The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-03-19

with what object hedi6 not determine.
BY n strange chance he met her in
the street next day; met and scarcely
recognized her, Moving swiftly and
stealthily along, as il she feared to be
| seen. with her hairin disorder, herface
no longer touched by that art to
which it had largely owed its beauty,
and ner dress old and %slovenly, she
was indeed dreadfully changed. Bond
started back when hesaw her, his face
deadly white; he pressed his hands to
his heart, it gave such a painful throb;
he could scarcely believe his WI eyes.
His earnest gaze sesmea to discorn-
pose her, for she dropped a faded old
umbrella in the mud, whereupon he
rushed forward, picked it up, and
handed it to her. She tookit without
a word of thanks, ascowl being all she
gave him. Then she hurried away,
leaving him in a panied bewilderment.
He could only repeat over and over
again. Her smile was very sweet"
"a bad un, sir, said a policeman
! who had been watching this little
scene. A regular bad un." He wink
! ediu the direction ofthe ~retreating
woman.
But Bond was already out of ear
shot, hurrying after her in obedience
to IN irresistible impulse to offer her
all he had, yearning to tell his love
and acquire the right to protect her.
Though his ideal was little more than
a memory, the woman remained, and,
in his eyes, she was still beautiful.
| NI,Eh Io. Iy IiZ e;ln ln ~, xnI - ~ 1l, n 4
the world said. Never had his love
been stronger than it was at this mo-
ment.
But though he dived down one OBJ
secure street after another, he could
not find her. And at length, murmur.
ing to himself" All, yes, her smile vas
very sweet, " he YEARLY dragged him
self back to his lodgings.
Once again, and for the last time, he
saw her. 1t al on the following after
noon. He was sitting at the open win
dow, absently caressing the cat upon
his lap, when she happened to pass by
on the opposite side of the street.
Looking up at the window, she sud
denly stopped and stared. Before he
had recovered from his surprise she
stretched out her arms, and cried:
"Oh, my pussie! Nell, Nell, won't
you come to me?"
The cat spTang through the window
and crossed the street in less time than
it takes to write the words. There
could scarcely be a doubt about the
ownership. The animal, with arched
back and Strengthened tail, was de-
lightedly rubbing itself against her
shabby dress, and she was bending
down talking to it as if it were her
child.
Bond was not slow to grasp the
situation. He rose hastily to explain
the circumstances under which he had
bought the cat from a lad, whom he
had believed to be the rightful owner.
He was trembling in every limb, for
had not his opportunity come at last,
as some one has said it always will
come to the man who waits? Blum
dering down the stairs he whispered
to himself: even the cat loves her
and she loves it. / knew she was good
and pure and lovely"
81 must apologize, he began, ad.
vancing a~wkwardly, "Miss-Miss-"
Mrs. Travers," she said, rather
defiantly.
MRS." he gasped, staggering back.
Then she was a married woman! This
thought affected him even more pain
fully than the one that followed it.
Some time before he had read in the
paper a charge of swindling brought
against a Mrs. Travers, described az a
member of agang o Questionable sharp
ers. ''Then you are a widow" he
cried, with startling energy. "Oh, in
PHYS sake, say you are a widow"
She laughed scornfully. Pointingtc
a seedy-looking individual who was
approaching, she said:
Here comes my husband. Now,
pray, what haveyoutos say against me?
Just say it right out before him, Ifyou
dare"
Poor Bond slunl. away to his
darkened room. His dream was
over; his life was spent. He
relapsed into his old bookworm
habits, wore clothes as ancient as ev-
er, and to the despair of his landlady,
renewed his edict against busting. The
life had gone out of him, and three
years after, strangers carried him TIC
his rest in Kensal Green, his landlady
the only mourner. A plain tombstone
marks the place where he sleeps, dream
ing. perhaps. some happier dream,
with a loftier ideal, which the world
can never tarnish nor time can destroy.