The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-10-11
my pest friend in the world, and-as 1
suddenly Observation-Disclosures too, /
determined to write and explain all to


my pest friend in the world, and-as 1
suddenly Observation-Disclosures too. /
determined to write and explain all to
MIR. Sutherland.
How well l remember that hour! The
little parlor quite still and quiet. except
for the faint sound of the waves rolling
in; for it was rather a wild night, and
Il small one-storied cottage stood by
itself in a solitary part of the beach.
How well l remember myself! sitting
with the pen in my hand, uncertain
how to Begin; for | felt awkward, nev
er having written to him since l was q
child.
AT first I almost forgot what l had to
write about. While musing, / was
startled by a noise like the opening of
a window. Now, as l explained, our
house was all n fiat, and we could
easily step from any window to the
beach In considerable alarm l hurried
into Zillah's room. There, by the din
night-light, l saw her bed was empty.
She had apparently dressed herself-for
l saw hone other clothes-and crept out
at the window. Terrified inexpressibly,
was about to follow her, when l saw
the fiutter of shawl outside, and heard
her voice speaking.
mo, consin--no, dear cousin! Don't
ask me. can't go away with you to-
night. 1t would be very wrong when
Miss Pryor knows nothing about it. If
she had found us out or threatened, and
we were obliged to run away" tIm-
mediately saw that, with a girl fill
lah's fierce obstinacy, discovery would
be most dangerous. | put out the light
and kept quite Silly.
" can't, indeed l can't" pursued I'll
lai3s voice, in answer to some urging
which was inaudible; adding, with a
childish laugh, You know, Cousin Au-
gustus, it would never do for me to 90
and be married in a cotton dressing
gown; and Miss Pryor keeps all my best
clothes. Dear Miss Pryor! l would
much rather have told her, only you say
she would be so much the more sur
prlsed and pleased when l came back
married. And you are quite sure that
she shall always live with us, and never
return to Yorkshire again?n'
Her words, so childish, so unconscious
OF the wrong she was doing, perfectly
startled nae. All my romantic notions
OF girlish passion followingi its w wild
will were put to flight. Here was a
mere child led away by the dazzle of a
new toy to the brink of a precipice.
She evidently knew no more OF love and
marriage than Il baby!
for q little time longer, the wicked
lover cannot call him-suitor. urged
his suit, playing with her simplicity in
q manner that he must inwardly have
laughed at all the time. He lured her
TO matrimony by puerile pet M
such as My angelN-by idle rhapsodies
and promises OF fine houses and
II don't mind these things at all.n
sad poor lillali, innocently; II would
nog with You, only you say that when
| am married shall have nothing to
DO n you will never scold me. and |
shall have Miss Pryor always near me,
PromiSe.t
Here wasa pause, until the child's
simple voice washeard again: Il don't
Ike that, cousin. l won't kiss YOU
again, Miss Pryor once said we ought
never to kiss anybody unless we love
them very much.n
And don't you love me. nv adorable
creature?'
lin not quite sure; sometimes I
love you and sometimes not. but | sun
pose shall always when we are mar
ried."
That blissful day must be verv
soon said the lieutenant; and /
thought l heard him trying to suppress
a yawn. Let us settle it at once. nv
dear, Tor it grows late. If you will not
come tonight, let me have the happi-
ness. the entlre felicity, of fetching you
Tomorrow"
NO, no. Zillah answered.: "Miss
Pryor will want me to help her to pack.
We leave this day week: let me STAY till
The night before. then come for me. and
III have my best frock on, and we a
be married in time to meet them all be-
lore the boat sails the next day.
IN other circumstances | should have
smiled at this child's idea of marriages:
but now the crisis was far too real and
awful; and the more her ignorance
lightened her own error, the more it in
creased the crime of that bad man who
was apont to ruin her peace forever.
a Little he tried to reverse her plan
and make the marriage earlier. but I'll
lab was too steady. In the obstinacv
OF her charactcr-in the little influence
which, lover as he was, he seemed to
have over her-If found her safeguard.
past and present. 1t would lust allow
me to save her in the only way she
could be saved.
| listened till / heard her say good
bye TO her cousin. creep back into the
dark room through the open window,
and fasten it securely as before. Then
! stole away to the parlor, and support
cd by the strong excitement of the mo-
menl, wrote my letter to Mr.. Suther-
land.
There would be in the six DAYS lust
time for the arrival of an answer. or
himself. | left everything to him,
merely stating the facts, knowing he
would do right. AT midnight went to
bed. Zil)ah was fast asleep. AS l lay
awake, hour after hour, / thanked
Heaven that the poor child, deluded as
she has been, knew nothing of what
love wasi in its reality. She was at least
| spared that sorrow.
During all the week l contrived to
keep Zillah as near me as was possible,
consistent with the necessity of not
awaking her suspicious. This was the
more practicable, as she seemed to
cling TO me with an unwonted and even
painful tenderness. The other girls
glumbled sadly at our departure; but
luckily all had been definitely az
ranged by their father, who had even,
strange to say, given me money for the
journey. lie had likewise gracefully
apologized for being obliged to let us
NHIiGii hiIiu lldNtl stIDlie. DIS ne UuU
himself some business engagements,
while his son had lately rejoined his
regiment. Ireally think the deceiving
and deceived father fully credited the
latter fact. Certainly they were a
worthy pair!
| made all my plans secure, and
screwed up my courage as well as 1
could; bnt | own OH the evening previ-
Gus to our journey-the evening which,
from several attesting proofs, 1 knew
was still fixed for the elopemert-I be-
gan to feel a good deal alarmed. Of
Mr.. Sutherland there WIS notidings. AT
twilight | say plainly that the sole
hope must lie in my own presence of
mind, my influence over Zillah, and my
appeal to her sense of honor and affec-
ton. / sent the children early to bed,
saying ! had letters to write, and pre-
pared myself for whatever was to hap
pen.
Now many may think me foolish,
ard at times l thought myself so Ike
wise, for not going to Zillah and telling
her all | had discovered; but l knew
her character better than that. The
idea of being betrayed, waylaid, con
trolled, would drive her fierce Eastern
nature into the very commission of the
madness she contemplated. In every
thing / must trust to the impulse of the
| moment and to the result Of her sud