The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-07-24

- IvVS 30. Wnen the door open
go q Mia came back to her seat as he
vas eating his dessert, he raised hrs
! eyes with keen, searching glance
The color in Nita's cheeks was ali cone
now; they were paler even than usual.
ana the heavy eyebrows were drawn to-
gether IN a way that made the face
quite old and hard.
After his Office hours, as DIR. Irving
was preparing to start on his night
rounds, he called the girl to him. She
came, still with the same look in her
face.
Mia" he said, II want you to ex.
PLAIN your rather extraordinary conduct.
What on earth is the matter. child?
lou don't suppose / want to marry
you on 20 any n you don't care for,
Il do not want to marry any n .
SAID the girl, brusquely and ferceIy.
Upon second thought, L doubt wheth-
er any one would want to marry o "
remarked the doctor dryly, taking up
his hat. Nita stood sullenly. with drawn
DroWs, until he had reached the door,
then she suddenly flew after him and
caught him by the arm.
oh, dont-dont-don't be unkind
to me-" she cried. There was a sharp
sound of pain In her voice which caused
Doctor Irving to look at her attentive
". Then he said, gently and kindly, as
he always spoke to her.
MY dear little girl, you are nervous
and irritable. Cote bed, sleep soundly
and wake up in the morning yourself
again"
Mia said nothing but her arms crept
higher and clasped the doctors neck.
lyon are not angry? You will for
give zle?" she insisted, piteously, all
the Righteousness gone, and with the
peculiar pathetic look in her eyes again.
The doctor stopped and kissing her,
said, yes, of course, dear child" and
went out and the girl, as the door
closed behind him, threw herself face
downward on the lounge and burst into
a passion of tears.
After that night life did not 90 on
quite as before in the doctors house,
hold. There was a difference. Nita
had ceased suddenly, through some
mysterious process, to be the weird,
curious, elf-like child she had been /;
she seemed to have developed into a
woman. If possible the was more ST.
lent, more reticent than before. Her
eyes, in her small, haggard face looked
more intense than ever. Her manner
toward the doctor had changed a little.
She watched for his coming just as eager
~, but when he appeared she
would shrink back with q shyness
new to her. At times she had passion
ate outbreaks of temper which consid-
erably startled the old housekeeper,
who had always known her sas quiet as
a mouse; !" at other times she would shut
herself in her room all day, and the
housekeeper, listening at her door out
side, would hear the sound of muffied
sobs.
DR.. Irving apparently took no note
of any of these things. But be had "a
way Of seeing and studying much with
out giving any sign of having done SO.
He came in night bringing with
him to dinner a young man. The lat
ter made himself rather agreeable to
Mia and seemed bent upon producing
O favorable impression. He returned
after that many times. He called in
the evening while the doctor was MAX
ing his rounds, and when the doctor
found him there he ~discreetly disap-
peared after a few pleasant words and
left his ward to entertain her visitor un-
molested. Mia neither expressed
pleasure nor the reverse at this new
state of things, and thus a few months
passed.
Quite abruptly n day the doctor
said:
"Nita, Henry Payton has proposed Tor
you
Eyes, I know said Mia, and said
no
"Well," continued DR.. Irving with
one of the rare, peculiar smiles his lady
patients found so fascinating, what
answer are you going to give the poor
fellow
Instead Of replying Nita looked
steadily at her guardian a moment.
edo you want me to accept him?'
she asked,
eff you think you might be happy
with hint might be q good thing"
said DIR. Irving in a quiet matter-of
fact way.
The girl turned hrusquely away.
DIR. Irving took up his newspaper and
feigned not to see that she was fighting
against one Of the passions of sobs and
tears that had become almost habitual
with her es late
"Payton,a he went on in the same
tone, SIS a very fine fellow; hsis ex-
tremely fond Of You; hei well enough
off to give You Il most desirable home.
I. my dear child, shall in all prob.
ability, nos live forever. In ten years
time, when you will be still, as things
90 now. counted as q young lady, shall