The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-11-25

him, you may be sure. But he gave
no signs of leaving. I had kept my
observations to myself, and, except to
think him stony-hearted for being so
untouched by the lovliness of woman
whose life he had saved, and then again
so nearly taken, as to make no more
advances, had allowed them as little
thought as possible; and no one else
exer coupled his name with Marion's
even in thought, suppose. and SO the
gossi pers were none the wiser I, to
| be sure, had never had any experience
in love affairs, but l knew enough to
mind my own business, although WAS
often sorely tempted to give Raymonde
| a piece of my mind, and Marion a
dreadful taking down.
Suddenly in the midst of the pleas
uring, we awoke one day to find that
there had been frost: and although,
as the sun mounted. it was still warm
and genial, everybody felt that sum
mer and pleasuring We're at an end
| The luggage came down as # it had
wings, and the air, so to say, was full of
flying trunks. 4 few however yet re-
manned and and among them Mrs.
Mercer and her suit, she awaiting her
husband and the cluster of more init
mate friends Marion appeared to be
in fever to get away; but Raymonde
said to me that he should stay as long
as the house kept open, for he had al
ways enjoyed the Indian summer by
the sea. And he went on painting IN
-, mt
noon, sometimes one or other OF the
gentlemen going with him, and we
could hear the puff OF their rifles echo
ing away i'll the fairy music all along
the shore.
1t was the most perfect day, that last
one that he went out, and went, as 1t
CHANGED. alone. All the distant marsh
es and woody thicketS were blazing with
gold and carnine under the SotteSt VIC =,
let haze, and silver sheen hung over
the sea like a stretch of gauZe, behind
or through which phantom sails slipped
by. For time We heard the rifle here
and there, at least we might have heard
it; did, and then there WAS pack
peddler with Struggled Shawls and
laces at the door, and we were so occu-
pied in trying TO get something for
nothing. with the true feminine instinct,
too. III some of Us, for smuggling. that
sunset WAS on Us in no time, lis WIDE
blush dying out presently in graynesS
and mist. that before we rose from the
tea table had settled over everything
like rain. and through which no star
was to be seen.
ain On the flood uuthiu.. but S..uJ:
Rain On the ebb rs well go To bed
quoted Mr.. MunSon. Its going to be
4 storm of quality, if that holds good. :"
1t was Il gloomy evening, and after
the landladv assured us We were going
to have the equinoctial. as we should
see when the tide turned, and 1t still
rained and blew, and we might then
expect I glorious surf, We went to our
rooms early, and were surprised to
hear, when We woke next day TO find
wild gale blowing, with gusts of sleety
rain, that Mr. Raymond had not re-
turned. However, he had undoubted
~ found shelter III some hut along the
beach. they said: and after the mail
coach, an hour later, came in, we adj
dressed ourselves TO our various tasks,
having vainly tried to penetrate the
thick weather, which hid even the first
white line of the breakers. I saw Ma
rion, in her water proofs go out for
wrest-e with the tempests. which suit
Cd her defiant mood; but she was quite
powerless in it, and came back, half
blown on her way by the blast. and
wet with the flying spray and foam
flakes as we'll as with the rain. An
hour or two later. as one by one of the
gentlemen, and OF the men about the
place, came in and threw off their
cIoaks and 0veralls, we found that
there had been some uueasiness in the
house concerning Mr.. Raymonde
which was increasing, and presently
that was the one theme OF conversation.
1t did not need much urging to cause
exploring parties to range up and down
the shore and as l did not care straw
for VIVA, any one said, did not hesitate
to urge. But by night fall they had all
returned, unsuccessful, and the rain
was still lashing the panes, the wind
bowling round the house. while the
roaring and pounding of the surf made
1t IN possible 10 hear any other sound
if one put ones head outside the door
And the storm and darkness did not
diminish the anxiety about Mr.. Ray
monde, when those who knew the
region stated that there was no shelter
on all the shore, except it should be
some casual gunner's tent, and as for
that, no tent could have resisted the
gale, and the danger was in the marshes,
into which he might have wandered in
the sudden shutting down of night and
mist, without light of any kind to guide
him, and where he might perish with
exposure.
Marion had sat quietly at the win
dow Of the drawing-room, with her silk
knitting, ever since she came in. for we
none of us kept our rooms; once played
4 part OF senate, when some one
asked for it, and once she took up a
book and turned its pages slowl y-not
too slowly. By-and-by she laid the
book down, and sat there, motionless
as statue, till the dark fell
wv hat gloomy night" sighed Char
lotte- 1t would certainly do no harm
if we go into the great hall and amuse
ourselves"
And have drift-wood fire there"
cried Marion a monstrous one
"A dritt-wood fire." echoed l, for |
knew where the sun soaked timbers of
the old wreck had been slowed away
and OWNED instantly what the light
of the uncurtained hall windows might
be to any lost wanderer. When We
returned from the tea table, where Mr..
Urquhart, the last arrival was jesting
with Marion quite as if nothing was the
matter, although 1 flncied that re-
peated motion of her hand across her
face was to brush away some trouble,
but could not tell if it were anything but
fancy, knowing she well deserved to
feel the trouble of memories never to
be brushed aWay-when We returned,
say, a fire was cracking and rolling up
the big chimney-place, and transfgur-
ing everything IN the room with Its
rosy illumination. Marion sat down
in one corner by the heap of old wood,
tossing every little while. with her