loving you as I do. She looked at him clearly now. She seemed suddenly to become tense -and vibrant with 'a new and wonderful strength. I must be fair with you, she said. You are a man whose love most women would be proud to possess. And yet- it is not my power to accept that love, or give myself to you. There is another that you must go to. And that is-- Justice Given. - It was she that leaned forward now, her eyes burning, her bosom rising and falling with the quickness of her breath. ' You must go to him, she said. You must take a letter to him-from me. And it will be for him-for him-to say T tyO e whether I am to be your wife. You are honorable. You will be fair with me. You will take the letter to him. And I will be fair to youi I will be your wife. I will try hard to care for you- if he-says-- E Her voice broke. She covered her face, and for a moment, too stunned to speak, George looked at her while her slender form trembled with sobs. She had bowed her head, and for the first time he reached out and laid his hand upon 'the soft glory of her hair. Its touch set aflame every fiber in him. Hope swept through him, crushing 'his fears like a juggernaut. It would be a sim- ple task to go to Given! He was tempted to take her in his arms. A moment more and he would have caught her' to him, but the weight-of his hand on her head aroused her, and she raised her face, and drew back her head. Hfis arms were reaching out. She saw what was in his eyes. Not now, she said. Not until you have gone to him. Nothing in the world will be too great a reward for you if you are fair to me, for you are taking a chance. In the end you may receive nothing. For if he says that I cannot be your wife-I cannot. He alone must decide. On those conditions will you go? Yes, I will go, 'said George. ' It was early in August when he reached the Post. From there he took the trail. Day after day he continued steadily northward. He carried the let- ter to Given in his breast pocket, secure- ly tied in a little water-proof bag. It was a thick letter, and time and again he held it in his hand, and wondered what it was that she had so much to say 4