PROLOGUE.
A young man and a beautiful
young woman, lost and atone in
a wilderness for months, half
starved and in daily peril of
death from wild beasts and still
more savage Indians this is the
central theme of the most fasci
nating romance that has come
from Emerson Hough's pen.
Read and you will learn how
love came to them; how they
conducted themselves in this try-A
ing, unconventional situation;
how the man's chivalry and the
woman's purity held them stead
fast to the ideals of civilization,
and how the strange episode
brought tragedies, estrangements
and happiness.
CHAPTER XVI,
Tha Betrothal.
STRENGTH came to us as we
had need, and gradually even
A the weaker of us two became
' able to complete the day's Jour
ney without the exhaustion it at first
bad cost her. Summer was now upon
us, and the heat at midday was in
tense, although the nights, as usual,
were cold. Deprived of all pack ani
mals except our dog, we were pert ore
reduced to the lightest of gear, and
discomfort was our continual lot. Food,
' however, we could still secure, abun
dant meat and sometimes the roots of
plants which I dug up and tested,
though I scarce knew what they were.
We moved steadily on toward the west
and nortlfweat. but although we crosa
d many old Indian trails, we saw no
more of these savago travelers of the
plains.
It would be bootless to pass beyond
Laramie Into the mountains, and our
next course, I thought, must bo to
ward the south... I did not know that
we were then perhaps a hundred miles
or more northwest of Laramie, deep in
a mountain range far north of the
transcontinental trail. For the time,
however, it seemed wise to tarry here
for rest and recrultiug. J threw down
the pack. "Now." said I to her, "we
rest."
"Yes," she replied, turning her face
to the south, "Laramie Is that way
now. If we stop here my father will
, come and find us. But, then, how
could he And us, little as we are, in
this big country? Our trail would not
be different from that of Indians even
If tbey found it frexh enough to read.
Suppose they never found us!"
"Then," said I. "we should have to
tive here forever and ever."
She looked at me curiously "Could
we?" she asked.
"Until I was too old to hunt, you too
weak to sew tho robes or cook the
food."
"What would happen then?"
"We would die." said I. "The world
would end. would have to begin all
over again and wait twice ten million
years until man again was evolved
from the amoeba, tho reptile, the ape.
When we died this dog here would be
the only hope of the world."
It was understood that we Rhould
stay here for at least two days, to
mend our clothing and prepnre food for
the southern Journey. The next day
she came to me as I Bat by our meager
fireside. Without leading of mine she
began a manner of speech until now
foreign to her.
"What Is marriage, John Cowles?"
she asked of me, abruptly, with no
preface.
"It is the plan," I answered apathet
ically. She pondered for a time.
"Are we, then, only creatures, ptip-
fMts, toys?"
"Yes." I Bald to her. "A man la a
toy. Love vas born before man was
created, before animals or plants,
Atom ran to atom, seeking. It was
love." She pondered yet a while.
"And what Is it, then, John Cowles,
that women call 'wrong? "
"Very often what is right," I said tu
her, apathetically. "When two love
the crime Is that they shall not wed.
When they do not love, the crime is
when they do wed."
"twAthoutarriage," she hesl-
fTA 7i tttt r 1
int WAY
OF
By Emerson Hough
Copyright, 1W7, by the Outing Publlthlof
Company
tated. "the Louie"
It Is the old question," I said. "The
home Is built on woman's virtue, but
virtue Is not the same where there la
no home, io property, where there Is
"What It marriage, John Cowles?" eh
asked of me.
no society. It Is an artificial thing,
born of compromise, and grown strong-
er by custom of the ages of property
owning man."
I saw a horror come across her eyes,
Wnat do you say to me, John
Cowles? That what a woman prizes
is not right. Is not good? No. that I
shall not think!" She drew apart from
me.
"Because you think Just as you do,
I love you." T snld. 1
"Yet you say so tunny things. I have
taken life as it came, just as other girls
do, not thinking. It Is not nice. It Is
not clean, that girls should study over
these things. That Is not right."
