A Story From The Black Hills

There were two of us only from Detroit, the beautiful and picturesque "City of the Straits," - Tom Powers and I, Fred Browning. There were many more in the train from different parts of Michigan, but we were not very well acquainted with them. We were bound f or the Black Ilills, and, it is needless to say, in search of gold, and this was the second day out from Bismark. In the evening, as Tom and I sat around the camp-flre and smoked, I noticed, as I had done for several days past, that he was out of sorts, and the gay laugh, formerly so frequent on his Ups, was seldom, if ever, heard now j "Tom," said I, "what ■''. Yïew -Torn was engaged to ptóicy Etue ?reemont, and love, of course, was a ore point with him. At my question he started as though omething had struck him, and his ïandsome, bronzed face ttushed. But i'ter a moment, to my surprise, he nswered : 'Tred, there are a great number of ndians out this way, and it is very ikely that we will have considerable ghting to do bef ore we reach our desnation. Now, I do not expect to be cilled by any means, but, even if I ïould, I think that Eflie would mange to endure it." "Manage to endure it?" I cried. What do you mean, Tom ? Is she not our promised wif e ?' "I - suppose - so," he slowly answerd, "accordmg to civilized form ; but red, old boy, I don't think she loves me. You remember when you first roposed starting on this expedition ïat I said I would go only to obtain ïatter for a f resh book. You know I ïave plenty of money ; but strange as , may seem to you I never told her I vas wealthy. And I actually believe ïat she thought I depended entirely n my pen for a living. And so when lie heard that I was going to the [ills, she naturally concluded that I was going there to replenish my purse. And the evening I bid her good-bye she acted very cold toward me. And not only that, but she went out walking that same evening with young Perkins, who is reputed to be so wealthy. But, Fred, although she has proved mean and false, I love her, love her with my whole soul !" I was silent, trying to think what it was best to say. Presently hia hand feil heavily on my knee. "Teil me," he said, "what you would do in my case." I cannot live without her, yet I cannot marry a woman who cannot love me." "Perhaps you take too much of a jealous view of the affair. It may not be so bad as you think." "Jealous!" lie cried, "J jealous? )o yon look at it in that way ?" "But wht't else is it?" I answered. Do you know it to be true that she io 'alse ? I would stake my lif e that you ïave been mistaken." "You don't comprehend," he said vitli a certain quiet dignity, but to satsfy all döubts you have originated, Tred, I will go back now, if you will go witta me, and settle the question once and for all ; but mind, no word of what ! ani worth ; she must take me for love alone." "But Torn, we haveonly juststarted; will it be fair by the boys ?" "ïhey'll only be too glad to get rid of us," he said, "and I propose that we start to-night. I will pay yoür exjen.ses home and back if you want to eturn ; but it will be better when once you get there to accept the position of manager of my business, which I offered you last summer." 1 saw he meant what he said, and I inew there was little use in my going on alone, so I told him in simple words that I would go now. This is not a story of travel, so it is needless to dweil upon our journey to Bismark, and from thence to Chicago. But simply to say that we arrived in the last named city in good shape and af ter a day of rest we were off again. It was 2 p. m. when we started, and it was very dark when the train ran into Jackson. As the cars slowed up 1 saw a lady, dressed in black with a heavy veil over her face, standing on the platform. he seemed imcertain at first where to go, but flnally entered our car, and took the only empty seat beside ïom. Her veil was so thick that I could not see her face, but I did see, as she turned and looked at her fellow traveler, tliat she started violently. She made a motion as though she were about to wake Torn, but ref rained. It was getting interesting, and I was now wide awake. Mile after mile passed before Tom made any movement, and then, in liis sleep, he slipped down the back of the seat until his head rested on the lady's shoulder. She did not move but looked down at the sleeper with a half amused glance. I would have given a cool hundred to have seen her face then. As we neared Detroit the train slackened speed. It was getting light. And can you believe it, just as our car plunged into momeritary darkness beneath the Fort street bridge, the strange lady in black bent over and kissed ïom right on the lips. He started, and then sat bolt upright. And the next moment, to my utter astonishment, he grasped the lady's hands and began talking vehemently. The veil was lifted as we glided into the depot, and the fair face of Effie Freemont was disclosed. She had been out to Jackson to] visit her aunt, and "as luck would have ït, returned on the same train with her lover. Torn was completely cured of his jealousy, for that was all it was, and ever af terwarda when any thing happened to put him into ill-humor, I had only to begin : "Now Torn - " And like the Arabs who silently steal away in the night, his anger vanished and left him "mild as a lamb." A short time afterward we again started westward, but this timo there were three in the party, and as the train came in sight of the Fort street bridge, a half visible smile played around Tom's mouth. And as the train went under the bridge his pretty wife blushed like a wild rose. Now reader, no expectation. There was no such thing. You can't possiblj wish me to indulge you in that way The very idea! In putting up stovepipes a man requires a geod deal of elbow-room, anc let's his profanity go all lengths That's so by chimney.