The Red Cloud chief., 1890-11-21

that herself, her conscience would NOT
have acquitted her II she had not made
all the preparations 70 which she had
been accustomed ON such occasions
This done. she sat down. 10 her knit
ting. casting . glance every now and
then 1t the oven to make sure that all
was going on we'll It wa . quiet morn.
ing. and Miss Hetty began to think "a
the clicking Of her knitting needles
AFTER all" thought she, its rathes
solitary taking dinner alone. and that
on Thanksgiving day. I remember Z
long time ago. when my father was liv-
ing. and my brothers and sisters, what q
merry time We used to have round the
table. But they Arc all dead, and IL
alone am left"
Miss Hetty sighed, but after awhile
the r~ecollections Of these old times re.
turned. She tried to shake them on.
but they had . fascination about them
after all. and would not 60 at her bid
ding.
There used to be another there" "
thought she. '.Nick Anderson. He. too.
I fear is dead"
Hetty heaved . thoughtful sigh, and
. faint color came into her cheeks.
| She had reason. This Nicholas Ander'
had been q medical student. appren-
ticed to her father, or rather placed
with him to be prepared for his profes.
sion. lie was. perhaps, a year older
than Hetty, and had regarded her with
more than ordinary warmth OF affection.
He had, in fact, proposed to her. and
had been conditionally accepted, on a
years probation. The trouble was, he
was q little disposed to be wild, and
being naturally Of q lively and careless
temperament, did nOtexercise sufficient
discrimination in the choice Of his asso-
ciates. Hetty had loved him as warmly
as one of her nature could love. She
was not one who would be drawn away
beyond the dictates of reason and judg-
ment by the force of affection. Still, it
was not without a feeling Of deep sor-
row-deepcr than her calm manner led
him TO suspect-that at the end OF the
years probation shc informed Ander-
son that the result of his trial was not
favorable TO his suit, and that hence
forth he must give up all thoughts OF
her.
To his vehement asseverations,
promises and prOtestations she returned
the same steady and inflexible answer,
and at the close Of the interview he left
her quito as full of indignation against
her as Of grief for his rejection.
That night his clothing was packed
up and lowered from the window, and
when the mex morning dawned 1t was
found that he had left the house, and,
as was intimated in q slight note pen
ciled and left on tho table in his room,
never to return again.
While Miss HendersOn's mind was far
back in the past, she had not observed
the approach OF q man, shabbily at
tired, accompanied by a little girl. sp-
parently some eight years OF age. The
mans face bore the impress of many
cares and hardships. The little girl
was of delicate appearance, and an Oc-
casional shiver showed that her gar
ments were too thin to protect her suf-
ficiently from the inclemency Of the
This is the place. Henrietta" said
the traveller at length, pausing at the
head of the graveled walk which led up
to the front door Of the p~rim-looking
brick house.
Together they entered. and a moment
afterwards, just as Miss Hetty was pre-
pairing to lay the cloth for dinner a
knock sounded through the house.
Goodness said Miss Hetty. flustered,
''who can it be that wants to see me at
this hOur?!"
Smoothing down her apron, and Civ
ing q look at the glass to make sure that
her hair was in order, she fastened TO
the door.
'Will it he asking too much, madam,
to request a seat by your fire for myself
and little girl for q few moments? 1t is
very cold"
Miss Hetty could see that it was cold.
Somehow, too. the appealing expression