"No; that Is not right." said I dully
"Then tell me what l marriage, that
one thing a girl dreams of all her life,
Is it of the church?"
"It is not of the church." I said.
"Then it is tbo law."
"It is not the law," I said.
"Then what Is it?" she asked. "John
Cowles, tell me what makes a wedding
between two who really and truly love?
Can marriage be of but two?"
"Yes." said I.
"But there must be witnesses, there
must be ceremony, else there is no mar
riage." she went on. Her woman's
brain clung to the safe, sane groove
which alone can guide progress and
civilization and society that great,
cruel, kind. Imperative compromise of
marriage without which all the ad
vancement of the world would be as
naught. I loved her for It But for
me, I say I bad gone savage. I was at
the beginning of all this, whereas It re
mained with her as sbo had left It.
"Witnesses?" I said. "Look at those!"
I pointed to tho mountains. "Marriages,
many of them, have been made with no
better witnesses than those."
My heart stopped when I saw how
far she had Jumped to her next speech.
"Then we two are all the people left
in tho world, John Cowles? When I
am old will you cast me off? When
another woman comes Into this valley,
when I am bent and old and cannot
see, will you cast mo off and, being
stronger than I am, will you go and
leave me?"
I could not speak at first "We have
talked too much," I said to her present
ly. But now It was she who would not
desist.
"You see, with a woman It Is for
better, for worse, but with a man"
"With a Saxon man," I said, "it Is
also for better, for worse. It U one
woman."
She Rat and thought for a long time.
"Suppose," she snid. "that no one ever
came."
Now with swift remorse I could see
that in her own courage she was feel
ing her wny, haltingly, slowly, toward
solution of problems which most wo
rneu take ready solved from others.
But, as I thank God, a filmy veil, soft
ening, refining, always lay between her
and reality. In ber intcntness she laid
hold upon my arm, her two bandit
clasping.
"Suppose two were here, a man and
a woman, and ho swore before those
eternal witnesses that he would not
go away any time until she was dead
and laid away up ln the trees, to dry
away and Vlow oTflutoTTie air
back"-
. . . w - It.. . I. f
I into me nowers, i nuut-u, iuuwiib.
"Yes, Into the trees and the flower j
so that when she was dead and he was
dead and they were both gone back
Into the flowers, they would still know
each other forever and ever and never
be ashamed would that be a mar
riage before God. John Cowles?"
What had I brought to this girl's
creed of life, heretofore always so
S sweet and usual? I did not answer.
She shook at my arm. "Tell me." she
said, but I would not tell her.
Suppose they did not come, she
said once more. "It is true, they may
not find us. Suppose we two were ti
live here alone all this winter, Just as
we are now, none of my people or
yours near us. count we go on;
"God! Woman, have you no mercy!
She sat and poudered for yet a time
as though seriously weighing some
question in her mind.
But you have taught me to tninK,
John Cowles. It is you who have tie
gun my thinking, so uow I must think.
know we cannot tell what may nap-
pen. I asK you. jonn cowies, u we
were brought to that state which we
both know might happen if we were
here all alone and no one came, and
if you loved me ah, then would you
irouilse forever and forever to love me
til', death did us part till 1 was gone
back Into the flowers? I remember
what they say at weddings. They
cling one to the other, forsaking all
others, till death do them part. Could
you promise me lu that wny? Could
you promise me, clean ana solemn?
Because I would not promise you un
less it was solemn and clean and un
less it was forever."
It seemed that I saw into her heart.
I dropped my hands from my eyes and
looked at her strangely, my own brain
In a whirl, my logic gone. All I knew
was that then or elsewhere, whether'
or not rescue ever came for us. wheth
er we died now or later, there or nny-
where lu nil the world. I would, indeed
love ber and her only, forsaking all
others until, indeed, we were gone
back into the sky and flowers, until we
whispered again In the trees, one unto
the other. Marrlngo or no marriage,
together or apart, in sickness or in
health so there came to me tho stern
conviction-love could knock no more
at my heart, where once she had stood
lu her courage and her cleanness. Rev
erence. I say, was now the one thing
left In my heart. Still we sat and
watched the sun shine on tho dlstnnt
white topped peaks. I turned to her
slowly at length.
