The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-12-11
NORTON BLAKE'S DILEMMA.
l..

ais it true, Norton? Is your uncle
really dying?'
The speakers eyes were sparkling,
her cheeks flushed, her fingers toying
with the white robes of a baby upon
her knee, her intonation that Of elated
triumph.
Words and manner struck Norton
Blake sharply. He threw down the
telegram with a short Yes"
care you sorry?:" Mrs. Blake asked
in tart surprise. "Why, you've wish
ed, a thousand times, ] were mistress
OF The Court, and now there's baby.
Shan't Hell proud when l see him in
velvet knickerbockers riding about
that beautiful park on a white
pony
Norton regarded her with amaze
ment-her speech sounded so utterly
heartless.
Sorry" herepeated slowly. "Sure-
ly, Myra. you forget that my uncle
has filled a fathers place to me from
my childhood"
ooh no, l don't" she retorted with
a d~isagreable laugh; nor the tilial re-
spect you have always shown him.
Also, | remember your many aspira-
tions hat Providence would allow
the same-a-calamity-to end this
miserable concealment. Really, Nor
ton, you have neither courage to face
the consequences of your own actions,
nor to grip the deliverance Fortune
sends you"
With a muttered ~imprecation, Nor
ton Blake left the room. Experience
had taught him the futility of arguing
With his wife; but through the ensuing
long journey he had leisure in which
to ponder oyer and debate the truth
Of her words. The sudden shock of
his relatives danger had acted upon
his moral consciousness like q
douehe Of cold water on the physi-
cal Organization of a drunkard, recall
ing him to himself, but singing him
with a sense of his own degradation.
Treated by his uncle with an induL-
gence shown by few parents, he had
idled at school and scraped through
college. He a no profigate-neither
gained nor drank; yet hi fatal propen-
sity of s~natching the moments pleas
ure, leaving care for the morrow, had
blighted the sunny prospects of q life
whose GROWING folly he was too cow
ardly to avow.
During q long vacation-supposed
by Ms uncle to be passed with a tutor
IN Scotland-he met, at q fashionable
watering-place, a girl-woman, rather
whose blue-eyedt goiden-haired
charms and practiced graces had be-
wildered and captivated his youthful
fancy. His superior in years and
knowledge of the world, but be-
meath him in birth and education,
she was too keenly alive to the social
advantages derivable from an alliance
with the heir of an old and wealthy
county family TO let him slip through
her fingers. BY article, caIolery, and
threats of appealing TO the elder Mr..
Blake--the best thing which could have
happened to him, had he but known
it-she accomplished her purpose, and
he married her. His college life had
ended, and, fearing lest his rash act
should be discovered, he persuaded
his uncle that a continental tour was
the fitting interlude between it and
settling down to the active duties of
lie.
The couple we're at Heidelberg when
the news of Mr.. Blake's illness ar
rived. III betokened some latent good
In Norton's character that, although
these tidings might have been supposed
tosolve his difficulties, they awakened
In his breast but a feeling Of sorrow
ful remorse. leavened, perhaps, by sat-
isfaction that, owing to the season be-
ing winter, and the tender 2 of her
child, his wife was debarred from d c
eompanying him to England.
Asthe first misery lessened camethe
remembrance a forgotten complica-
ton in his Affairs. Mr.. Blake's house.
hold numbered another besides his
nephew. This was the orphan daugh-
ter of an old feAow-oficer, to whom
Mr.. Blake had given the shelter of bis
home and the affection OF a father,
That Norton and Helen Venue should
b united-so sharing equally the
wealth and station be mustin time
r-esisn~was his dearest wish. A tacit
understanding to that elect lad ex'