The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1888-05-18

cause for approaching yourself, Dr..
Howard. for, beyond the fright, II has
done me charm, I am sure, and Brown
Bess Is no doubt far on her way hons
by this time"
DR.. Howard was the minister OF the
parish.
Ever since. when a little girl. she had
spent her vacation at the Towers, he
had known and loved Alice Grey. Then
with tho calm affection Of q man for Z
winsome child; but as she grew up,
that liking had decpened into Q strong
enduring affection; but he had nevel
spoken Of his love. and he knew that
Alico wa engaged to her cousin, and
that on that union depended her inner.
itance.
But Alice did not forget for . long
time the words she had heard when re.
covering from her unconsciousness:
e.Alice. darling"
Could 1t be possible that those words
had been spoken by her grave pastorl
But tho approaching wedding soon
drove all else from her mind.
The day after her eventful ride, Alice
started out to visit tho sick occupant Of
tho lodge. She reached the cottage.
door and knocked. No one replied, and
she went Ia. Then. through the open
bedroom door beyond, she saw Q sight
which drove the blood back from her
cheeks. There, on the low bed, lay the
one for whom her delicacies were in.
tended-dead; and kneeling by the
bedside in an abandonment Of grief,
was Nita.
Swiftly Alice went to her side.
my poor Nita!"
Fcrcely shaking the tender hand
from of her shoulder, Nita sprang to
her feet. 1nvoluntarily Alice covered
her face. and we'll she might.
As the girl stood there, she might
have been taken for an ayenging fury.
Her black dishevelled locks flowed
loosely over her shoulders. and from
under their dusky shadow. the great
eyes fairly blazed with their bitter
scornful look.
my poor Nita!" she exclaimed mock.
ingly. "Why do you come here with
your fair face and sympathy"
Suddenly casting her eyes downward.
they lit ON the still form on the bed.
and with a thrilling, piercing cry, she
again flung herself upon her knees by
her dead mothers side.
Again Alice approached, q world OF
pity in her soft eyes.
.'Why, Nita, I love your mother, too.
Why should 1 not sorrow for herP"
Then Nita rose. this time more quiet
ly: and laying n hand on her moth
er's cold one. with the other she point
ed to the door.
'Go. Alice Grey! Leave me with my
sorrow. Go'-wildly-"before I break
my resolve and say what I should not!'
Sadly Alice went, q feeling Of intense
pity in her heart, but no anger for her
rejected sympathy. She knew Nita's
excitable nature, and she laid her
strange manner entirely to her great
grief.
In q few days it was all over, and
Nita's mother was laid in her last rest
ing-place. Mrs. Grey urged tho orphan
girl to make the Towers her home; but
she persisted in hor refusal. and in. .
little while she left the neighborhood.
Alice often met DR.. Howard, and ct
last came to look on those passionate
words as an incongruous fancy.
~ must have imagined It," she
thought.
Meanwhile the wedding preparations
progressed, and at last the day came.
Tho old church. which had seen SO
many of the Durham race married.
10Y echoed with Mendelssohn's grand
march as the wedding-party slowly
paced up the wide aisle.
BLESSINGS on her pretty facei" was
the thought of all the villagers, as they
thronged the church to see their young
lady married.
The solemn service began.
"1f any ma car show just cause
why these two may not be lawfully
Joined together-" read the minister.
end made the customary pause.
A yelled figure pushed forward.
"Therc is = cause. forbid ity'
There was q horrifed hush. and thez
. confused murmur. Flinginy back he
black veil, the speaker stepped close X
the chancel rail. 1t was Nfta.
"Therc is o cause" she repeated
HE is married alreadylm
Roland Audrey raised his hand to hi
head. and opened hislips as i tospeak
but no sound came.
Alice gave one longlook into his pal
lid face, and, reading there, v sh'
| thought, confirmation Of Nita's start
ling words. sank in a swoon upon tn,
steps where she was SO soon to hav,
knelt as q bride.
It was q sad sight to gee the innocen
young thing lying there in her film,
lace robes, the orange flowers hardly
whittier than her white forehead.
With one long. lingering. pityina
look on the helpless form they wer
carrying down the aisle, DR.. H0war,
came forward. and taking Audrey b,
tho arm, and motioning to Mia, led th
way to the vestry.
II was soonexplained; but It was mol
after all. quite as he suspected.
Roland would not have been guilt,
In the eye Of the law Il he had marrie'
Alice, for poor Nita was not his lega
wife. O she thought. He had deceive
her by . mock marriage. on finding hi
inheritance depended on . union wit
his cousin Alice.
He had talked with Mia, explainin
his position. and by largo brides an
promises, had induced her Gas b
thought) to go away and keep silent.
But the poor girl. thinking hersel
his lawful wife. had only pretended I
yield.
Cowed and ashamed, Roland Audre,
once SO naughty, now 90 disgraced
the eyes Of I'll. listened meekly to D.
Towards scathing rebuke.
At the Tower. poor Alice lay long !
. merciful stupor. Il wasa cruel Q,
perience; but after the nrst shock Va