The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-02
l,:'v" been ritl,er-t'isappointcl. I
should have thought very little of
Sp,l i; ynu hn.l +"

~ ~ l''e ~ e'llSc VI ltS outraged pro-
pricti"s which kept me from playing
kiss i'll the ring in the hall. Ii it
could possibly have amused me, l
should have done so. l believe in
amusing oneself. Hut somehow or
other, that sort of thing doesn't ell
tertain me. Perhaps ] am too old
or not old enough; anyhow. l don't
care for neutrality-suspicious. which
are the fashion now. lsuppoScwlen
am getting on fo.' forty l shall like
Them
NO. l don't think You ever will, :"
said Brooke, snilin" down ut her
charming npturnc,l face.
"l'ut am afraid YOU don't under
stand me" she said quickly; you
think me better than am. | have
no moral aim, no aspirations, moth
ing of that kind, simply enjoy the
present. suppose, i'll wanted to
pose. lsllouldcull mysrlinnrpicrrcan
Ii is strange. but tomorrow has
absolutely no mcnnin" for me; be-
licvc in to-'lny.' mean to enjoy
every hour ofmy lie. After all. what
do we know Of 'to-mo,row"! Moth
ing. But VIC do know that roses are
divine! And pulling II hothousc
flower from her waist belt, the girl
pressed it. with pretty, unconvcn-
tlonal gesture, tn her lips.
AT that rutr.' said the Doctor,
''ifyou were to have some great mis-
fortnm'-to lose all Your money, for
instance. or catch the smallpox-vou
woul'l have Very little To fall back
upon. You might feel the want of
the 'conso!ations OF religion ~
No. don't think | should. Ii
any great unhappincss.'' she added
'lrramily. Were ever to hcf,ll me,
should not want to live. did not
ask to comrin,o tie world. and WHY.
fnrsooth. should not 20 when am
tired of it, Life after all. is very like
Il party To wllirl some one else has
insisted on our going. If We are
bored. VIZ are surely not hound To
wait till the very end We leave
when We please,
DIR, Brooke looked steadily at
her.
You are Il very s,ranga Girl, Miss
Hligh. Not one woman in a
Thousand would dare to say such Il
thing us hat. But think yon are
right. There are cases when death is
Il release from torture. mental and
bodily"
"'low dill WE get on such lug,l-
brious topic" said Alison. shivcrin.
slightly and turning away from the
t!nrk landscape.
There WAS n l,;.uS" and then the
young man said sil,|GrI|y:
Why did You sin" that son" just
nowo."
"I-,ion't know, said Alison with
droopln%cyns.
"bo you know what i!mrnnSo"
"l'o You" She said, raising her
eyebrows iEnorcntly.
Il walked the hospitals i'll Paris
Tor two years. ! understood every
word.
"uh. | am solly. I thought. with
my acccnt alll an English audience,
that ] should l,e perfectly safe
"Don't do ii again" he sHi,l: "fo,
heaven $ sake. don't. You can't i'm
ayi!n' how dreadful it is to see YOU
do Il thing like that"
"'rhank yon for saving that" he
answered, grnvcly. "Sin" somcthin.
for me now, will you?'
Miss Eliyh answered by moving
AWAY To thc piano. Brooke stou.!
still by the window. looking out over
he snow-covrrcd grounds and wait
ing To hear what she would SING.
Allison $ fingers, strayed tentatively
over the keys. ;,s if seeking the strain
which suited l!rr mood best. Pres
entity hey riru.No,lng voice WAS heard
in llnmlcl's immortal air. "L;lsri;l
Clio l'iang;.'
"llnn,lrI. instead of boulevard
songs -!'uncan Brooke smiled to
llinsrll-''that will do. Allison loves
nv. ! know it-I can see it in her
eyes.
1t wns Il passionate vet half-mater-
nal fnriin" that DR.. Brooke had for
this beautiful girI: :; tcrlin" akin to
that which, IN" ti:rr chrrisl.es to-
ward i,sriib. ;n,l yet with Il vcarninw
tenderness. too. II" i'lt that he
would gladly have thrown away his
life To save her pain. hut as il was.
h" meant To devote his lie to her
pleasure. No,hin" should be spared
that could give her pl.nsurc-tIlis
littl" cpirnrcan who believed SO de-
vortly in tho Now. There was moth
Ing. too, which could stand in the
way OF an Immediate marriage Dun
ran Brooke had already matlc ii brill
liant reputation aud large pr,c-
tirr, and Alison being an orphan,
with II fortune OF her own, there
would hr no difficulties about their
settling down ut once. His house in
Grosvcnorslrcrt w;ls Il fair-Size'l one.
and with Alison's taste in furniture
and pictures. nigh: he made one of
the prrt,ic>t in London. He smiled
ns he saw IL vision of her radiant face
ut the head Of his dinncr-tnblc, smil-
ing ut his guests. perfect in her young
mntrolliood. Somehow lie always
thought of her in connection with
beautiful and pleasant things; with
flowers. and picturcrs. and music, and
the sparkle OF 'linncr-tablc wit. She
had told him that day that she
love! roses: well. She should have
roses on her table every day OF the
wear. And then Brooke remembered
that Irnrlswcrc another hobby of
AliSons. lie would telegraph to
town Tomorrow for he finest neck.
lac" h" could Get.
That night. when Lady Minton
had sent lrrmni'lnway, Il pink roIcd
iiyurr knocked At lcriOur and knot
tv,! Il pair of soft arms tight round
her neck
My dear child, what is H. mat
ter She graspctl in the midst ofthis
ilnrrtuous embrace.
Its all scttlcd-nnd I'm SO hap
py!'
Indeed. said Lady Alinton. laugh
ing. And may ask who is the lucky
nnn?"
"Oh, DR.. Brooke, ofcoursc. How
can YOU ask"
My dear. all the men i'll the house
are mad about you. ! listen tn their
conti'lcnc.'S-yon know my way
We'll. YOU shant be bored with
any more. YOU dear thing. Please
lit them know that am the hap
],:eSt woman in the world