Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-10-14
A DOOR AJAR.
nv MARY c. PRESTON.

II was all over; past and done with
forever; not a hope remained. Inez
Cameron had plucked them one by
one from his heart in hercool stately,
graceful way, half an hour before,
when she declined his hand and Of
fered him her friendship, in the dim,
sweet-scented glen, which he could see
from the window at which he sat
Friendship from her" he muttered,
savagely, while a burning wrath
famed in his dark eyes. "Did she
think | had been her slave for
almost year to be content with
that at last2 As true as there is u
heaven above me she allowed me
to think she cared | was no fool
to say such words as said to-day to
her, unless | had been encouraged!
You have taught me a lesson, my fair
faced lnez. | stake my hopes oil an
earthly heaven on no woman smile
hereafter; and ! dangle no longer in
your train, lovely as you undoubted-
~ are and dainty and dazzling !
doubt if ever take any fair lady to
reign here. When sister Nettie and
her host OF friends depart in months
time | will 20 roaming once more. No
man cares for his home when his heart
is as heavy as mine is"
The shadows gathered and length
ened, but Guy Handel sat silent and
miserable, trying to crush down the
regrets-trying to bury the corpse OF
his love dream.
1t was bitter to him, this rejection
by the girl he had wooed in such q
princely fashion, whom he, perhaps,
had reason to think he could win.
Life seemed a very poor and barren
possession to the stalwart young
owner of that fine old homestead on
the Chesapeake, while Summer twi
light gathered it's soft draperies about
him, and still he forgot that it was
time to dress for dinner and his sister
and her friends would wonder where
he fingered when they came down
presently.
Suddenly a low, sweet, soothing
melody, stole to him there-the air OF
tender old ballad, played lowly,
slowly, by some dainty fingers.
Somehow the music soothed the
pain in his heart, comforted him in a
strange manner, as though the white
hands that toyed with the keys had
left tender touch on his forehead.
Il wonder who is playing?" he
thought. whoever it is, hope she
win continue | wish she would sing"
As if his wish had been heard the
voice took up the words of the old
song and sent them sweetly to where
he sat-sad, tender, yearning words
which made his eyes grow dim as he
listened.
81 wonder who she is. do not rec
ognize the voice." he said to himself,
and then, rising, he quietly crossed to
the door, which was ajar, and looked
into the drawing-room.
In the twilight he saw slight girl
ish figure at the piano, clad in pale
amber; the face was turned from him,
but he knew who had sung the sweet
old ballad; knew by the slim, willowy
figure, the masses of rich auburn hair,
the crutch lying against chair, that
it was Inez Cameron's lame cousin,
Hilda Dallas.
How sad the girls voice is" he
thought. why, how intensely sad
Yet she has always seemed bright and
cheerful when / noticed. fear / rare
ly did notice her, poor afflicted child"
Just then the drawing-room door
opened and Inez Cameron entered.
Guy watched her with passionate ad-
grafton and bitter regret in his eyes
as she went and stood near her cousin.
Don't sing that doleful thing, Hill
d." she said in her SLOW tones of sill
yer. Even though you may he fool
enough to love a man who doesn't
care at all for you, there is no need at
all for you to sing that forlorn ballad
with your heart in your voice"
The music had crashed into a dis
cord, then stopped. The girl on the
piano wheeled about so that Guy saw
her face-and from his heart he pitied
HIlda Dallas when he saw her panied
eyes and colorless face. Aye, and
something which was not love stirred
his heart for the fair, blue-eyed beau
ty who stood serenely there, her lips
curling just little, her blue and gold
en- draperies falling about her in such
graceful folds.
What do you mean?" questioned
the lame girl, in u quick voice of pain.
81 don't love anybody; /"
BAH" cut in the blondes silvery
tones; "you love Mr.. Guy Handel and
| have known it for a long time. He
cares nothinga at all for you-he scarce
ly sees you; to-day he asked me to be-
come his wife. Now perhaps you real
ize what little simpleton you are"
The auburn head was lowered sud
denly and two white little hands were
flung over Hilda's coleriess face; amo-
ment after and Guy caught the sound
of quick sobbing, mingled with low
ripple of laughter from Inez.
"Oh, l didn't accept him." pursued
the fiute-like tones OF the woman he
had thought almost an angel; 81 don't
care to bury myself in this dull old
place; and besides, know Mr. Jarvis
was very much pleased with me and
he is worth half million"
1t all passed through to where Guy
had stood so long, spell-bound, thun-
derstruck, unconscious that heshould
not stand there, touched to the soul
by the passionate weeping OF Hilda,
love dying in his heart for Inez--it all
came to him, through the distance be-
tween, because fate had ordained that
that door should be for half an hour
ajar.
The lame girl had subdued her emo
ton, picked up her crutch and left the
drawing-room before the young man
recovered presence of mind enough to
glide quietly away and gain the hall
by another door.
That night his guests were rather
surprised to lind that their handsome
host scarcely left Hilda Dallas for a
moment; and perhaps some of them
noticed also how sweet her face was,
with it's changing color and great shy
eyes of purple with touch OF pathos
in their velvet depths; that night, for
the first time, Guy saw beauty in an
other face than that of Inez Cameron
and for the first time dull, Jealous
pain made the beautiful blonderealize
that she would purchase half million
at too great a cost did she give in ex-
change for it the love of Guy Handel.
1t was a month later; Mrs. Nettie
Lennox and the gay party she had
brought with her for the summer to
her old home were about to scatter
themselves in different directions.
Many an idyl had had its beginning
in those glad days of heat and sun
shine, and few pleasant love-dreams
had died-that which Inez Cameron
had so carelessly laughed down q
month before was in it's shroud and
coffin, and warm, living love was
stirring in every pulse of Guy, as, in
the hush of still evening, he and lnez
came face to face in the very spot which
once saw him Mead elonnentlv with her