The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-10-10


"You shall not stir. I am delighted
70 see you mere; you shall not leave.
Il shall leave, and this moment,
too"
She caught Oracle up and made a
movement to dart past him, but he step
ped before her with one arm o~utstreched,
barring the way. Oracle alarmed at
thus gesture, uttered a piercing shrek.
There was q sound of quick steps ap-
preaching, and Mrs. Fargo appeared
upon the threshold. DIR. Trim drop
ped his arm, and Amelia with flushed
face and indignant mein. approached
Mrs. Fargo.
What in the world is the matter p
exclaimed this lady. "Albert, ! thought
you were a robber. How have you
been frightening Mrs. Pullyn?"
"Shall I explain ?" asked the Doctor,
looking toward Amelia, who vanished
through the door without replying.
"Why, where are you going?" cried
a voice in the hall. It was Mrs. Trim,
who arrested her guest on the way to
the front door.
Mrs. Fargo and Albert now rushed
out, and the storm center was trans
ferred to the hall.
"You must not go Amelia. Ientreai
you do not CO." cried Albert wildly.
"Of course you will not CO." said
Mrs. Fargo, with decision. 1T never
heard of anything so absurd; come back
directly. I insist upon knowing the
meaning of all this" She took Amelia
by the arm and almost forcibly led her
back into the parlor. 'sIt is clear YOU
two have met BEFORE" she continued,
assuming the Office ofinquisitor; 'twhen
and where was it,"
"Shall I tell?" asked Albert.
Amelia maintained ahaughty silence.
you do not object, and, really, I see
no reason why you should. Mother,
you have often wondered that I did moi
marry. This is thereason." He point
ed to Amelia, who still stood drape1
in her long widows veil, clasping the
white-robed child in her arms.
II was not to blame" she said calmly.
"You were to blame; you should moi,
have let your father influence you."
"You should not have disputed with
my father. He was older than you,
and of course knew BETTER"
"Tlat is al exploded assumption.
But | I'M not going to renew that dis.
cussion with you" Then with q sud.
denly-awakened tenderness he advanced
and took from her tired arms the little
girl, who was nodding heavily against
her shoulder.
"There, sit down." he said gently.
After all these years we may certainly
let the old quarrel rest. I was so taken
by surprise that I did not do Justice to
the tender feeling my heart has always
retained for YOU"
"Tender feeling-quarrell What in
the nam of heaven are you talking
about?" cried Mrs. Fargo, impatientIy.
II am going to tell you," returned
Albert, laying the head of the sleeping
child against his breast, and beginning
to walk the floor. GLOW like You she
is, Amelia" he said, looking fondly
at her. "See, mother, this should
have been your grandchild. Yes, "
were engaged. You remember, Anne
liza, the night I proposed? II
was After the bali at the col.
lege, and we were walking home togeth-
er through the moonlit villege street.
You Wore rose-pink silk, with tulle ove1
it, and the tulle was all in t~atters, but
you looked as lovely as an angel; and
you said Yes without hesitation, like
the frank, sweet girl you were. Ali
we were very happy"
but you would always dispute with
papa about the proper treatment in fe-
vers, and the giving of calomel, and all
that, said Amelia, sadly. Papa, who
had practiced medicine forty years, and
who of course knew Sc much better"
"Ah! don't speak of that" pleaded
Albert humbly, melting more and more,
wrought upon not by memory alone,
but by that inexplicable tenderness that
will flow out about a little head nestled
against the breast; " own that I was
wrong"
"You admit it, at lastp exclaimed
Amelia, with on air of triumph.
Wrong in disputing, I mean; not in
the principle.
"You cling to your heresy7 Papa said
it was fiat heresy."
"What have med1caI theories to do
with my loving you" he asked, pausing
before her and looking earnestly at her.
"You married, to please you father, an
old.school physician, twenty years old
er than yourself. Did his medical ortho.
doxy make you happy?"
She did not reply.
"Tell me-" he insisted, "were you
happy with him."
you shan't question me So" she re-
piled, making a last struggle, "Give
me my baby, don't love to have any
hold her but myself"
See how sweetly she is sleeping in
my arms, Amelia. I have never be en-
SO happy since the night we walked
home from the dance together. Doesn't
your heart tell you you owe me som
reparation for all the happiness you
you have kept back from me?"
Amelia futtered her fan and looked
at the floor. It was o stained floor she
noticed.
"Let me keep the baby, he urged.
"Let me teach her to call me papa"
A faint smile curved Amelia's lips,
but she did not look up. He bent on
one knee before her.
Say yes again, dear, he whispered.
"TI be SO good to you both"
The smile grew more decided, and
she bent forward as if to kiss the chiId's
fair temple, but Albert, perhaps misin-
terpreting her design, bent forward al
SO, and the kiss fell upon his mustached
lip.
Mrs. Trim and Mrs. Fargo, who had
t,ptoed from the room a few moments
before, were embracing each other in
the sitting room, with tears of irrepres-
sible laughter. Half an hour later
Mrs. Fargo returned to the parlor,
thoughtfully overturning u chair as she
came through the hall.
WELL" she said, eff you two have
come to a place where you can leave
of, perhaps you will come to dinner"