The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-04-16
me what lam, question my indifference,

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have not forgotten my love!!"
Love" he echoed with a curl of his
lip, What was my love to you? 1t
was everything to me; but to you it was
too ardent, so unswcrvingly true as to
be tiresome. You thought it a mill
stone, and imagined that it filtered.
We drifted apart. With one hasty word
you destroyed everything-love, happi-
ness and ambition for me. Are YOU
satisfied?'
ooh, how relentlesslv cruel you are"
ut is my nature" he said carelessly,
his old air of indifference returning.
land by the way, if you love Everton,
persuade him to keep out of my vay or
he may realize it."
81 love Everton? You are mad!''
she cried, scornfully--hotly.
"Perhaps-I never thought of that.
But have you forgotten how you cham
pioned him when l told the truth for
your W sake? Why is it that his
name is coupled with yours so often by
the gossips? Do you hear, Miss FL
wood, his name? Nice, isn't it, to have
your name coupled with that of an i'll
bred bcggar, a gambler OF the most de-
PRAYED type, an apology for a man, and
the world calls you the prospective Mrs.
Everton. He tried to make you the in
strumcnt Of my death, but | am lucky
in everything saw love. Advise him tic
keep aloof."
"What is he to me-" she said, hur.
riodly, compared with the only mar I
ever loved, and whose worth l know
more fully now than cver before? Oh,
Fred, Fred, dc not hate me-
Certainly not, but 1 will always re-
member. You forget yourself. You
are moved by pity and contrition be-
cause of little accident this after
noon. Surely you would not have me
drop the mask and resurrect my buried
love. 1t would soon be the same as be-
fore. You have not yet learned the les
son OF love, that two who love truly
should need no one but themselves to
bring contcntment and happiness.
Think better of it, Fannie. before you
deepen the shadows, for when o
think the matter over you will see that
am right"
She leaned against one of the pillars,
pale and silent as a marble statue, her
lips quivering and tears glistening IN
the radience of the moonlight as they
streamed down her checks. He threw
away his cigar and paced carelessly up
and down, humming an operate air.
ooh Fred, pity me. Before heaven l
am sincere. l love and admire you
above all men. l was hcadstrong and
foolish, and imagined you a tyrant in
your great love, and chafed under the
supposed bondage; but that love was
truth itself. When / cast you off, in
return the world offered me shallow
ness such as Inever dreamed of, and I
have suffered, heaven knows. | was
harsh to you when Ishould have bright
ened your life, encouraged and aided
you, unmindful of those who eagerly
helped to build the wall between us.
But | want to atone! Oh, Fred. for
the sake of old days SO dear to both, do
not be so cold, so Indifferent to me. 1t
is not pity nor contrition, but a love
that knows no end.
She held out her hands im%ploringly,
the tears raining down her silver haloed
face, and her form shaking with sobs.
There was a tenderness, a world of
longing in her beautiful eyes, and when
he met their agonized gaze, his face
filled with pity and the cynical lines Of
his face and mouth softened. He hest
tated a moment, as if debating with
himself. Then yielding to the tears, the
love and all the witchery of old, he
drew her toward him, and imprinting a
kiss on her forehead, said softly:
''As you will, Fannie. Let us drown
the bitterness OF the past, and live our
lives owe again.
ooh, Fannie, Fannie" and calling
thus Mrs. Elwood emerged from the
parlor. "What on earth keeps you SO
long9 Come in CT you will catch your
death of cold. Everton wishes you to
sing" She eyed them suspiciously
and with a puzzled air,
lido not care to sing tonight. l am
unwell and will go to my room. Please
make my excuses"
"Nonsense, you shut yourself up in
your room too much said her mother
sharply, but Fannie was outof her
hearing and Castle had re-entered the
parlor.
"What have You done?' she asked
half angrily, following close upon him.
He turned, and regarding her with a
quizzical lookand an aggravating smile,
said:
81 have been undoing your work"
She bit her lip with vcxation and cha
grin, and with an angry glance, hurri-
ed away to Fannie's room, and neither
appeared again that night. Elwood
watched Castle all the evening whit 8
queer smile, and Evcrton, pale and
nervous, entertained q vague idea that
Castle had %triumphed over him after
ali.
"Well. l Declare cried the genial
Mr.. Liggett, staring in open-mouthed
wonder at a letter and a marked copy
of the Ghost Lake Reporter, ''if Fred
Castle isn't going to get married to the
girl that shot him.
"Who is she?' asked the book.
keeper.