"Ellen." I said, "do you Indeed love
me?"
"Flow cau I help it, John Cowles?"
she answered bravely. My heart stop
ped short, then rneed on, bursting all
control. It was long before I could be
calm as she.
"You have helped It very long." I
said at last quietly. "But now I must
know. Would you love me anywhere.
In any circumstances. In spite of all?
I love you because you ore You. not
because yon are here. I must be loved
In the sauit?way always."
She looked at me now silently, and I
leaned and kissed her full on the
mouth.
She did not rebel or draw away, but
there was that on her face, 1 say.
which l 'ft me only reverent. Her hand
fell Into mine. We sat there plighted,
plighted In our rngs and misery and
want ai'd solitude. Though I should
live twice the allotted span of man
never should I fiirget what camt Into
my soul that hour.
After a lime I turned from her and
from the hills and from the sky and
looked about us at the poor belongings
with which we were to boeln our
world. All at once my eye fell upon
one of our lighter robes, now fairly
white with much working. I drew It
toward me, and with her still leaning
against my shoulder I took up a char
red stick, and so laboriously I wrote
pon the surface of the bide these
words of our covenant:
"I, John Cowles. take thee. Ellen
Meriwether, to be my lawful wedded
wife, In sickness and In health, for bet
ter or for worse, till death do us part
And I signed It and made a seal after
my name.
"Write." said I to her; "write as I
bvo written."
She took a fresh brand blackened at
the end and In lesser characters wrote
slowly letter by letter:
"I, Ellen Meriwether, take thee, John
Cowles, to be my lawful, wedded bus
band" Sho paused, but I would not
urge ber, and it was moments before
ahe resumed "In slckoess and In health,
for better or for worso" Again she
paused, thinking, thinking and so con
eluded, "till death do us part"
"It means," she said to me simply as
a child, "until we have both gone back
Into the flowers and tbo trees."
I took ber hand In mine. Maybap
book and bell and organ peal and ves
tured choir and high ceremony of the
church may be more solemn, but
who speak the truth from this very
knowledgo, think It could not be.
: "When you have signed that Ellen,"
I said to her at last "we two are man
and wife, now and forever, here and
any place In the world. That Is a bind
tng ceremony, and It endows you with
your share of oil my property, small or
large, as that may be. It Is a legal
wedding, and It holds us with all the
powers the law can have. It la a con
tract"
"Do not talk to me of contracts," she
said. "I am thinking of nothing but
our wedding.
SUU mystical, still enigma, still wo
man, she would have It that the stars,
the mountains the witnesses and out
ourselves, made the wedding. I left It
to, sure of nothing so much as that
whatever her way of thought might be.
It was better than my own.
'"BulTTTSo uol bulhiar' she ask
ed at length.
"Then we are not married."
She sighed and laid down tin pen.
"Then I shall not sign it yet," she
said.
I caught up her hand as though I
would write for her.
No," she said; "It shall be only our
engagement, our troth between us.
This will be our way. I have not yet
been sufficiently wooed, John Cowles!"
I looked Into her eyes and it seemed
to mo 1 saw there something of the
same light I had seen When she was
the masked coquette of the army ball
the yearning, the melancholy, the
mysticism, the challenge, the Invita
tion and the doubting ah, who shall
say what there Is lu a woman's eye!
But I saw also what hud been lu her
eyes each time I had seen her sluce
that hour. I left It so, knowing that
her way would be best.
"When we have escaped," she went
on, "If ever we do escape, then this
will still be our troth, will It not. John
Cowles?" '
'Yes, and our marrlngo when you
have signed, now or any other time."
