The Red Cloud chief., 1886-01-15

would say; 'but I'll wait-it is better
lit will soon De over"
And Dora. working herself to q
shadow over her painting, would think:
1.-The end car not be far of. He will
soon be free"
Early in the summer Fred found him.
self again in the old familiar hauE;s.
but, alas. the old joyous light was want
ing everywhere. A shade. a mist.
seemed hanging over everything. and
Dora was farther away than ever.
There were no merry guests u divide
her attention; but, so absorbed, 20
silent. did she seem. he could hardly
believe ii was the same Dora he had
known in other DAYS.
A week passed by-a week Of mingled
paradise and torment. Sometimes he
would be on the point Of saying 10 her:
''Dora. l will stand in Your way nc
longer" but a faint hope still fingered.
and ne could mol crush il 80 ruthlcssly.
At other times he could almost believe
himself mistaken-all these months a
fearful dream-when her eyes met his
so earnestly and seemed filled for q
moment with the Old. warm light.
They sat together one day upon 4
little rustic seat. chatting and resting
after a walk. Fred had taken some
letters from his pocket which be wished
TO show 10 Dor.. \ picture fell from
among them Dora stopped to
it. Cousin Florry." she murmured.
and Fred began making some common
place remark upon its correctness.
Then, CHANGING a. his companions
face. he wa. startled At its deadly
pailor. Dora he cried. YOU are i'll.
We walked Ia far You must rest"
NO, I'm not ill.," she said. almost
sharply. How lovely Florence is"
Yes. indeed. She is well-nigh per-
feet. But there is only one Dora in all
the world" taking her little. cold hand
in his. Without Dora the world is
meaningless To me"
Dora's eyes were scanning the dist
ant hills. She made no reply. She
was stceling her heart against him.
lie want, to be true she thought.
but I will have no such love"
Dora. Won are not happy
'.Shc started. Not perfectly so.
What mortal is::'
1T seems TO me 1 would be if only
things could be AS they once We're
between us
This WAS the first allusion he had
made to the fact that he had noticed
any change in their relations.
Dora realized that II crisis was COM
in.. She simply awaited it in silence.
She would neither strive to avert nor
to hasten it.
Il have sometimes feared that You
and / have been mistaken. That is the
right word, l think. If SO. 1 love you
too well to asa You to keep a promise
which has become hateful to you"
Dora rose from her seat; a sudden
fire famed in her pale cheek. She
held her h.nd out toward him-thc
dear little hand that wore his ring.
Something in her air bewildcrcI him.
lie stood Il moment m~otiOnless. then
seized the hand i'm both of his own.
She shook him of impatiently and drew
the ring from her finger. Now he un-
dcrStOod.
without 4 word, Dora?" he said.
struggling for self-cOmmand rs a man
might battle for life against the waves
Of :: sta.
What is there to say?' asked Dora,
her voice clear rs Il silver bell, while.
her ewes shOne like two stars. And
again lie told himself That lie: She is
Slad!'
And so they parted. The tie formed
almost in childhood was broken, and
they went their separate ways.
Day after day Dora's pale, ~resolutc
face bent over her canvas. and she
stcadicd her trembling hand for greater
achievements. She worked too hard.
they said. She was too ambitious; she
put o. mnch of her ~lifc-blood into the
strokes of her brush, and 4 few months
ended the struggle.
He came again to the dear old house
beside the river: 4 crowd of friends had
gathered there. bat Dora gave them no
welcome. Pale and silent she lay and
stirred not a finger nor an eyclash for
any of their tears. He stood there with
Florence. and that still form between
them; its smiling lips We're no moro
silent now than they had been in life.
A dumb patience was marked on the
sweet face, but they never guessed its
meaning.
If she might only have lived!"
sobbed Florence.
Fred spoke not. but the bitter cry OF
his heart WAS: If 1 could only know
that she loved me-"
And they never dreamed, these W
nearest and dearcst-that Tier
hSl slain her Chicago Tribune.