St. Paul daily globe., 1885-03-17

customed to her fair, dainty face, her blue
bell eyes and her wonderful golden hair II
Harold spent much of his time with the
blonde town beauty Hilda never minded, fol
she was neither jealous nor suspicious.
Suddenly a light, low laugh, sweet as
bird-note, reached her as she awaited theil
return from a walk.
] "That is Nettie's laugh" she said; ''they
| are coming at last. I wonder If they know
how long they have kept US waiting Tor oul
| tea'
Then she started, and her lips grew white,
| for words were borne toward her which made
her shrink and shiver. 1t was Harold's
voice.
''You fancied 1 was lingering here because
had lost my heart to pretty Hilda! Why,
but for your coming would have been back
at my desk week since.'
| A light laugh again from Nettie.
''You say that quite as though you meant
it, Mr.. Dane.''
81 do mean it. When you leave Fairfax
farm follow within twenty-four hours"
"And if go Tomorrow"
''Then l go next day"
sand if l stay until Christmas?'
''Then 1 do likewise"
spray tell me-why?''
| "Because-I love vou.''
| Then Hilda's right hand, which had been
tugging nervously at something on one finger
of her left hand, opened. There was tran
sent glitter of gold and her hand was empty,
as she drew open the gate and met them in
| the early dusk.
81 have been looking for you," she said,
simply.
The young man looked closely at the little
| figure in simple white, trying to discover by
the bright face whether or not she had heard
but there was nothing for him to see in the
gathering gloom, and she chatted as viva
| ciously as ever as they went up the path to-
ward the house.
Ere they reached it they heard the sound
| OF hoofs, and dark animal outlined against
the pearl-gray of the sky, cantered up to the
hall door, The rider could be seen clearly.
"a visitor for you, Hilda, said N6ttie, and
Hilda went forward with a little cry, as the
light from the open door fell on the stranger.
A moment later she had given him both
| hands, and he was holding them warmly and
| looking down on her in way that made Har-
old Danes teeth meet in jealous anger.
| The stranger was introduced as Mr.. Ellis,
and presently Mr.. and Mrs. Fairfax were,
as Harold muttered, making a regular fuss
| over lDe Ieli0W.
An hour later the moon was up and the
four young people went out, and when Hilda
sang something very pathetic Mr.. Ellis joinec
his rich voice with hers.
''You haven't forgotten the old song, Lee,'
| Hilda laughed, at its conclusion.
''We sang it together too often for me to
forget it, was the low reply. And then they
were all saving goodnight to him as be
| lrYya eta !,
him.
| "Who is our stranger knight" she asked.
| GA very old friend,'' was Hildas reply
! intends now to settle down. You remember
the beautiful place you so admired last week
when we drove by it? 1t is his"
''Why," the blonde exclaimed in surprise,
Che must be very wealthy
she is,n Hilda answered, simply; and
then, as she lifted her left hand to arrange
the cluster of flowers at her throat, Harold
Dane saw in the light of the moon that it was
ringless.
''She heard me, then am an unlucky
beggar-but understand that this golden
haired belle is quite an heiress, he thought
x K x x K
81 am going away very regretfully, DEAR
Miss Nettie said, three weeks later. 81 have
so thoroughly enjoyed my summer with
YOU"
''And / wish YOU could make your visit q
longer one,'' said Hilda, pleasantly; "per-
haps yon will next summer. / wont be
here then. Nettie-did you not guess it?
will-will--''
ooh, you stammererr' laughed Nettie;
''you will be in that gray-stone mansion
among the naples. / guessed it the night
he came; he is good and true and loves you
dearly. Hilda, l was afraid when
first came that you cared little for Mr..
Dane; am glad you did not; he would give
a woman who loved him many heartache,
Hilda. / saw you at the gate that evening
and led him to talk as ! knew we would
when he thought you wouldn't hear; knew
you heard, although you were so brave. Now
tell me, where is the ring you wore when [
came? / have not seen it since that night. "
"Nor - said Hilda, very low; 81 left it at
the gate while 1 was listening to-him. 1t
was his gift-a love token
Miss Nettie laughed muscally.
~ wonder how many he has scattered
among the girls lie has metl' she said. Hilda
looked at her with puzzled eyes.
Il thought you cared for him." she said :;
'if you did not, how could you seem so kind
to himl"
Nettie bent suddenly forward and kissed
her on the cheek.
"You innocent childr' she said, 'you
cannot understand how one can enjoy an
innocent Irritation, can you2 Well, it was
my way of amusing myself. have secret
for your ears too; have met a man whom
can love with my whole heart. He is In the
city. Some time when you come to see me
you shall meet him. You will like bin,
HiIda, for he is much like Mr. Ellis. Such
men as be one loves; such men as Harold
Dane one firts with"
''Oh, Nette it cannot be right.''
''It isn't, andI would not advise you to
take 10 it as pastime. By-the-way, saw
Mr. Dane in the yard. I'll run out and have
q chat with him. He may want TO say few
tender things to me before parting"
But Harold Dane had no chance To say his
slender things'' to her we're he 50 inclined ;
for when she found him he was standing
where Hilda had stood in the cleaning, and
he had just lifted from the earth tiny hoo p
of gold, from which three white pearls
cleaned, and was looking at it trihe
Dlankly.
'Hilda dropped it, think, that evening
when she heard you say you would follow me
to town, and few other Things, Mr.. Dane,
the girl said pleasantly. II think that she
expects you TO bid her goodbye. She knows
that you cannot support the dullness Of Fair
fax farm twentT-four hours after have left
it,
And her laugh was very musical and sweet
as she went back TO Hilda On the whole,
she had rather enjoyed her little Irritation,
and Hilda's happiness was safe.