The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-02-20
His LITTLE LOVE-

a snowy January afternoon.
/ Through the little window of the warm
waiting room we travellers saw the snow
blowing across the whitened fields, and
heard the sweep Of the wind among the
leaaess branches and against the win.
dow panes.
A gentleman Of about 80 stood at the
window, one arm resting on little shelf,
and eyes bent On the girlish face be-
side him. He was not handsome, yet
his was face one would look at with
as much or with more interest than il
the featurrs were Is perfect as Apollo's
own.
The eyes and mouth were full of pow
or, the former very expressive, and, as
he spoke now, full of easy quizzic,l re.
gard.
"Are You afraid of me, Miss Marion? {?
Do you think shall prove q tyranni-
cal or lenient guardian2"
II am not the least bit afraid Of you,
sirl" the young lady called Marion an.
swered in cold, business-like voice,
looking him in the eye.
"Not afraid? How strange!" he said,
the smile around his mouth deepening.
DO you generally inspire those who
meet you, with awe, Mr.. Vann?"
II am lawyer" he replied, "there.
fore blessed with second sight, of
course. Not only do we Judge by the
outward evidence of the thoughts in a
clients heart. but the inner working of
the vital organ is an open book to us.
Your thoughts now"
He paused.
"Well," she asked impatient1y.
Are not hattering to me, You con-
slider me an unmitigated bore, very
GOLD and professioual-not good look
ing. You long for school left behind
in the south, where days like this were
unheard OF, and where the college stu
dents serenaded you and dedicated
dowery sonnets to your beauty"
The girl flushed and darted quick,
angry glance at him from the dark eyes
under the little tissue veil strapped
across her nose.
"You are pleased to be sarcastic" I"
she said, with little sneer and shrug;
"but of what matter is it? If it amuees
you, sir, it amuses me infinitely more.
am not afraid of your satire, neither
do I like you'll"
Jerome Vann raised his brows in un-
feigned surprise.
She was so petite, so childish in APP
pearance in spite of her 18 years. and
the open animosity was SO novel. Il
was all refreshing and he watched her
amusedly as she went to distant cor.
ner and buried herself in a novel, to
the complete exclusion of himself.
All he could see beneath the book
was q pair of extremely lovely red lips,
and these he watched steadily, scarcely
aware of it. Five minutes passed, tick
ed slowly off by the clock in the empty
waiting room, and brown curl appear.
ed above the rim Of the book, then one
curious and brightly angry eye, which
met his gaze and disappeared like a
flash.
Jerome laughed. He knew that by
that outburst of mirth he totally lost
all vantage ground with her, but he
could not help it.
Still smiling, he walked slowly to her
side.
"Do not freeze mel" he said, patheti-
cally, holding ont his hand; 1--WE must
be friends, you know"
"Not at all, }" she said, coldly. "Iam
absolutely sure that we shall never
agree. Better begin as We shall surely
endl"
"You dislike me?"
II have said so," she answered, turn
ing the leaf.
I"And why? Because Ihave been un-
fortunate enough to have unwilllngly
offended you?"
"You have laughed at me. I do not
know what name they give that in the
North; but, in Virginia, we should call
that unmannerly."
IF I have been SO, Miss Romero, I
sincerely beg your pardon" Jerome
said, stifiiy. and retired to the window,
to whistle the Exile of Erin," in most
distracting discord, until the train pulled
in.
Jerome sat by the library fire, a cigar
between his lips, his hands clasped idly,
his eyes almost closed.
He was listening to . story which in
terested him.
A younger man was sitting by tho
fire, cane in his hand, and his chin
resting on the top of it. He was very
handsome young fellow, and the fire.
light, playing on his head, turned his
hair to gold, and made the intense, earn
est blue eyes seem black.
II have loved her from the begin
ming" he said. slowly. Through all
the past months I have loved Marion
silently; now I will tell her of it, with
your permission, and learn my fate.
Better ultimate rejection than this sus-
pense"
''Ned Burlington, you love my ward ?"
Jerome asked, calmly, and no evidence
that his heart was beating like BOYS
could be seen in his face.
"You love her truly, you say?"
IT do! Upon my honor!? Ned re-
piled. "That, surely, is not strange.
Could man, seeing her constantly, as
I have done, not lose his heart to
her?" -....s--... ,.
"You know, of course, that she was
left q fortune?" jerome asked again. in
the same quiet way.
II have heard SO. Perhaps, indeed,
it is the only thing to be regretted, for |
I love her and have abundance for
both, Ned answered regretfull~.
Her guardian stood up, and his face
was very pale.
1T is no longer to be regretted.