The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-06-28

and though very reluctant to part with
her, he drove over to Priarton. .-,,s,4,. ~, =
She was standing in the hall az he left
that night, after dinner; and held out
her hand to say tgood-by.
-! can't thank you enough for all your
Kindness" che said softly. 7 -,
NAY, my child, can not tell you
what a pleasure it has been to me; but
perhaps you will know some day." he
replied, and she went UP stairs wonder
ing what he meant. ~ p
She believed SO firmly in ,platonic
t tp,nH ship that she would not let herself
bert was anything else; and, although
she knew he disbelieved in her theory
in the Abstraction they had argued the
subject very warmly-still she thought
that his sentiments were well defined in
her case.
Hugh Lambert felt as if something
very bright had come into his life since
he had known Dorothy. She was so
quaint and naive in speech, new and
fresh with ideas and theories, so fresh
and unaffected III manner, and yet so
womanly withal, that during those few
days they had spent together she had
completely won his heart. But he was
not likely to act on the spur of the mo-
ment; he was so much older than she;
how could he expect the bright little
body to regard him as anything but
steady going friend?
But still, day after day he would ride
over to see her at Priarton, and when
he returned would stand think of how
she used to look in the rooms that now
seemed SO desolate.s How he longed in
the evenings for the sound of her voice
singing to him s'The Land o. the Leap
or "Auld Robin Grayw
And Dorothy began to watch for his
coming; and if, by chance, something
detained him at home, how long the day
seemed, and how uninteresting every
thing seemed! At first she justified it
to herself by the thought of her friend
ship for him-a friendship which had
ripened quickly in the peculiar circum-
stances OF their meeting; but little by
little, as time passed, and she had been
at Priarton three months, it dawned
upon the girl that the feeling she enter
tanned. for Hugh Lambert was some
fought against herself with all the
strength of her nature; she could not
bear to prove false to her own theories
and traitor to her .favorite cause; but fl
ally she felt the struggle was hopeless,
and made up her mind to keep her Sc
cret securely locked in her own bosom.
While gathering primroses one sweet
spring afternoon, Dorothy heard step
crushing the dead leaves, and sawHugh
coming toward her.
II want to speak to you," he said.
"Will you walk with me a httlew
Presently he turned sharply and took
both her hands looking more in earnest
than she had ever seen him look.
II can't stand this any longerW he
cried out. 81 must know my fate one
way or the other. 1t is true that I am
years older, but no one will ever care
for you better than I do. If you cannot
love me in return. will 60 away and
never worry you any more, give you
my word. Am to 60, Dorothy?"
$50! Oh, mol" she gasped out, hardly
able to realize what she vas saying, only
feeling as if she could not breathe, her
heart beat so wildly.
Not long afterward there was happy
wedding at the dear old home; and then
Dorothy came back to brighten up the
old house at Legion.
Hugh Lambert would have been less
or more than man if he coulo have re.
sisted ttiumphing over her little; and,
as they went into the library, where he
and she had bravely defended her the
cries, he turned and said:
"By-the.by, Dorothy. who was right,
after all, about Platonic friendship"