"But if you had ever signed words
like these with any other woman, then
Again she paused, and io concluded,
"Till death do ua part."
It would not be our marriage nor our
troth, would It, John Cowles?"
"No," I said. And then I felt my
face grow ashy cold and pale In one
sudden breath!
"But why do you look so sad?" she
asked of me suddenly. "Is It not well
to wait?"
"Yes, It Is well to wait," I said. She
was so absorbed that she did not look
t me closely at that Instant
Again she-toot; up the charred stick
In her little hand and hesitated. "See,"
he said. "1 shall sign one letter of my
name each week until all my name is
written! Till that last letter we shall
be engaged. After the last letter, when
I have signed It of my own free will
and clean and solemn clean and sol
emn. John Cowles then we will be
,0b, take me home take me to my fa
ther. John Cowles! This is a bard
place for a girl to be."
Suddenly she dropped her face Into
her bands, sobbing.
Mie bid her beaS on my breast, sort
distressed now. She was glad that sht
might now be more free, needing some
manner of friend, but she was still
what? Still woman! Poor Saxon I
must have been bad I not sworn to
love ber fiercely and singly all my life.
But yet
I looked at the robe, now fallen loose
upon the ground, and saw that she had
affiled one letter of ber name and
stopped. She smiled wanly. "Your
name would bo shorter to sign a tlttlej
at a time," she said, "but a girl must
have time. She must wait. And see,"
she said, "I have no ring. A girl al
ways baa a ring."
This luck I could not solve, for I
had none.
Take mine." she said, removing th
ring with the rose seal. 'Tut it on the
other flnafcr tho the right one."
I did so, and I kissed ber. But yet-
She was weary and strained now. A
pathetic droop came to the corners of
ber mouth. The palm of bor little
band turned up loosely as though she
sad been tired and now was resting.
"We must wait." she said, as though
to borself.
But what of mo that night? When I
had taken my own house and bed be
yond a little thicket that she might be
alone, that night I found myself
breathing bard In terror and dread,
gazing up at tho stars In agony, beat
ing my hands on the ground at the
thought of the ruin I had wrought, the
crime that I bad done In gaining this
I bad sought
I bad written covenants before! The
strength and sweetness of all this
strange new life with her had utterly
wiped out my paBt, had put away as
though forever the world I once bad
known. Until tho moment Ellen Meri
wether began the signing of her name
I swear I had forgotten that ever in
the world was another by name of
Grace Sheraton. I may not be believ
ed I ought not to be belloved but
this is tbo truth, and the truth by what
measures my love for Ellen Meriweth
er was bright and died, as much as
my promise to the other had been 111
advised and wrong.
Far rather had I been beneath the
sotJAhat moment, for I knew, since. I
loved Ellen Meriwether, she must not
complete the signing of her name upon
VkJ scroll of our coveuaut!
(To He Continued.)
LUMBER RATE SCOPE IS Wl )
Many Cases Hinge on Interstate
Hearing Being Held in Omaha.
Omaha. July 20. The excessive him
ber freight rate reparation case is atill
in progress in the United States court
house bcl'oro the special master exam
iuer of the interstate commerce com
mission. Testimony is still being tak
en front representatives of the south
ern mill owners, who claim the repara
ion ft om the railroads for excessive
freight is due them Instead of the buy
trs of the lumber. K. J. McVann, head
of the traffic bureau of the Omaha
Commercial club, and attorneys for
the various nllroails are cross-exam
ining the witnesses In an effort to
show the money is due the buyers. A
great many similar cases for cities
other than Omaha, coming under the
same ruling of tho commerce commis
sion in regard to the reduction of
freight rates on lumber, are pending
at this hearing, but It Is understood
that If Omaha merchants and some of
the leading cities win In their cases
the others wIM not push their cases,
but will simply present their claims
for reparation on the basis of the set
tletuent reached in the caso of the
principal rl.iimnnts.
