Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-07-31

startled gaze over the summer sc. sne of swell.
ing cliff and folds of houses ste nding with
shine of gold under the meek swe etness of the
morning blue.
Mr.. %Strangfeld cam upstairs, and from
the landing called to her. She ran to him,
crying, "Michael, see here! Orr. child hath
not slept in her bed! Where is she, do you
think2 Oh, if you love your wife, run to
your men and bid them seek he {. For Gods
sake do this, Michael-now!".
He went past her without an swer and en-
tered Jenny's room. If amaze, nent or pain
were in him, it was yelled by q heavy
frown.
"Silence" he cried. as his wife began to
speak. Before We judge her, let us know
what sho has done. It is no sign that she has
run away from as because she has not slept
in her bed. Has she not acted more crafty
than to stay awake in her clothes all night
Look about you and tell me what things you
ind missing"
"Nothing, Michael. Oh, my heart, yes!
Where be the little trunk I packed for hel
last nighta"
With wonderful quickness, she flung open
the door Of q closet, and then searched be.
meath the bed. Next she uttered a sharp
cry, and leaned against her husband. He
led her not untenderly to her room, but his
own steps were weak and shaky, and his face
as white as a dying mans, which made his
frown a black shadow upon his forehead.
w must have patience YET" he exclaimed,
drawing forth his watch, and speaking with
his eyes bent down upon it. "She knows at
what hour the coach starts, and if she be not
guilty she will be here. Get thyself dressed,
and let the breakfast be ready by the half
hour. She may return, and then what will
1t be that her box is gomez Bear up, for in
half a hour great changes come. I will
wait for thee and her in the parlor."
He went slowly and painfully downstairs,
and stood at the window whispering to him
self, which was a strange trick for an obsti-
nate, hard-headed man to fall into on a
sudden.
In a short while Mrs. Strangfeld came
from her room and stood at the doorway
watching him in silence. She sighed heavily
but, as though he heard neither her step nor
her sigh, he did not turn his head; and with
= fear of his stern, unbonding silence on her,
she went away to the kitchen to help Polly
to get breakfast ready.
"Polly," she whispered, "didst thee sec Miss
Jenny leave the house this morning7
II? No, indeed, missus! Be she gone, then7'
said the girl, with her hair all feathery for
lack of brushing, and the end of her nose
black from frequent strokes of her bare arm.
"Hush, silly wench! Why do you shout9
She hath not slept in her bed, Polly. Oh,
God! if she be run away from mel"
"Roon awoyl Why, missus! WHATEVER
would she be doin' that fora" said the slut,
craning her neck out of the collarless rim of
her frock.
"stir the fire. that the eggs may boil.
Never do you talk but that you stop your
work. Cannot you use your hands and
tongue togcther9 Hold your pirate! As sure
as th~ aose Is as black as thy masters boot,
I'll ). packing thee to thy mother for q
slovenly fool" cried Mrs %Strangfleld, in
that phase of grief which admits of easy su-
prevention of irritation.
The time was passing quickly. 1t was five
minutes after the half -hour when breakfast
was put upon the table, and MI. Strangfeld
drew a chair for himself, and began to eat
with the gesture of a nan who forces him
self to do something he abhors. Not a
mouthful could the mother swallow; her
gaze was forever upon the open window, and
her ears pricking for every little sound.
But expectation was wrought by fear into
insupportable pain at last, and, unable to
endure the hard silence, she cried out:
"Michael, she doth not comet"
He looked at her vacantly, aroused by her
speech out Of deep thought, and pulled out
his watch. He rose from his chair instantly,
his whole manner changed. and he exclaimed:
ut is too late for the coach. Now what do
you say to your girls honesty?"
"Oh, Michael" she cried, "where do you
think our child isl Why should she not be
here's Did you say anything to her yesterday
to scare her2 Last night she kissed me
sweetly. and thanked me for my love, and
she would not break my heart by leaving
me! Oh, Michael, what didst thee say to
hers"
II said no more than bid her be ready for
the coach at 8 o'clock this morning" he said,
speaking with difficulty through the tension
of his lips. "What is there to fright you in
thisa Could you not have guessed that if she
had sinned she would not go with me to
London9 Would she rush upon her own
conviction, silly womana" He added in a
faint voice: "What heavier blow than this
could come upon a mans I would sooner see
her dead. And after all these years-in this
little town where we are ho~nored-how will
some people scott to hear that pious Michael
strangfield's girl"
"lM not hear thee say It'll" shrieked the
mother, raising her hands to her ears. "Mi-
chael, will you not 60 and seek her? Shall
we stand here wickedly raging at the poor
heart that hath been driven from our love by
our sorrow and your anger, when every
moment is taking her further from us! Oh,
husband, think of our pretty one-so tender.
SO gentle, Michael-sitting wearied by the
wayside, weeping and calling upon death,
and thinking there be naught to love her but
the gracious Lord who is in the sky! Dost
thee not see here If she had gone twenty
miles I would walk to herl I would
would"
In a paroxysm Of grief and love she ran
toward the door. But her husband came
after her hastily, and his hand fell upon her
shoulder.
"Where would you goa" he said.
ITO find my child. Michael, let me La. ]
will not be hindered!"
He drew her back from the door and
closed it violently.
"Listen to reason, woman!" he exclaimed,
controlling his voice with an effort that dis.
colored and convulsed his features. "You
run mad easily, and madness is IN you now,
and in this temper you are not to be trusted
abroad. What will your sorrow do but pub.
lish our shame? At thy time of life to chase
a phantom. Such is your child now; for
where is she gone, and what road will you
take3 Oh, fool! to let love blind thee to the
curse that God has set upon our foreheadsl
You have sucked vice, and I have loved il
and caressed it, and now it has brought
shame upon US and left us! The will of the
Lord of Hosts be done! But this is my death,
Jane Wife, this thing has put ice in my
heart am cold here"
He stopped short, with his hand upon his
breast, shaking his head slowly, with his
frown gone.
"Sit thee down, Michael. My poor man!