The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-11-27
HER PRIDE suBDUED.


HER PRIDE SUBDUED.
When Helen Vinton was 81 the great
mills where her father had made tho
bulk of his vast fortune became hcr
absolute property.
A heavy charge for girl, and many
of her friends questioned tho wisdom
of tho will. But it had beeu UNDER
stood that before that time she would
be the wife of her cousin Victor, to
whom she had been betrothcd almost
from her cradle.
And, besides this, between her and
all care regarding the mills, stood her
foreman, Stephen Walker, the strong,
calm man whom the men both loved
and feared. and whose father had been
foreman there before him.
And though the marriage had boon
delayed from time to time, and Victor
had spent most of tho two years since
she reached her majority wandering
over Europe. she had never known
the responsibility of her position until
this autumn day, when sho sat amidst
the rich surroundings of her library,
herself tho fairest object there. bend
ing YEARLY over the long columns of
figures that represented to her tho
state of her business.
There was quick step in the hall,
and Stephen Walker cntered-a tall,
rugged man with kindly brown eyes,
and Il smile that redeemed tho plain
ness of his features, with strength and
determination in overy line Of his face
"You are examining the accounts.
Miss Vinton. ! trust you find no dilli-
Guilty in understanding them3"
ooh. l dare shy they are plain
enough" she replied with a forced
laugh. ''but L was always stupid about
figures. This is a heavy burden you
have thrown on my shoulders, Mr..
Walker-how heavy 1 scarcely realized
until l attempted to 60 over these
dreadful books"
Stephen Walker grew very pale and
his voice sounded harsh and strained
rs he said:
II hope there will DO no trouble,
Miss vinton. suppose Victor will be
home in the spring, and think Brown
will he quito capable of taking charge
until then"
~ dare say wc will do very we'll,
and cannot blame you for wishing to
go. l know you have talents that are
quite thrown away hero. But, Ste
phen, with little break in her
sweet, proud voice, and extending her
hands to him-''I will miss you sadly"
He took her hands in his, and bent
over them with a great sob in his
voice.
ooh, Helen. don'tyou knowP Can't
you understand It is not because l
want to better myself that must 90,
but because to stay here, seeing you
every day. and knowing, as do, that
you never can be mine, is madness;
for, oh, Nell. my queen. 1 lovo you. i"
"Stop" she said. passionately, her
taco white and steady CLEAN in her
eyes that would have daunted o weak
or man.
mo, you must hear me. I never
meant to toll you this, but now you
must know why / desert tho charge
your father LETT to me. l remember
the first day | saw you, when your
father brought you down to tho dusty
old mill a tiny. golden-haired fairy,
who seemed of finer clay than l, a
rough boy and left you for whole day
in my care. Helen, from that day
have worshiped you madly, hope
lcssly, l know, but as man never low
ed before; and now to stay here and
SEQ you VictOr's wife is worse than
death"
''Have you quite finishcdP" she said,
coldly, as he paused. "Ihen 20. 1t is
we'll you have chosen to leave here at
Il =, o., T..
presence again"
He turned without another word and
went YEARLY out into the autumn eve
ming, where the west wind, sobbing
through the leatless branches OF the
trees, seemed dreary echo to his
thoughts.
And inside. prone on the floor, her
golden hair trailed over the rich car
pet, Helen Vinton lay struggling with
the great sense of loss and pain, US
she listened to the sound of his foot
steps down the broad path and out of
her life, realizing that Stephen Walker
had loved her no better than she had
loved him, but thinking that between
John Vinton's daughter and the fore.
man of the mill was a gulf that not
even love could bridge.
The winter that followed was try
ing one to Miss Vinton. Brown, tho
man whom Mr.. Walker had loft to ill
his place, fell ill soon after his depart
ure, and the burden of responsibility
fell upon her.
She was proud woman and had
never made friends among her en-
ployes. Murmuring and discomfort
on one side. and scornful applicability
on the other. eliminated in strike,
involving q heavy loss to Miss Vim
ton and much suffering among her
people.
In the spring Victor returned
bright, handsome Victor-with his
happy heart and sunny smile. And
with his coming the trouble vanished
us though by magic. The men loved
him, and, subdued by the sharp les.
son of the winter, were quite ready to
come to terms.
He was eagor for q speedy mar.
riage, but on one pretext and an
other it was delayed until the sum
mer faded and the autumn was upon
them.
Once or twice during the summer
Victor brought her newspaper con
tanning favorable accounts of ar
invention of Stephen Walker's-ar
improvement that had been in oper.
ton in her mills long before it was
patented.
The paragraph stated that he had
accepted an offer to superintend the
erection of some mills in South Amer.
lea, and was going far away.
And when the restraint which she
had put upon herself suddenly gave
away. and she fell down unconscious
at Victor's feet, who, in all bis alarm
and anxiety. did not dream of the
true cause.
A few days after this she was en-.
gagged in some household duties. look.
ing very beautiful in her morning
dress of soft muslin. when Victor
bright face appeared at the window.
II want you to come down to the
mills by-and-by, Nell" he said. ''The
addition is almost finished, and
want your approval before we remove
the scafiolding.''
Every wolf, Victor, will be down
presently" she said, laying her hands
on his shoulders, aud looking down