Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-08-28

occasion upon which we had been together, /
and every word that she had spoken. I only
knew that 1 was more deeply in love with
her than ever, and that nothing but the OPP
pressive sense Of her uncle's wealth kept me
from telling my secret forthwith.
But one happy morning oil my misery was
brought to an end by the receipt of a letter
the first letter l had ever received in her
MISUNDERSTANDING mo to Great Lorton
Hall. Here it is:
GREAT LoRroN HALL, Sept. q.
DEAR Nix. FENToN: My uncle asks me
to say that lie has not forgotten your promise
to pay us a visit here. He wishes to know if
it will to convenient to you to come on
Thursday next and to stay a few days. I
hope that you have no engagement to pre-
vent your doing so. You will, I am sure.
like to see this place. Both the house and
the grounds are most romantic. There is a
haunted chamber, but no ghosts have been
seen as yet. Perhaps they are waiting till
you arrive, in order to do honor to your
visit. Indeed we shall all, both ghosts and
living, be glad to welcome you. 1t is rather
dull here. My uncle and DR.. Branksome are
engaged all the morning over their business
affairs, so that I see little of them. Mr.. Fos-
no AAoo q W Co"As L doSuIo JouS !
feel the contrast between this place and
Scarborough. There are no bright mornings
here, spent in listening to the music of the
band and watching the sea in the bay.
Kindly let us know by what train you are
to arrive, and you shall be met at the sta
ton. Both my uncle and DR.. Branksome
desire to be remembered to you. Believe
me, deur MI. Fenton, yours very sincerely,
DAISY STANCLIFFE
There was not much in this letter, perhaps
not much on which to build Il whole castle
of delightful hopes. But, such as it was, it
served for mo. l read it and re-read it a
hundred times on that happy day, and
pressed my lips again and again to the spot
OH which with her own hand she had signed
her name.
The journey by rail from Scarborough to
Great Lorton Hall-or rather to Little
Lorton, the nearest railway station on the
Northeastern line-is a long and tedious
one; for though the distance between tho
two places, as the crow flies, is a little more
than thirty miles, there is no direct route. l
learned, when I left Scarborough, that I
must change carriages at Nation, and there
intrust myself to the tender mercies of o
local line, the trains on which, Judging by
the time table l had studied beforehand,
were limited to something like the speed at
tanned by the old stage coaches before the
locomotive had swept them out of existence.
As far as Nation my journey was swift
and pleasant. l had q compartment to my
self, and l spent my time in Illuminating upon
the past with all its memories Of sweetness,
and anticipating the future with the eager
ness of a lover. The train into which l was
transferred ct Nation was a very short one.
1t was evident that the Lorton branch was
not one of those for which the managers Of
the Northeastern railway deemed it neces-
sary to make any very extensive provision.
l took my seat in the carriage to which the
porter directed ME and awaited the depart
ure of the train. There were few passengers
besides myself, and apparently none who
were likely to travel first class. So, at least,
I thought, until, almost at the moment when
the train was starting, a maj whose face l
had seen only once before, but whom l was
never likely to forget, suddenly emerged
from a waiting room, and advancing quickly
towards the compartment in which l was
seated, entered it and closed the door behind
him. It was the person whom l had knocked
down in the York railway station on the
day on which l first saw Daisy.
1t would not ave been easy then for mo
to cave the carriage, even if such Il course
had been consistent with my self-respect; l
sincerely hoped. however, that my old
antagonist would not recognize. me. The
notion OF travelling i'll his company was any
thing but pleasant. | saw, now that l was
able to regard him more attentively than l
could do in the hurried encounter ut York,
that he was about thirty years Of age, and
that, while his face bore the stamp of
vicious self-indulgence, it was weak rather
than wicked in its expression. He was
dressed in clothes of fashionable cut; but
they were somewhat the worse for wear.
When he entered the carriage he had
lifted his hat to me, and had then seated
himself in the farthest corner, where he APP
peared to be intently occupied in gazing out
of tho window upon the red tiles Of the
know mo again grew. 1t was soon dispelled.
Tho moment the train had begun to move
from the platform he turned toward me
and, again lifting his hat, greeted me with a
bow and an ironical smile. said nothing.
though 1 wondered much what his next
move would be. Ihad not long to wait. He
rose from the corner seat he had occupied
and took that directly opposite to me-.
"Well, my friend" he said, still with the
disagreeable smile upon his lips. "You did
not expect to see NE to-day, did youa l sup
pose that you and the rest OF your gang
thought that 1 was far enough way by this
time-too far to disturb you in your opera
TONS"
He apparently expected me to make some
reply to this, for he ceased to speak, and con-
tented himself with staring into my face in
an ostentatiously offensive manner.
"You really have the advantage of me-"
said. II don't know what you are talking
about"
"Oh, indeedr" he laughed mockingly. "You
did not even know what you were doing
when you tried to murder me at York, l sup
pose"
"Don't talk nonsense, sir" J replied lotly.
"You know that you struck me first"
POSSIBLY; md you, sir, know why you re-
fused to allow me 10 enter that carriage in
which l had q better right to be than your
self, or any other man living" He spoke
with a savage emphasis which | should
hardly have expected from one whose face
betokened so much weakness of character.
What was his right to enter the carriage
where Daisy was! confess that my heart
was beating more quickly as 1 put this ques-
ton to myself.
sob, make no mistaken" he continued.
warming at the sound Of his own voice. II
know you all. l know your game. Shall l
tell you what it iss Don't think that I am
afraid Of any of you-neither of you, nor of
B'ankSone. nor Of F~linter-no, nor Of Miss
] StnpniitF, nithnrt Ito n prottv mama STAN