The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-10-13

kelp, and the kneeling figure bending
over it, and faint dislike for this nice
MFR. Deyries grew up vaguely in his
heart.
The next morning Tom Arnold
brought Blanche down to spend the
day. She was growing very graceful
and lady-like, and Ralph felt a faint
sense of awkwardness in her presence,
and was uncomfortably conscious. of
blushing when she looked at or spoke
to him. She did not seem to notice it.
however, but came and sat by him. and
told him about her flowers and her
pony, and the beautiful garden she was
going to have if-wel, if he would
come up and help her little. To be
sure they had a gardener, but she
wanted some one else. And then she
just lifted the heavy lashes, and flashed
shy, trembling little glance into his
face that was full of alluring appeal.
I'D be so glad to come. Blanche, if
you would let me-" he said, eagerly,
land if you could put up with my
awkwardness.
You awkward. Cousin Ralph!' lift
ing her eyes in beautiful surprise to his
face.
A whole volume could not have bet
ter expressed her admiration and con-
fidence. or made more vivid impress
sion upon his boyish heart.
Blanche" called her father, "you
visit Althea Montford. Who is this De
Vries that stops there?"
"Why, he is Mr.. Alfred De Vries,
Mr.. Montford's business agent, private
secretary and confidential friend I
thought you knew"
perhaps did, but had forgotten.
It's two years, isn't it, since the Mont
fords came here?"
eyes, two years this spring, papa"
This brought Viola to Ralph's mind,
and he said:
"Father has concluded to 90 in
search of some traces of our little Viola.
! suppose Uncle Tom told you about the
letter?'
"Yes. 1 think he mentioned some
thing about it. Miscarried didn't it?
l wonder why you trouble yourselves so
much about that strange child, all of
you. Of course it was splendid in you
rescuing her mother and herself. l
don't know as L would mind being
shipwrecked if l was sure some nice,
brave, handsome Young fellow would
rescue me just at the rig int moment"
When she first began Ralph felt half
vexed at her careless tone, but the COM
pliment. spoken and implied, Modified
him Immediately. And even while he
was speaking of Viola, he was wonder
ing if Blanche thought lie was brave and
handsome, and vaguely wishing she
might fall into some little peril from
which he might rescue her.
You see, Blanche" he said, "she
was so alone in the world, so utterly
friendless, that we couldn't help car
ing for her. and loving her. You know I
had little sister once, and l think We all
loved her more for that reason. know
mother did,"
.'But she wasn't your sister. May
be she was some miserable convict's
child: there seemed such a mystery
about her name, and her father. People
honest people-are never ashamed of
their names. There must have been
something wrong about them, and
father says, though he's sorry because
auntie feels so bad about it, he believes
it is just as well if somebody else has
looked out for her."
Il don't believe she was to blame,
anyway" Ralph said, stoutly, "and I'd
give dozen farms like this, if 1 had
them, to find her again.
"What splendid Don Quixote you
would make, to 90 out to the defense of
distressed damselsr' she cried, with a
little ripping laugh. And then she
clasped her pretty white hands about
his arm, and tossed the ripping hair
back from her white shoulders, and
looked up in his face with little quick,
admiring glance, that was altogether
irresistible to poor, unsophisticated
Ralph.
The farm work waited as a week went
by--waited more patiently than Myra
Anderson or Ralph-.and still no word
came from Ben Anderson as to the sue
cess of his search. Every night Ralph
went to the office, but nothing came to
them. Ned Bradlee ran down every
evening, to stretch his legs" he said,
not quite willing to own how nervously
anxious he was to hear if there was any
news from Ben-or rather, from the
lest girl.
But all waiting comes to an end at
last, and the tenth day from that of his
Ben Anderson walked into
his house as he had went-alone. His
wife saw the grave look in his face, and
her heart sank like lead. Unreasonable
as it was, she had cherished a strong
hope that he would find the child, and
that very day she had taken the pretty
dresses, and dainty ruffied skirts from
their resting place in the hair trunk.
and spread them out where the sunshine
and soft wind could touch them, Won
dering the while if she had grown much,
and planning how she could make them
larger and longer.
There was a little moment of sus-
pense-a little dreading to ask on their
part, and little dreading to tell on his;
then he said, in low, husky tone:
sour little girl is dead. Myra, we will
never worry about her any more"
Then in the faint light of the soft May
cleaning, with slantwise beams from
the young moon in the west, falling
across the fooi till it touched the
Goals on the hearth, Ben
Anderson told the story Of his ten days
search.
First he had gone to Detroit to see |
Gordon; but Gordon did not keep the !
house now, and had moved out of the |
city, and no one seemed 20 know Just !