The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-17
A DANGEROUS LOVE.
scENEI

V 49, L'E a
winter day; a cold sky of snow dancing in
joyous ~vivasity, to cover, with negligent chart
~, the ugly little town and hide ita curious air
Of incompletion. The walls of adobe and stone,
the ncongruities of design, the irregular, un-
even streets full of rocks in the rough, togeth-
er with hillsetting of numerous abandoned
prospect holes and rudimentary tunnels, gave
0 Whimsical suggestion that Titans had left I'M
ualshed a town they had been cutting out from
the earth's raw material.
dhis was the outside aspect as seen through
pair of tall windows, with curtains stretched
pack to gather every ray of lightfrom the dim,
duilsky. The light, scantasit was, brought out
aomelike the cheer within. The warm red of car
petand casual fittings comforted the eye. Atthe
windows broad shelves full of plants that gave
hesoles suggestion of luxury, barring the aroma
nc brilliance of a fragrantcedar fire. A room of
whose possibilities the most had been made,
full of the personality of its tenants-a room
where q man was very apt to get a sense of re-
pose and mi~nistration-chief requirements of
the masculine nature.
Edward Lamb found its effect like that,
leaning at ease in a homely big chair that had
the knack, like all the chairs at this house, of
fitting the human frame. A large, fair man,
slightly inclining to stoutness, he was of that
type of Irish beauty that involves wholesome,
clear skin, flushed with delicate ~rosiness,
abundant blonde hair and deep blue eyes, with
more sleepy tenderness than was strictly ed
sential behind their thick long lashes.
I'm very fearful Tn in for another fort
night" he said; mot much chance for roads
opening while this sort of thing goes on"
Miss Soulsby left the window md came back
70 her low seat on the hearth, laughing. The
mpalence Of his words was SO completely at
variance with the dehberation and contentmcnt
Of his tone.
1t is only a question of days for you, and then
=" She made an expressive little gesture of
farewell and departure.
And you?-are you coming East some day."
'Oh, yes, she answered, with a certain Dlithe
skeptcism, when we sell q mine!s
MIR. Lamb smiled Mt her s~atirical touch upon
she sangrine creed of the camp. stIedyard
was wondering what could keep me here he
said, inconsequently; ga Bohemian born, for
whom the noise and worry of cities is as the
breath of life
Madelon Soulsby looked at him intently.
We'll she said, a little sharply, 'swhat has
kept your"
And yet he knew that she was perfectly
AAsa Spp titbhs wv oth 'tIiSy
could hardly have counted the long compsnia-
bie afternoons they had spent together that
winter. The little town was agog with the
lrlshman's infatuation. 1t would have needed
more than their joint assertion to have con-
WINGED the gossips that between these two no
iove-making had been.
Yes, l ought to have gone last week, he
said, ignoring her audacity," when Ledyard
went"
.'Why did you not go?" she persisted.
The household cat had leaped upon her lap
-avicious big beast, whose claws had u wicked
way of unsheathiig themselves upon fondling
fingers, Mr.. Lamb found himself dwelling on
the fact that he had never seen Dick so requite
Miss Souisby's careless endearments. The la
~ creature laid himself luxuriously across
her knees like q great, gray mnff, az the girl
nestled her hands on his warm tur-dellcate
hands those, always cold; not clanlmy, but
cold with a firm and reticent force of their
own.
SOM day-who knows?-itmay be made a
penal ofence-their exercise of this capacity
some woman have for indirect challenge; this
tacit wooing that perhaps o~verweighs a mans
prerogative of outspeaking.
Edward Lamb was a phlesmatic man, or
dinarily, and little given to impulses; but Just
now he would have bartered his souls saliva
aon for the right to displace Dicks padded fur
with his own handsome fair head, to feel that
caressing touch press down his tlrobbing eye
Aids. To his dying day he would not forget the
picture that instant photographedon the retina
"of MS hearL fof MN. hereafter, no wonder
of art nor revelation of living beauty could dis
pei the memory of the graceful, girlisb shape
whose quietude told OF repression, not inertia
theair of absolute self-confdence and cool, i'm.
partial self disdain; the bright face, with that
mocking phase of mingled Wooing and warn
ing; the grave, childish usefulness on that
rounded brow; the sweet lips just now curved
in scorn; the intent, amber eyes.
MIR. Lamb averted his gaze and took up a
novel from a couch in the inglenook. BY the
-pnn1rpDifv nf fhnf fnryarcn fafa ,,lN ni..a1,
gates to inopportunity these crucial moments,
it was a novel treating of the domestic adven.
lures of a young journalist and the pa
thetlc, small economies of his wife. Both
had read the tale; inevitably their com.
"ments must partake of sentimental color
ing s1s il the man,ier w,v ], said NJ 1,mh vii,
- fine air of unconcern and Indifference, 'tto Of
fer a woman such a life as that?-or would one
better protect her from self-sacrifice by keep.
ing s%ilencess
The man is most fatuous who fancies tina,
IA woman will not make instant personal
application of such a speech An exasperat.
ing smile of discernment benz Miss Soulsby's
"Men have the prerogative of committing any
smadness," she said; with woIna rests til.
veto power of self-protection against such in.
SANITY"
care you so worldly"
81 may well be- said the girl, bitterly;
"1 have known priyatlon all my aife long
that teaches the true value of THIS worlds
goods"
Involuntarily his gaze fell straight upon he,
f~garb-soft, rich gray, its outlines defined here
and there by broad bands of gay Roman stripe
n some velveg-loohing WOODEN fabric. Il
cannot conceive your having known the need
of money" he said: few women are dressed
like that ~Hcstopped, becoming conscious
how pointed were his remarks.
Few are, she asserted, laughing, "'llappily
for themselves and the peace Of their house
hold; see. You like my frock-men are &C
short-sighted-blind batsl You like. it, and
whys Because it is nicely proportioned, and
itistrue to its purpose. Do You seer" She
held her drapery forward naively. .'Talisi is "a
froek for the house-not the sort of costume
adaptability; that is it, not elegance. Tie
whole thing costme-4three dollars"
"Whet!"
SIT is quite true: Ipaid that for the gray
fsnnel. The bright stripe was the best por.
ton OF aworn out shawl, and I had the hut
TOMS with an air of triumphant conclusion.
Mr.. Lamb found something very brave and
very pathetic in the simplicity and detail OF
THIS confession. This endurance of vanity's
modification appeared heroic as contrasted
with the Lavish expenditures of other women far
less soyely and worthy. Rutthen, men usual
" are willing to concede great virtue to the
praeticality that achieves slightly results Ii
Miss Soulshyls attire haA beer. unbecomipg. or
if Miss soulshy,s self had been less pleasant "a
the eya, no dnrbt her exposition of ways and
means might have seemed sordid and revolving
in the extreme. Also, some allowance must be
made for the attitude Of delightful intimacy
lnplied in condolences on & topic sp nearly per-
,sonal as this of toilet matters. Altogether,
,nany things godo modify the t~riSiality in value
of discusslons-hatween wo<aan aud man-on
ruerile thesnes.
= 81 thank you" said Edward Lamb, almost
seyerently.
.aBut this is sill en- the very worst possible
taste, !" said Miss fSoulsby, briskly; sGsooth to
say. / am in a huge tit of d~isssst-thanks, no
i. doubt to the weather. All this might look lar
mom endnrabae by q warmer light with a
d;sdninfnl gestu re. .osamnrehnndllssr The whnla