Page:From the West to the West.djvu/147

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a glorious world we live in!" she exclaimed, clinging to her mother's arm and pulling her along. "How happy everybody might become if everybody could afford to be honest!"

"But public opinion is a moral safeguard, my child."

"It has wellnigh made a lunatic of me,*' exclaimed the daughter, with a sigh. "I should have been in an insane asylum if I had not grown strong enough to defy the thing you call public opinion. Now please remember, mamma, you may meet Donald McAlpin at any time. I have told you that he was shadowing us. But you are not to recognize him so long as I am his lawful wife, or it will be the worse for all of us. God knows, I am anxious enough to set him free; and I'll do it as soon as the law will let me. *A11 things come to him who waits.' Be hopeful, be trustful, be patient, mamma dear; and be sure * your own will come to you.' "

A solitary horseman galloped past them and halted at the camp.

"It's Donald!" cried Mrs. Benson, nervously clutching her daughter's arm. "Why can't we speak to him, Daphne?"

"Come this way."

Reluctantly Mrs. Benson followed.

"Let's sit behind these rocks," said the daughter. "It is fortunate that I gave Captain Ranger his latest name. He knows him only as Donald McPherson."

They watched the two men paf leying. Captain Ranger pointed toward the distant hills with one hand, and with the other was gesticulating vigorously.

"Will you promise not to let him recognize you while we are on this journey, mamma dear?"

"It would be an easy promise to make, my child, if I could know when, where, and under what circumstances we might meet again in the future."