The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-10-25
The H%ALF-CASTE
AN OLD GovERNEss's TALE
FOUNDED on FACT.
DY. MISS UNLOCK.
Dy. MISS UNLOCK.

wv yoN aiAt Wv 10 Nphioh GoLi bVou
deal with a woman in these cases.
And" he added, rising slowly and look
ing down upon me with that grave and
self-possessed smile which was likewise
as sweet as any wOman'S, "tell Zillah
from me, that though l wish her to
marry in her own rank and with near
equality of fortune, to save her from all
those dangers of mercenary offers to
which an heiress is so cruelty exposed,
still. both now and at all times. I leave
her to the dictates of her w affections
and her happiness will ever be my chief
consideration in life"
the latter words, when his voice faltered
q little. Then he led me to the door
and l went out.
Zillah lay on a sofa reading a love-
story. Her crisp black hair was tossed
about the crimson cushions, and her
whole figure was that of rich Eastern
luxuriance. She had always rather a
fantastic way Of dress, and now she
looked almost like a princess out of the
Arabian Nights. Even though her skin
was that of half-caste, and her little
hands were not white but brown, there
was no denying that she was a very
beautiful woman. | felt it-saw it
knew it'll
SAtecL ullllute . PAUSE 4 WeIiL W HeE
side; she jumped up and kissed me, as
she was rather fond of doing. l half
shrank back-her kisses were very pain
full to me just then. l caIEe as quickly
as possible to my errand, and gave her
the letter to read.
AS she glanced through it her cheeks
flushed and her lips began to curl. She
threw the letter on my lap, and said alb
ruptly, "Well, and what of that"
l began a few necessary explanations.
Zillah stopped me-
"Oh, l heard something of the sort
from MI. French last night. l did not
believe him, o do l now lie is only
making a jest of me-
l answered that this was impossible.
In my w mind | was surprised at Ill
lah's having known the matter before.
and having kept it so quietly. Mr..
French's statement about his honorable
reticence toward the lady Of his devo-
tions must have been untrue. Still this
was not so remarkable as Zillah'S own
secrecy about her having y lover.
why did you not tell me, my dear?'
said |; you know your happiness is of
the first Importance to mi as well as to
your guardian" And, rather hesitat-
ing, l repeated, word by word, as near
as | could. Mr.. Sutherland's message.
While J. spoke Zillah hid her face
among the cushions, and then drew it
out burning red.
He thinks | am going to accept the
creature then? He would have me
marry a conceited, chattering. mean
looking, foolish boy!" (Now Mr.
French was certainly twenty-five,
"One, too, that only wants me for my
fortune and nothing else. 1t is very
wrong, cruel, and heartless of him, and
you may go and tell him 500
''Iell Who?" said l., bewildered by this
outburst of indignation, and great con
fusion of personal pronouns.
"Mr. Sutherland. of course! Who
else would | tell? Whose opinion else
do l care for? Go and say to him
No." she added. abruptly; 'no, YOU
about me. just say l shall not marry
give him his answer and bid him let me
alone"
Here. quite exhausted with hel
wrath, Zillah sank back, and took hel
book, turning her head from me. But
l saw that she did not read one line,
that her m%otionless eyes were fixed anC
full of strange deep expression. l be
gan to cease wondering what the future
would bring.
Very SOC afterward 1 went back tt
MI. Sutherland and told him all tina
had passed; just the plain facts, with
out any comments of my own.
He apparently required none. 1 fount
him sitting composedly with some pa
pers before him-he had for the las
few days been immersed in bushes!
which seemed rather to trouble him; Ii.
started a little rs | entered. but imme
diately came forward and listened Will
n quiet aspect to the message l had t.
bring. l could not tell whether it mad,
him happy or the contrary; his counte
nance could be at times SO totally i'm
passive that no friend, dearest or near
est. could ever find out from it anythin,
he did not wish to betray.
THE matter is settled them" said h
gravely; 81 will write to Mr.. French to
day, and perhaps it would be as well !
we eve alluded to what has passed
l. at least, shall not do it; tell Zillah SC
But in the future, say that l entrea
she keeps no secret back from you. Re
member this, my dear Cassia; watc'
over her as you love her-and you d
love herr" continued he, grasping m
hand.
1 answered that L did, and God know
even then | told no lie. She was a yer
dear child to me always!
Mr.. Sutherland seemed quite Statistic,
and at rest. He babe me a cheerful
goodbye, which l knew meant that
SHOULD go away. so accordingly 1 wen
Passing the drawing-room door, I sa,
Zillah lying in her old position on tn
sofa; so would not disturb her, bu
went and walked up and down under
clump of fir-trees III the garden. The
made a shadow dark and grave. an
still: it was more natural than beiD
on the lawn among the flowers, the SUI
shine and the bees. l did not come i
for hours.
At dinner there were, fortunatel,
only ourselves, just a family party
Mr.. Sutherland did not join US until W
reached the dining-room door. l nc
ticed that Zillah's color changed as h
approached, and that all dinner-tim
she hardly spoke to him; but he behave
to her as usual. He was rather thought
full, for, as no told mo privately, he ha
some trllling business anXieties burden
ing him just then; otherwise he SCENE
the same. Nevertheless, whether
was his fault or Zillah's, in a few day
the fact grew apparent to me that the
We're not quite such good friends q
heretofore. A restraint, a discomfort
a shadow scarcely tangible, yet sti
real, was felt between them. Such
cloud often rises-a mist that come
just before the day-dawn; or, as har
pens sometimes, before night.
For many days-how many I do nc
recoilect. since about this time all in tn
house and in the world without SCENE,
to go on SO strangely--for many day
afterward nothing happened of any cor
sequence, except that On Sunday after
noon ! made a faint struggle of polite
ness in some remark about "goin
home" and '%encroaching on their hos
pitality," which was met with such evj
dent pain and alarm by all parties, tina
l was silent; so we stayed yet longer.
One morning-it was high summe
now-We were sitting at breakfast; W
three only, as Mrs. Sutherland neve
rose early. l was making tea, ZillaI
near me, and Mr.. Sutherland at the FOO
Of the table. He looked anxious an
did not talk much, though l remembe
he rose up nj to throw q handful o
crumbs to Il half-tame thrush that ha,
hullt III a laurel-bush on the lawn-h
thing!
There, my fine bird, take some foo
hcma to your wife and weans!" said he
pleasantly; but at the words, becara
fry.uN,a wv oo1