The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-09-12

n any n superior" the young
gentleman queried laughingly.
II only dislike shams, " the girl an.
swered in her blunt and direct way
"and agilded sham more than all. And
l shall be sorry if Celestial aelude you,
as she has succeeded in deluding many
another who perhaps were less she
hesitated, Q delicate pink flush kayer.
ing over her calm features.
Less what?" he's inquired, smiling
still with . certain indolentequanimity
thats her bluntest and most uncon,.
promising candor could never provoke.
LESS weak, / ana afraid, Alfred
she said with a~stonishing composure
"You are more candid than fattering
Amie," he returned uneasily but with
no %vexation. But after all I love yor
the more dearly for your utter frank.
ness always and in everything. AnG
you need apprehend nothing that viii
me-"
And ehe.meant what he averreh. But
nevertheless, as time Went on, he. be.
cana unmindful of his promisa-mind
full OF nothing but the fascination O
enc fair woman. the beck of whose
small white hand had a charm to lur,
Inn w~heresoeyer she might will. HI
did not quite mean to abjure his allegi
anee to another; he certainly had NJ
wish to grieve, mol to affront his prom,
ised bride; but he was indeed weak
SO pitifully weak, and the temptress Sc
very fair!
And besides, Annie seemed to have
become SO placidly Indifferent to it all
she never seemed to feel distrustful no,
neglected, but was always her sedatt
and amiable self, maintaining only {
polite and mildly resolute reserve to.
ward the captivating woman agains,
whom she ventured no more warnings.
Annie is not capable of any grea'
passion of any kind, neither of any fine
sentiment nor sweet enthusiasms," he
would think, apologizing to his com
Function. II like fire and spirit, and ]
do not know that I should be judged
weak and blamable just because ]
turn to another for what she can her.
self never afford me-" Z
But perhaps in her quiet way Annie
suffered; perhaps in her opinionate6
way she believed that her weak anc
recreant wanderer would sometime
surely return to her affections; certain.
~ in her Independent way she neve,
seemed to require the attentions that
he had lately denied her. She went
about her strolls alone-sedate and
prim and self indefatiga.
bic explorer of all the picturesque won.
ders of Garnwold.
Late one afternoon she paused
in the tangled hollow, beside the
little lake, and reposed herself up.
on the cool dry grass, listening absent,
to the drowsy rustic of the leaves, and
the lazy tapping of the water upon the
rocks below.
Presently the sound of familia,
voices came through the wall of frs be.
fore her, and as half unwillingly she
peered into the glade beyond she be.
held her betrothed husband and the
fair woman who had charmed his hear,
from her.
They were standing on the utmos,
verge Of the messy bank, she contem.
plating the purple waters that glistened
far below; but the man seemed uncon-
scious of everything but her presence
he watched only for the soft bushes Of
the perfect face, and for the coquettisl
smiles of the handsome crimson mouth.
Suddenly he bent toward her and
seized both her small jeweled wrists.
"You shall speak r will be answered
now, he said. passion in his dreamy
eyes and sternness in his polished
voice; Il was warned against you;
was warned that you are a gilded sham
Q woman who delude the hearts of men
for their sport Of a summer day. Blu,
| have chosen to believe you true, ]
have chosen to believe You can love as
l would be loved; and for all my faith
in you, Celestia, / demand you end q
suspense l can endure no longer"
She struggled from his ungentle
grasp and made a little cry of coquet-
fish protest. But at the moment an
other individual gentleman of an
~nnpleasantly plebean aspect-strode
across the glade and approached her.
Il have been searching for you every
where" he said. irritably, as he drew
her submissive hand within his arm,
and with a grudging and boorish sort
OF salute toward poor Al. "Little Rolly
is dangerously sick again, and I have
come to take you home. I am obliged
to you, sir, for your attention to my
wife," he added, with ap~eculiar chuckle
and another grudging acknowledgment
to the astonished Alfred Luray.
The young gentleman could scarcely
as yet realize the significance of it all
but as the two moved away he liftedhis
hand to his forehead and turned as if to
shut from his sight the cruel thing which
had wounded him.
His movement was incautious, and
his needless feet slipped on the mossy
verge of the steep bank, and the next
instant he fell forward-down, ever
down, toward the glistening depths be-
low.
And a moment later, Annie, from her
covert in the tangled hollow, beheld
him lying, like mi dead, among the
rocks, the lazy water tapping his pallid
face, upturned to the summer sky.
Something more potent than senti-
ment, and more efficient than enthusi-
asm, served MIN now. Avery practical
and deliberate young woman clambered
down the p~erilous and difficult declivity
q strong young arm helped him to a
grassy couch beyond the reach of those
deadly waters a cool young brain soon
ascertained that his hurts were. super
fetal, and q steady, skilled hand adj
ministered the draught that aroused him
to consciousness.
"What brave and clever girl you
are" he at length said, holding her
fast, and regarding her with a look of
gratitude and contrition that he fancied
she could not wholly comprehend.
She understood sufficiently well, how
ever. But candid of soul and blunt of