KOENIG WINS IN
LOOP RIVER CASE
Decision Handed Down by Judges
Favors Babcock Interests,
Columbus, Neb., July 20. The de
cislon handed down by Judges llollcu
heck and Thomas in the caso of the
Nebraska Power company against
Koenig et al, favors tho plaintiff on
every point and establishes the stipe
nor rights of the plaintiff, represent
ing th so oiled Babcock interests,
to the water cf the Inip river.
v The decision Includes a finding that
Koenig, while acting as director and
trustee of the power company, at
tempted to acquire an interest in the
waters of the Loup adverse to the
plaintiff's rights by fraud and that tho
interest so acquired is held by him in
trust for plaintiff.
It Is further held that the defend
ants, Rfiarp, Hammer, Boggis and
Field, as Koenig s assignees, are
chargeable with notice of plaintiff's
rights and are not Innocent purchasers.
HALLOWELL CASE CLOSED
Judge Harrison May Hand Down De
cision Next Month.
Kearney, Neb., July 20. Ralph R.
ilorth of Grand Island, assisting B. B.
McDermott, county attorney, In tha
prosecution of the case of George Con-
roy and others against P. M. Hallo-
well, county Judge, closed the case,
which will rest with Judge T. C. O.
Harrison, anting as referee.
A transcript of the evidence, most
all documentary, was ordered. When
this Is completed at least a month's
perusal by the Hall county Jurist 1h ex
pected before the final decision re
garding facts Is handed down.
One of the Incidents of the plead
ings was the branding by Judge Sin
clair, of the defense, of the investi
gation as a political move begun bp-
fore the last election In the hope of
defeating ITal'owell for re election.
Wife of Former Convict Returns Home
Madison, Neb., July 20. Mrs. Wor
nor, wife of tho much wanted ex-convict,
Max Von Worner, who Is con
fined In the county Jail at this place,
being convinced that her husband was
all the prh in annals charge him to
be, aecompanlod her slBter to Schuy
ler, her home.
Half Inch of Rain In North Nebraska.
Norfolk, Neb., July 20. More than
half an Inch of rain covered northern
Nebraska and southern South Dakota.
The corn crop was greatly benefited.
CONDENSED NEWS
St. Louis society girls are wearing
men's silk socks and using men's gar
ters to hold 'em up. They are cooler.
The Impeachment case of Judge
Robert W. Archbald was called in the
senate and Archbald ordered to an
swer the charges July 29.
To persons were killed and fifteen
Injured In the wreck of an excursion
train returning to Charlotte, N. C,
from JohnHon City, Tenn.
All troops dispatched to El Paso
when the Mexican rebels were moving
cn Junrx will soon be removed with
the exception of a regiment of cavalry
The leaders of the Umdon dock
strike sent a cablegram to Samuel
GomperB. president of the American
Federation of Labor, asking for Im
mediate financial assistance.
An Investigation of expenditures In
the forest service by a special senate
committee Is asked In a resolution by
Senator Overman. The committee
would sit during recess of congress
A state wide campaign of education
tf women and girls in the subject of
sex hygiene and of the prevention o(
disease has been undertaken by the
Naw York state department of health
fty a strict party vote, the house
elections committee voted to unseat
Representative Theron B. Catlln of St
Louis, Republican, and to seat former
Representative Patrick Gill, Democrat
ASSESSMENT
BOARD AT WORK
Railroad Tax Agents Presenl
Claims lor Reduction.
COMPLAIN OF REALTY VALUES.
Allegation That Western Lands Art
Not Assessed at as High Ratio at
Rlalroad Property McCook Phone .
Case Will Prctect Larks.
Lincoln, July 20. The state board
of assessment and equalization was ll
session ag.tln, taking up the matter ol
complaints and adjustments of rail
road assessments. A. W. Scribner,
tux commissioner for the Union Pa
cific; R. D. Pollard for the Burlington,
Frank P. Crandon for the Northwest
ern and W. N. Purvis for ie St. Jo
seph and Grand Island were present
for their roads and set forth that a
aessments of railroad property to
some of the small towns of the state
were too much In comparison witn
other values. Roads which rua
through the western part of Nebraska
made complaint that the farm lands In
tho newer portion of the state were
not assessed In comparison to the.
amount which railroad property and
other property was listed. In the aft
ernoon the work of the morning was
continued, other railroads appearing
before the board with small kicks.
