The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-01-22
past the closed doo,s of the sleeping

Good night, and do not let the
ghost of the past trouble your slum-
bers," l whispered to Frances, as she
let me out the front door.
'sYou know / have entered into the
charmed age when there is nothing
more to happen, she answered
in a low key; and do not know why,
for we were not demonstrative women,
we kissed each other as we said good
night.
Iknew Frances was watching me until
l turned the corner, which, as | did.
had the uncomfortable accident of rum
ming into man-not metaphorically
into his arms, but, literally, into the
man himself. l could not have done
so, if he had been walking, for, as
said the moon was full, SO he must
have been lodging among the trees to
be run into. Of course he begged my
pardon, and little smiley at the
fright he gave me, granted it. In do
ing so looked at him--stGood heay-
ems % exclaimed, "is it you, Miles
Middleton, or your ghostp"
all these yearsP" he asked, half pleas
ed, half disappointed. -
Come in,'' said, being at my own
door. 1--WE can not stand talking at
midnight in the street."
! let myself in by the nigh-key, and
put up the gas light to its full power
before turned to welcome poor Miles
back to his native village. For twen-
ty-two years his name had been spoken
by his friends with bated breath. as if
he were amongst the quiet dead, or
far worse, amongst the SHINING. In
the glare of the gas light / turned to
had always known; twenty-five years
older, would never guessed if had
not known the date OF our last meet
ing; twenty-five pounds heavier which
was an improvement. A guilty con-
science and an impaired digestion had
not been among his evils all these
years. His hair had not lost its color,
though it grew thinner on the temples
and on the crown of his head, and his
eyes had the same frank. fearless look
in them, his mouth the same winning
smile.
.Oh, Miles, l cried, with both
hands outstretched, ''why did you
ever go away and all these years make
nc sign?"
because. he answered, taking
both my protfered hands, "Frances
doubted me-
asked. You gave her no chance to
speak. SProple said dreadful things of
you, which you did not deny, but ran
away"
Il did not rum" he said, hotly; II
stayed quite long enough to see that
some friends doubted me; not you, 1
am sure. Even that l could have
sborns's Frances adbeeu tt,le.''
''You gave her no chance.'' main
tanned. '.Do you think have forgot
ten that miserable evening? 1t ell
seems as yesterday: the birthday fete,
the color of the sunset clouds, the pink
ribbon Frances wore in knot at her
throat. Poor girl she was as white
cused you Of
why do you not go on and say
steallng?" he said, sharply.
because we don't use such ugly
words nowadays; embezzling is more
genteel. | was indignant and said
foolish things
..And Frances said nothing" he in
terrupted.
.'Did YOU expect her to get into u
rage as mere friend would have
done? Besides, you would make no
denial. Her pale, pleading face did
not move you. If they chose to be-
lieve such things of YOU they might, )
YOU said, in foolish pride. -
"Yop foroet how vouno 7 was and
how hurt / was" he answered, soften
ing under my vituperation.
II remember Frances was some
wears Younger, and frightened fnr
you as we'll as hurt. You oave her
no chance to retrieve hurried fret
stem or rather a mistaken inact;on
for Won went away at once-fbe be +
thing Won could do. some said hnt Tho
most cowardlv I thoucht and left M
trace for all these years.
,I ,,;d + ,au1a 80 ,,.
., oa,ld oa .u;no nuo ,uoot Soino as uaeH un-
cnrno m y So ~ - " '""o
..Th,+ ,,os not ,ooo.s,,,, - 4.,,
who raa,,,. @ oorod | 1, for 1"m u Pos;na.' .npse
tha n r,an S,hn toai- t,a ~, ,o,o, uSs' aa.s
fassed fa % he did % 90 ' tom vears n amo % naath ao
forced him to confess RIFT tb;s | 10 !
fanc,, NO news to Won ), ~ si'' 80
..i haard T. i,st ;voai- ~ .oia .,a
tbon nddad ..Ynn have ha W. INV. M laf, ,.'i hora,, 'u
' ..yas sold. we % h,ya Sa'. Moor r' I Ia.n
;nr her or b;rtbdav : ' p
II hoara ha,. sroo,- 70 ,,,,4 +,,o
o,.or Ias sha ohammoJp,,s ha a as as,.oa eme
| and tbcn looLd 90 s ho w;sbad m he
had had not not " " " '" -
A :,
niosS =. US w " ."en.s ears'
salu s: aa., anas'oe oe ou seem 70 70 nave M
vii, SOL ha n,oosad !. .adaa da .r.1,, 49, nIeS -.
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