Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-02
~ am Miss Dean," she announced.
"Air yOu?O uuastion..d tha Wv

calmly.
you did not send any one to fetch my
baggage" Margaret continued, with a tone
una suggested remissness in duty.
- should s'pose not, as it isn't mine
Cnough Tor that matter I've had to fetch
and carry my own this many q year. I
DON'T want to buy anything, either" with
a suspicious glance at the small satchel.
looked at her in bewilderment.
Dean-your boarder for the summer. You
we're expecting me, were you not? Per-
haPs"Iwitha happy thought that this was
P!opaoly only an obtuse rustic servant
II you should call Mrs. Grey"
I'd have to call a long time; she's been
Sress, without opening the door an inch
Wiaer. Il wasn't expectin' you, because
l never heard of you before, and l don't
want any boarders for the summer"
Dusty, tired, "a stranger in a strange
land,"a and the sun sinking low in the west,
d sudden dismay seized Margaret.
1T is very extraordinary" she MUIR
INJURED. There must be some mistake. 1
certainty have correspondent with a Mr..
Grey OF this place, and engaged q room for
inc summer. A boy at the depot directed
me here"
"Well, there's no Mr.. Grey here. Pm
Susan Grey, neither more nor less" Then,
with a closer scrutiny of her VISITORS at.
tire, a smile began to glimmer on the hick-
ory-nut face. Now I shouldn't be sur
prised if twas Noxton where you was
AMIN, to go TOT" she remarked.
certainly it was. Where am II"
I'm Observation-Disclosures a different
k1nd OF place. That one is way off in an
other direction on the other road. You
must nave made a mistake when you
changed cars"
There was comfort in the information
that the other was a different kindo of place,
nevertheless the situation was embarrass.
ing. Miss Dean sat down upon the door
step.
"Then I must go back. What is the ear
Hest train I can take?"
won't be any passenger before two
O'Clock tomorrow afternoon. You see, this
is only a branch road. Come in and rest a
spell. You'll nave to stay somewhere ali
night, and you might as we'll stay here"
II door was thrown wide open at last,
and Miss Dean found herself in a room as
cool and clean as it was plain and homely.
with her entrance the hostess seemed to
concede all claims to hospitality. She led
the way to an airy chamber, brought fresh
water, and suggested tie possibility of an
earlier supper than usual if desired.
DO not inconvenience yourself in any
way," Margaret urged. 81 am very glad
to stop here after my stupid laundering,
and l beg that you wiz let me make as lii.
tie trouble as possible"
well l can't afford to put myself out
much, THAT'S honest,o was the prompt re-
ply. II keep the village observation-disclosures
that don't amount to no great-do dress
maxim and tailorin' besides, and what with
the care of the house and garden, I've work
enough on my hands,"
They looked like Thrown roughened
hands that had never lacked hard work.
They were a marked contrast to the deli
cate ones that had fallen in Margaret's lap,
both women noticed it; but the elder
only added, a little more curtly. "You're
welcome to stay until tomorrow, thought
A little head, with tangled yellow curls
and grave dark eyes, appeared for a mo-
ment at a half-opened door, and Margaret's
quick glance of admiration atoned even for
her white hands. There was a curious
softening OF her hostess's hard face.
sit is the child" she said. "Go away,
Billy"
The face disappeared, but a little later,
when Margaret was sitting in the wide
portico, it looked upon her again through
the swaying vines, and presently a small
brown hand was pushed through and
touched the trimming of her dress with
grave curiosity.
Won't you run around here and talk to
me?" she asked, amused.
But there was no running. He came
slowly, with the pitiful sound of a little
crutch on the walk, and sat down on the
steps at her feet, and looked up at her with
a mingling of pleasure and wonder.
"Did you come from Heaven?" he asked.
"No, indeed!" she laughed, though with
a quick thought that the life from which
she had come might seem like paradise
compared with this.
on your finger" observed Billy, watching
her ring-Tom's one e~xtravagant gift-as it
flashed back the last rays of sunlight. Then
his eyes wandered over her dress again,
and back to his own clean patched little
apron.
"Wish-wish we was, too" he murmured,
more in solloquy, than as if speaking to
any one. "Wish susanna wear shiny rib
bons and stars only she can't, 'cause-
she's Susan. She's good, she is" he added,
with a flash of his dark eyes into Margaret's
face, as if she had questioned the state
with where you live? ' he asked.
"Plenty of them. I had a whole room
full"
"Wish I had somes" unused Billy, visit.
fully, resting his elbows on his knees, and
settling his chin between his small palms.
"We'd play ball-no," surveying his lame
foot; .'they'd play ball, and I'd tell 'em to
sing"
"Biily," called a voice from within the
house-a voice like the woman face, not
exactly harsh, but as if the wear and tear
of life had left no room for softness.
"Comin', SUSAN" the child answered, so.
berly, and hobbled away.
Sleep could comfortably occupy the night,
but what to do with the long hours of the
forenoon was a problem that greeted Mar
garet with the morning sunlight. She
tried to solve it at the breakfast table.
II think 1 must explore your village
while l stay. Are there any places of spe.
cial interest~
swell, l don't know. I've heard they was
havin' meetin's every day at the little
church across the rum" suggested Miss
Grey, in evident uncertainty as to what her
visitor might consider interesting. "Then
there's the hills; some folks like to wander
round over them."
Margaret decided to try the hills; but her
pleasant rambling was abruptly terminated
by a dash of rain that forced her to seek
speedy shelter. An isolated building with
an open portico was fortunately not fa1
from her path; but it was only when she
had reached it, and was brushing the rain
drops from her clothing, that she discovered
it to be "the little church across the run.
II shall have the satisfaction of doing
both places of interest, then-the hills and
the 'meetin'," she laughed softly to her.
self.
From beyond the half-open door cam
the sound OF a voice rising and falling in
a regular sing-song way-a seesaw style OF
elocution that had nothing to do with EN-.
4 I-A 1000