The Red Cloud chief., 1876-01-27
TIE MAN THAT ANNIE LOVED.

SuC "oe SIoSucluS SOuCtniuS OUt VI
soft scarlet and white wool. Milton
Etheredge sat watching her, pretending
to read the journal at the same time.
She was looking very charming in her
buff muslin dress, with pink ribbon at
the throat aud looping back her brown
HAIR.
Prate as We may Of the unimpOrtance
of dress, it more or less Influences the
destiny of US all. Venus herself would
be ugly in a tsttered gown, and only
imagine Apollo in a swallow tailed coat
with bright buttons. Annie Huntly
knew the value of dress-and, what is
more, she knew how to attire herself in
just the manner most becoming to her.
She was not so much prettier than doz-
ems of other young ladies, but everything
about her was in harmony, and people
had fallen into the habit of calling her
beautiful. She had a clear, wild rose
complexion-.olerabIy regular features
soft brown eyes, and brown hair that
was struggling continually to break into
curls and ring'ets 50 natural to it.
Milton Ed ered.e grave, silent, vie
lawye.-wondered within himself how
long re had luvei this little Annie. He
could not remember. SIX years ago she
had come to them the dying request Of
Ms. EtheroGge's best valued friend.
The good lady had been a mother to her
ever since, ahi Milton had played the
part of a kind elder brother. Annie was
eighteen when SIZE came To Grayhead-
she was now twenty-five. Yes, he was
sure he had loved her for six years. She
had made everything so different. Her
pretty ways of arranging curtains, and
books,and knick knacks, had frightened
up the stately old house wonderfully.
Milton thought it was strange how he
and his lady mother had ever managed
to live without her.
So he sat and looked at her rs she
made the shining steel flash in and
utthe bright f1eecy wool. Not that he
thought OF ever being anything more to
her than he was now. HIS love was
quiet yeti had not reached that
passionate stage when it will not be
subdued by any obstacles. He was old
thirty at least-and it would be
childish for him to hope she would ever
link her young fresh life with that of a
man who's hair was already getting
gray On the temples.
But there was something more to des-
troy the hope, if lie had dared to in.
uuise 1t. AT one time, perhaps, he had
indulged it,but certainly. not now. Anne
Huntly had had her life romance as
we'll ar other women. 1t had been
sweet at first-painfully bitter at last.
1t had made her smile graver-her
color more fleeting-her manner at
times subGued and sad-so Etheredee
thought.
Annie and Leigh Richardson had me,
under somewhat romantic circumstances.
tie had saved her from drowning at
Cape Nav. when she had ~ventured be-
yond her depth; and, after her removal
I" Graymead, be had followed her there
and located himself in the practice of
hls profession-the law. He had been
a constant visitor for two years. People
began TO speak of them as belonging 10
each other. and Mrs. Etheredge had,
with a woman's peculiar delight, begun
to anticipate the wedding supper and
the bridal trousseau. Etheredge had
looked on with a dull pain at his heart,
for which he felt half angry with him
self. Surely he ought to rejoice that
Annie would be so happy, tor Richard.
son was every way estimable,. and was
rising rapidly in his profession.
Suddenly, however, about two years
before the opening of our story, his WIS.,
its ceased, and he began a VIC lent firta-
ton with Nellie Seymour, the belle of
the village. Annie did not die on &C.
count of it-she did Lot even NOPE, as
girls generally do when crossed in love.
Her manner was a little more subdued.
her laugh less frequently, but she was
not heart broken. She pu. aside the
sympathy Mrs. Etheredge would have
offered her, quietly, and gave her con-
fidence to no one. Sometimes she met
Richardson, but they exchanged no words
not even the ordinary ceremonious
greetings of mere ac9uaintances; thew
were as completely separated as if an
ocean rolled between them.
This night, as Etheredge sat watching
Annie, and thinking of all this, he no
ticed, with thrill of pain, that she was
a little paler, a little more quiet than
usual. He remembered that she had
met Richardson at the picture gallery
that day.
Some magnetic influence in the gaze
Of Etheredge made Annie look up. She
flushed under the serene luster of those
dark gray eyes, and her fingers forgot
their cunning, and dropped the ball of
zephyr she Yves unwinding. 1t rolled
toward the fire-there was a genuine old
ashioned wood fire upon the hearth
and in STOPPING to recover il, her light
sleeve dipped into the blaze. The flames
leaped up-Milton sprang forward,
caught her in his arms, and crushed cut