Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-07-02

--- $1,000 w o4FCc. TIC ngu Tn.
Gently been ordered here in y 1919 10
upturning in army circles. b,t ii u'v W."
determined to find some on nav ne was
nm the information he desired. eN'
.o "a nionth passed. Perhaps it was
nely m'rch such a month to Darcy as
munleroos others he could recall. But
what a month for Mary GRAY! What n
levelation Of wonder! What an mn
dreamed OF flood of glory had been
poured u on her poor, dull, patient
i'ttie lie! Poor little life. indeed! If
haa been stagnant and u~ninspirino
ehougn before, and now it was to learn
20 the last letter, all the mysterious las
sons of JOY and pain that are tanoht
only in the school of love.
Once more the setting sun illumi-
mated the quiet little woodland path.
ana once more little Mary GRAY is
suolllngg homeward in the scented SIM
mar ar. But this time she was not
alone. A handsome young soldier
walked. with familiar ease, at her side
and now, as they reached a fallen loo
that obstructed their pathway, he gave
her his hand to help her to cross it, and
when she stepped upon it and paused a
moment, he drew closer and passed his
arm around her waist.
"Wait.a mlnute," he said softly, ..lct
us stop and watch the sunset"
Their present positions put their faces
on a level. and, by q common impulse.
they moved nearer each other and their
cheeks were pressed together. They
rested SO Il moment, in the stiffness Of
utter content, and then the young man
moved q little apart from her and
framed her lovely face with his hands,
1eastang his gaze upon the sweetness of
her eyes. The silence, which lasted
neither knew how long, w;S broken ut
last by Darcy, as his lips softly framed
the word:
Darling"
She moved her head q little that she
might rest it on his shoulder, and the
great of tenderness that swept
from her to him lifted the young mans
soul to q conscious %exaltation.
%"Strange, how new this feeling is to
me! l have ever felt it BEFORE" he
said, surprised at the sincerity of his
own words. a score of love affairs he
had had-onc, indeed, that ante-dated
and he thought would outlast all the
rcst--but nothing in his past expert
ence had been like this. A sudden look
of trouble crossed his face, and he moved
away from her rs he said:
Il forgot to tell you, little one, that l
won't be able to meet you tomorrow
evening as usual. Our Colenel's wife
expects some lady visitors, who are to
arrive tonight, and there is to be a
dance in their honor tomorrow night
a stupid affair, which 1 shall be greatly
bored by, but 1 can't refuse to lend 4
hand at the preparations, especially as
one of the ladies happens to be an old
acquaintance. So you must bid me
goodbye now, for two whole days, and
you must promise not to miss me too
much"
A look of frightened trouble came
into her face as he spoke, and she ran
her arm through his and chung so close
to him that he could not help c~lasping
her to his heart.
Don't speak to me of not missing
you. You would not have me not to!
But, oh, [ shall be so anxious about
you. . Forgive me for begging you
M more to be very careful about
Ben Woods"
"What a determined little goose it
isl" said Darcy, caressingly. "The mert
time | catch Ben Woods committing a
midnight trespass upon another mans
claim. l shall not be content to let him
off simply with one Touchdown blow,
but I'll cudge1 him we'll for having
caused my little one all these fears and
misgivings."
"But you don't know how desperate
these men are," said Mary, a%nxiously.
HE never will forgive you, and the
worst of it is he will not dare to attack
you openly. Oh, be careful, for my
sake. Keep out of his way until his
anger has had time to cool, and don't
go about after dark. l almost feel as
if he might start up from behind those
bushes now"
He put her from him a moment, that
he might give her Il look of fond reas-
suranoe. Then he said SUDDENLY:
''You will make NE late for drill, you
small enchantress, you! | will meet
you, as usual, in the wood, day after to-
morrow. And now come and give me a
kiss, all of your own accord"
But Mary had never done this yet, and
she only smiled and stood still.
"Thmk about Ben Woods" he said.
Remember l am in danger"
Then she raised her beautiful troubled
eyes and looked at him. He met her
look with one of answering fondness.
Come" he sold softly, ''if Mary loves
me, she will surely come"
"My little darling" he said softly,
over again. His voice was quiet and
tender and rejecting nothing OF the agl-
tation that shook hers as she murmured
in low, incoherent whispers:
"Oh, my dear one! My dear one!
Take care of yourself. Think what it
would be to me if anything should
happen to you. Oh, be prudent, be
watchful, for my sake"
He put her from him with fond re-
assurances, ana saying a hasty good
bye, vanished from her sight.
1t happened that as Mary was return
ing from a solitary walk, which had
been inexpressibly lonely and deprcss-
ing, on the evening appointed for the
dance at the garrison, She came sud
denly upon Ben Woods, talking in low
threatening tones with a man whom sho
recognized as one of 'the most reckless
characters of the mining camp near by.