Wabash College - Wabash Yearbook (Crawfordsville, IN)

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It is hardly needful to say that McPherson unpacked his suit-case that night. And two weeks later the good Padre made them man and wife. The magnificence of the funcioii that followed had never been equalecl, and has never been surpassed. The weekly Nucz1as devoted a whole page of four columns to a description of McPherson, his bride, and their marriage. Even Rev. Mr. Smith, the only protestant minister in the town, eondescended to con- gratulate Weiiclell, and told him confidentially that he be- lieved that Wende11's love for the girl and his marriage with her had been the only thing that had saved a ruined soul. Carthers and the rest of the engineers had nearly furnished the new home with their gifts. Some days later there sat one day in a library back in Indiana a white-haired lady. who was stroking with a wrinkled hand the head of a girl who sat on the tloor.at her feet. The girl was sobbing pitifnlly, while in one hand she held a damp crumpled letter. HAROLD W. HAWK. QJQ-.9 A 0 Ax xX ,Q-., ..-gx 28

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at the office and field became lighter and more enjoyable. Margaret was not entirely forgotten, but he thought of her as very distant, as one that had been a part of his old life. His letters to her almost ceased, but hers came with a pa- thetic regularity, till they stopped abruptly. He did not worry about it, and considered their affair at an end. But one day there came in his mail at the office a letter bearing the familiar post-mark. lt was from Margaret's mother. It told him of the serious fever that had come to the girl. It told him of the words she had said while in her delirium. lt begged him to return, if he loved her at all. McPherson was strongly moved by the appeal, and de- cided to go, tell them the truth, and return. He did not have the courage to write. That evening he got a leave of ab- sence from the f'boss, went to his room and packed a suit- case. As he worked, his mind traveled back to the Indiana town, and he lived once more his college days. The spell of Juliana and the Spanish life to which she belonged, left him for the moment, and he began to look forward with eagerness to his meeting with Margaret. As the stage did not leave for two hours he became rest- less and decided to go for a walk. The night was perfect. A full moon shone and threw the queer,'mud-plastered houses into all sorts of fantastic shapes by reason of light and shadow. Ahead of him rose the black bulk of the Pueblo range of mountains, thirty miles away. In a few minutes he came to the bridge that spanned the little stream south of town. He came quite close before he noticed the motionless figure of a girl seated upon one of the benches, her head and arms resting upon the low guard-rail. I-Ie 27 recognized it as Juliana. All thoughts of the other one strangely left him. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders. VVhat's the matter, Juliana P She turned and looked at him with a face from which all the laughter had vanished. Tears were in her eyes. They say you are going away. Senor. VVho said so? Carthers told me. VVendell was silent for a long time. He watched the glint of the moon on the stream, which flowed between great black masses of willow brush. VVell? ls it so, Senor PU Yes-to-morrow. Must you go? VVhy must you go P Because-well, you see-because- VVhy P I-I don't know. Then Senor does not have to go-Senor will stay. Will he not P VVhy, Juliana, who would care if 1 did go? and he tried to speak lightly. A soft, warm arm was slipped around his neck and a smooth cheek caressed his own. - Guess who, Senor? Wliicll was her Spanish way of answering his question. He thrilled as she said it. Her hair was touching his te-mple and forehead. Indiana seemed very, very far away as he took her in his arms and held her close. Mio Carina, she whispered.

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