Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-07-12

eeSih 10 peileVe you, Ophelis
answered, with smile.
But she sighed the next moment
thinking sadly of one whom she believes!
,rne and noble, and wondering if Harr,
Iester would prove more faithful to her
sistef than lie had proven to hersel
years before,
as the summer days went by, and she
| saw more of Harry, who came quite fre.
quently now, she grew to value hine y,
MS true worth, not as the world saw him,
and she believed that he was true and
good. He was no more of fiirt than
was her careless.hearted, impulsive sis
teri II the charm of his presence made
him fascinating to women he could no
more help it than he could help his
handsome face, graceful figure, and
| abundance OF wherewithal to obtain
many of the coed things of life, which
served to render him an attraction for
Old and young alike. As Ophelia came
to know him well she liked him 90 she
liked but few men, and she began to be
anxious for his happiness instead OF her
sisters; for she doubted If Edie loved
nm as girl should love betrothed
husband. She seldom spoke of Harry
unless Ophelia herself first referred to
MN, and never with that innocent, girl
ish embarrassment that would have
peen so natural had she loved the young
man. SO she feared that Harry was not
loved as ne deserved to be.
1t was only q vague snspiclon, but it
iaunted her continually, aud troubled
her ten times more than any real, SUBJ
stantial trial. What if Edie had been
dazzied by his wealth, and was either
proud OF having rich man at her feet,
or else intended to marry him for his
money alone! She worked herself into
q perfect fever over the thought, one
day, and her sympathy was all tor poor
Harry, who, resisting the many snares
laid for his benefit, had at last fallen a
victim to the charms of girl who,
naturally pure-hearted aud above the
level of matrimonial schemers in general,
was blinded and led away by the temp
tation which always before had been
something beyond the pale of her actual
experience, and was, through force of
circustances rather than nature, a
greater deceiver even than any of the
rest.
That very night she happened to come
quietly into the room, and found Edith
bending over photograph which she
pressed to her lips and caressed so
tenderly that Ophelia thought in pleased
astonishment
"She is dreaming over Harry's pic
ture; she does love him, then!"
So noiseless had she entered that
Edith had not heard her, and with
mischievous thought to tease her sister
she crossed the room, and leaning over
Edith, cried gayly:
Caught, my dear!"
The next moment look of bitter in-
dignation came into her face, and she
drew away from her sister, saying in
tones of stern reproach:
Edith, [ couldn't have believed this
ofyou!"
Fori it was not Harry Testers picture
that Edith held, but different face;
young, aud frank and manly, but not
Harry's.
"You are untrue to your lover" cried
Ophella, bitterly, her sister sank help
lessIy on the ground, with her head bur
led on her knees, and shook with emo
ton. "You are cherishing the picture
of another, while he is wasting the love
OF his heart upon you, you false, wicked
girl!"
Feeling her composu1e giving way,
Ophelia turned aud left the room. Five
minutes later, Edie managed to get up
fIom her undignitied position, sighed
deeply as she dried her eyes, and went
to the desk which they shared between
them for writing materiale. But pres
emily she was shaking again, and the
little pink note, when it was written at
last, had in truth, lather a ziezag ap-
pearance, taken all in all, though it evi-
IDENTIFY answered as we'll as more official
looking document; for when Miss
Ophelia Lawrence was enjoying her
breakfast the next morning in solitary
state, as far as concerned the rest of her
family, Miss Edith, watching at her
window, beheld one OF thehotei messen-
gers open the gate and ring the bell that
was probably used once in six months.
A note for Miss Ophelia, aud the bearer
awaited an answer.
1t was addressed in round bold
hand, and in no little wonder Opheia
broke the seal.
My DEAR MISS LAwaENcE: Edith tells me
that the time for explanation has arrived; be-
lieve me, have a, -aited it with no little i'm
patience. VIII you permit me to call and make
my excuses in person for the little deception
which was practiced solely in the hope that the
end would justify the means "a hope that
your answer to question 1 am longing to ask ask
may crush forever? But 1 am still brave
enough to wish it put to the test. Sincerely,
HARRY LESTER.
Ophelia forgot to finish her breakfast,
and the next half hour was one filled
with conflicting emotions, in which be-
wlldeTment fought quite battle with
the new born certainty resulting in the
sudden destruction OF the thin, flimsy
veil which had covered the secret she
had fancied was SO securely hidden in
her own heart that even she herself
hardly recognized its existence. The ap-
pearance OF Mr.. Testers handsome
figure, but added Hfuel to the fame"
until that gentleman, without more ado,
encircled her in his manly arms, and
Edie, waxing impatient at last, and per-
laps feeling just triae slighted after
all she had done to bring them together,
made bold to intrude, and came upon the
" flirting" Mr.. Lester and the cold
maidish " Miss Lawrence billing and
cooing like a pair of turtle-doves, and
indulging, after the manner of all lovers,
in those soft, honeyed phrases which
seem to be an especial delight to them,
and a wonder to every one else.
"Oh ]" said Edie. 'sI may presume
we are both forgiven?" And Ophelia
laughed and grew rosy. For Harry had
told her OF Edie's private engagement to
his brother John, and how the latter,
ordered to "the springs" for few
weeks, had left her in his brothers care;
also how Miss Edie, learning her sisters
opinion concerning Harry Lester and
Harry Testers private feelings toward
her sister just about the same time, had
made a confidant of her future brother
in-law, and solemnly assured him that
he had no possible chance of winning
her sister until he could persuade her
that his "intentions were honorable;"
he was not what she thought him, and
as "all's fair in love and war, there was
no possible harm in taking advantage Of
Johns solemn charge. BY which Edie
gained little fun for herself, and rich,