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

hooN AiShA iib pOstslt u lSltcE liz Hllhu AiuutD
there All day it had burned there in his
breast, full of its own admonition.
u would have put it in her hand" he told
himself between the mnfied plunges of his
heart. but now there is no need. Her own
speech has taught me what she feels" He
dropped the letter between the cedarlogs, with
a very storm of passions and temptations war
ring within him. And yet, SO speedily, so 81
lently arc made the decisions that determine
human destinies !-before the curlea and crack
ling ash flew upward, black and writing, a
strange revulsion of feeling swept over him.!
and he loathed himself for the sin he would
have done.
He urnedreluctan eyes on Madelon Soulsby,'
afraid and ashamed; and behold she sat UNI
conscious and composed as some young SAINT,
her grave brow serious and calm, her delicate
hands folded, almost as if for prayer. Had
Mr.. Lamb come pretty near making a mistake?
Does a man live who can battle with tempta-
ton and overcome it, and then abandon the
field without further dalliance with evil? Is il
that we like to parade our power and make
show of our strength
What q little creature you are!!" said Ed.
ward Lamb. "How tall detinately? Stand up
and let me see."
He put out his hand as ii to raise her from
the chair, but drew back short of her finger.
tips. For his life he dared not now presume
by so much as that slight touch. She stood up
as simply as a child.
"What was that Orlando said abouth his lady's
stature?:"
Just as high as my heart "-she barely
breathed the words, yet, with exquisite tender
ness, inclinins her head with a movement IN
speakably sweet and shy, until her cheek bent
Just above his throbbing heart, yet quite apart
from him
But before her hair was stirred by the sigh
from his dropping lips she sprang back like a
creature at bay, her brow knit in a frown, her
eyes blazing Indignation and reproah.
"How dare YOU" she cried, "What a pitt
full pretext! How ingenious! How full of cour.
age!"
Come in!' Miss Soulsby's sweet voice fol.
lowed H. knock at the door.
MIR. Lambs associate came into the room.
"Leayard telegraphs that tho line is open
now and a party is starting out You have not
q moment to spare. No one knows how long
we may be shut in here, once the spring thaw
sets in"
And so, before the curious scrutiny of thi.
observer, they closed the day and bado each
other but a formal adieu.
SCENE II.
Mr.. Edward Lamb brought to its close a let
ter, sitting in the reading room of a hotel in the
city at the western seagate. Sundry influences
had elayedi its completion he had but Just come
to the end of his transcontinental trip: y Ger
tain sense OF freedom and elation was still new
enough to intoxicate him, heart and brain: he
could not put out of his mind his sensation,
when, crossing the bay from the train, he first
caught sight of the city looming ahead like
some mighty monster in bronze. And an ac-
quaintance he had made had restrained him
for atime.
He was just putting pen to paper when he
was greeted by a follow Journalist, who pres.
entity introduced Mr.. Lamb to u man sitting
near-a man whose name stands historic in the
records of the state, whose position and great
wealth might have commanded the younger
mans attention. Beyond these his interest
had been won by the mellow wisdom and gen.
tie shrcwdness of this quiet, kindly potentate
who, as per the Pacific journalists dictum,
"owncd half n county"
Even now, despite the vital interest OF tht
lines he was writing, Mr.. Lamb found his mine
and eyes straying towards his neighbor. The
fine, small head, venerable with its scant whlta
hair and flowing gray beard, was in relic!
against the wall, that threw up all its whole
some freshness and calm benevolence. Mr.,
Lamb found a sort of facination in this contem.
plation and divided his attention pretty equally
between the gentleman and the letter.
AS he folded tho sheet he lifted his eyes to-
ward the general staircase; coming down from
the floor above was the woman he was address.
ing.
Self-possessed and easily poised, she came
toward him with the old free step and the i'm.
penetrable challenge on brow and lip little
warmer of tint, q little brighter of eye than
when they parted. 1t was only when she had
come very close to him that be noted the ex.
ceeding richness of her attire, worn with the
same careless grace as the old-time flannel.
"She does become her fine raimentl" his
thought %exulted, "and yet she would not seem
endimanchee In cloth of gold"
She paused beside his chair and looked
straight into his kinlling, deep blue eyes with
her own unwavering gaze.
10 think l meet you here" he said; 81 was
sending you u letter to Ell Paraiso-see! Take
tread it now! Incoherent as it is, it will
speak as my lips cannot"
He put the paper into her reluctant hand.
Il would better not read it, l think, she said,
gently; "let me explain first"
"Read!!" he said, almost ~fiercely, and she
read slowly down the page:
1t was ayear since I heard one word of you
1.-THE letter ran, with that abrupt beginning
which siSnifes absolute absorption) when Led
yard writing, mentioned casually that in pass
ing through III Paraiso he had met you there.
The next day / started west again. / I'm here,
but l dare not go farther until | send ln ad-
vance my explanaton-not an excuse mind
for what seemed a cruel and cow
You remember the bleak and hopeless day.
The fight fought that afternoon has disabled
me ever since; but also it has strengthened
me. Can YOU understand that? No, no wo-
man can understand what itmeant to have you
there before my eyes, within reach of my arma
and to leave you. To know your sordid sur.
roundings, to hear of your privations, to SEQ
you beating your wings, against your prison
bars, and to know that the pleasures and lux.
nries I would have heaped upon youi must
render i'll unwilling tribute to a woman / alb
horred. You did not know no one on this
side new-tha l had q wife. l married her
in London when ] was jnstof age. Shewas IN
honest woman-I would have divorced her
else-but her coarse and vulgar nature
made my life a hell. Igave up everything to
her and came over to New York She was
nestled in luxury and you were in actual want!
Now you understand the temptation 1 battled
with ont yonder. / had a wild dream of carry
ing'you away with me. How you would have
reigned a little queen among the bright and
careless set l knew. just as that wonderful
adaptabi!lty will make you now the most fin
lshed and gracious of grandes DANES. / had a
letter from her in my hand that day and burned
it,in your cedar fire when I thought to do you
that wrong. But tho look on your face drove
back my words, thank God! and can offer
you now 9 g%uiltless future, for the woman who
was my wife is dead. 1 am following this let
ter tomorrow. Faithfully yours,
EDWARD LAxB.
She had grown very pale. She looked up with
q gasp, one hand on her heart. Before Mr..
Lamb could speak, could touch her the gray
haired man he had been Watching had come to
her side.
'sWhat is it, Madelon?"
No voice of youth ever held half the tender
ness of that old mans tone.
She made a, brave attempt to mile in reas-
surance.
ut was foolish-I am a little nervous TO-DAY,
perhaps-and-Mr. Lamb has given me, in this
letter, ill news of an old friend. I will 60 away
and rest q little from the shock. But first let ms
introduce What, Mr.. Lambg Have you al
ready net-myh usband?"
1
Storing Wheat From tho Thrasher.
will wheat thrasked direct fran the shock
sfsail ifput directin, the granary, and, If so, how