Game Warden Will Protect Larks.
Attention of Game Warden Millet
was called to a fracture of tho gams
law by some, of the members of thi
Rod and Gun club of Omaha. A lettet
was received, enclosing a clipping
from an Omaha paper, stating that a
member of the aforesaid gun club had
been seen to shoot and kill a meadow
lark and black bird recently. Mr. MIL
ler says that ho has had frequent
complaints of the same nature regard
ing the shooting of birds of this kind
round the pleasure resorts near Oma
ha and ihnt fourteen convictions have,
resulted from the prosecutions. Al
the present time there are five gum
in tho possession of tho police of Oma
ha belonging to some Greeks whe
were caught shooting the birds and
their guns confiscated. Other cons
plalnts resulted in a fine of $5 and
costs, while one man who was caught
on the Iowa side of the river was
turned over to the Iowa authorities
and was given a fine of $25 and cost
Game Warden Miller has also re
eolved a letter from the game warden
of Wyoming, stating that the ma
who was apprehended at Tllden, Nebv
having In his possession a young an,
telope and claiming he had permlaj
slon from the game warden of Wjronv
ing to bring It to Nebraska had a
such permission.
McCook Phone Case.
The state railway 'commission Is oa
Its second day's hearing of the tela-,
lhone case from McCook. The Ne
braska Telephone company Is paving
the way and toying a foundation foe
other cases which may come up by oft
ferlng testimony of every phase o4
teluphono construction and main
tenance. In fact, It seems that the?
are making a test case of the McCook
complaint and other complaints whlek
may come up will hlngo a great deal
on the cas) made at this time. Tha
chief complaint made by the McCook
rer.plo is that tho rat?s thoro are 33
per eent loo high and should be low
eied. The rompany is now getting tot
Individual business phones, $3; two
partv business phono, $2.75; Indlvldi
ual residence, $2; two party residency
$l..r,0. This Is about 9 per cent on the
Investment. The plant Is a'leged ta
be worth abo'it $31,37.
Stite Camp Alto.
Adjutant General Phelps hold a co
ference with Colonel H. J. Paul oi
the Secon.! Nebraska regiment al
Grand Island. Two companies of the
Second regiment, O of Omaha and the
Schuvler company, will accompany the
First regiment to Pole Mountain, but
the balance of the Second regiment
with the hospital corps, will hold a
state encampment somewhere In the
state. Colonel Paul favors Grand Isl
and as he best place to hold the en
campment and the matter will be tab
en up with the Grand Island peopl
It Is th Intention to hold the cama
sometime the latter part of August.
Johnson County to Have Short Court
Teeumseh, Neb., July 20. Deviating,
from the custom of many years' standi
Ing thwe wlU be no farmer's Institute
In Johnson county the coming winter
The officers of the Institute have da
elded to substitute the short course
f study or instruction as given undei
the direction of the college of ai?rlcnl
ture. The course will be given in Te
enmseh the aooond week In February
( Drought Is Broken at Hartlngton.
Hartlngton, Neb., July 20. What
threatened to be a serious drought
was broken by a splendid rain of so
rial hours' duration, which was gea
eral throuehout Cedar eountv. There
was over two Inches of rainfall, whlet
Insures the corn crop and will great
benefit other crops as well. It Is th
first good rain this location has had
In several weeks.
Farmer Killed by Hay Stacker.
Fremont. Neb., July 20. Wllllan
Pool of North Bend, the father of tet
children, all under twenty-one yean
ct age, was killed by being struck bj
hay stacker three miles e-ast ol
North Bend. Pool was aa old retJ