Page:Hard-pan; a story of bonanza fortunes (IA hardpanbonanza00bonnrich).pdf/291

Rh "Viola," he cried again, "stay with me! love me! forgive me! I 've prayed for you—I 've longed for you—I 've died for you! Don't leave me now! There is no life for me without you!"

She came forward beyond the dark shadow of the tree, and the light shone full on her. He might still have thought her a vision, for her face was transfigured with a look that seemed hardly of this earth. But the woman that he held in his arms was warm with life, the lips against his gave back his kiss.

A few moments later Policeman O'Hara, having extended his beat beyond the saloons, saw what he supposed to be a single figure standing opposite Robson's house under a dripping umbrella. As he approached, it suddenly resolved itself into two figures, and walked away from him under the umbrella.

"Well, I 'll be jiggered!" murmured the bewildered policeman. "Have I got it that bad so early in the evenin'?"

And judging that his case was gone too far for help, he dropped into another saloon.

The two figures under the one umbrella walked down the street, out and away through the rain, seeing nothing but the vistas of glory which open before those who for one moment stand upon the pinnacle of life.