The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-02-21

The woman who hesitates is lost" SOW,
the JrOvrrl.
Bit the man who hssitates prefers to bs
lost.
While Orville Devi!le eased out upon tho
grey prsip'e al rocks that hid the sky from
his view, and invariably upon the frowninp
hmrrirr u. honor that stood between him
nnl The heaven III lis love, a slight noise ar.
rested his attention. Looking down, lie snw
old SnnGyur{he chimney. pla,e bringing the
grent brands together. aud blowing them un.
til he had raised hlazc
sandy went out, and in due time returned
with hot md cold water, towels. nnl Ills
masters rcgirsentals. that had, IN the mem.
time, been Msll dried. brushed and pressed
tirnt for !, sight OF his bright enthrali.r. de.
sren,lrd the stairs to the lower room, where
he found his rrrluse host. sitting just where
he had sat the night previous. untl looking
pale and worn. as though sleep hud not
visited his eyes.
Mr.. Dela:oret arose. however. with grace nj
courtesy. and welcomed his guest.
II hope you retrl well. aud find yourself
refreshed this morning." he said, M he Of
trir I him a rlaii
~ thank you. sir, WAS all TINT the youn,
man could with ruth Ind discretion lppy.
And vet. added the host. looking at
trmtivr!y NJ lin. IL donot think you did:
you seem :everis!i anl i'll; you have exposed
roursrl too sooa after convalpsrence. md
fntieuel yourself too much: YOU have to .eur
{, relapse. you must lie by aud rest Tor few
days"
THANK You again, mir. very earnestly;
hut mn. t get into the sn.l,lle and take ths
road thin the present hour.
And ii y0u do. young n,nn. sou will nuke
u much longer Journey than you have calcu-
lated ur0i,-even from this world to the
AZ
~ skill Ill surgeon, and ] see that yoar case
In c.itiral,' replied the icclusc. taking his
wrist-a .ull, b"un,ling. hut irregular an,l
kpnsmn,iic uuis=. iou must stay and he
nnrped."
Now, truly, the Young soldier would have
fed temptation. if only this good exeuse Ia
stay nml incc il had not lnen offered. Az it
With the audible sigh ozone who yielded
To destiny. and the drel, secret delight Of one
forced to stay where he I'nssionniely desired
to remain, Orviile Devills tucitly accepted
his hosts proposition
Aud he spent the day in the anmc room,
whore Mr.. Drn:oret tnt NJ l,is writing table,
ind l.ionnr sat sewing in her rinir,
The young invalid felt that liz could sit for
ever. reclining in thai hMtlirr chair, and
watching h,r from under The frin2,s Of his
half closed cy,s-,lr.nkine in. through them,
draughts of Iassiopnl intoxira,ian! For the
present this war sufficient; tli;H wns delicious!
lie knew nothing of tho dclrium-the mad
l.ess-tllat must fnllaw.
As pissed tiiis day so passed tl,eneNt. Aud
then 'lnwn~l the third DAY. when the l,atirnt
hntl p 'rinisaioM. ii il" pleased. to walk about
1t was the first dry Of he golden month q:
October, Mr., Delaiorrt WIS shut up in his
private room. engaged in writinr III lis
daughter informed their guest.
OrviIle DeyIlr. plra'ilny utter ignorance of
the mountain paths, invited l.innIe to be-.
come his guide for tho prescribed walk.
The forest mullen yielded IL prompt mud
cheer Ill assent, ani they lot the house for
their rambIr.
Behind them arose the 'rowning prccipicp;
before them flowed the smiling river: beyond
that st nntl the waving woods in NIL the gor
geons glory u! their autumn foliage.
] know uf no more beautiful walk tllah TIL,
bet ween tho pricipice aud the river: only
If We 20 fur, tho pnth becomes narrow
aud almost impassitlp; for in some plnces
the rocks, md in others actually flows under
it; so TINT you would have to wet your feet
in crossing; hut yOa would not mind that"
said the hardy mountain maiden.
At any other time he would have minded
it; for, with all his courage, our young SOL
der was in some respects rather IL dninty
gen, Iemnn Put now he could not brook to-
the character of 4 "cnrpet knight
With lis,lninsul smile lie dismissed the
ilen that lie should cnrr nbout wptting his
feet, mud set out to :ollow his bright guide.
In the course of that nomentous wnlk they
made great progress towards more intimate
acquaintance.
Without intrusive inquiries, Orville Deville,
in the course of conversation, then md after.
wards, learned. many significant facts in re.
gard to the history. characters, and circum-
stances of his bright young hostess mud her
father.
Like glimpses ola pre-exstence. seen in
dreams. or like descriptions reud in books,
l.iOnne sud she vaguely remembered living
in another home. aud l'eins called hy anot her
nnmc.
Rather more distinctly she remembered
living long time in whit must have been II
great ship. ind crossing an utmost endless
piece o, water which must have been the
Atlantic Ocean.
Then came many wanlerneR; and then, Mt
last. this mountain lodge, where they had
been living eight or nine years.
Her inthrr never could endure to talk of
their pnst lives. no she knew nothing certaiI-
y. he father, she continued, pissed much
time shut up in the l,nck pnrior: lie both
wrote and received many letters; he had
means for all their needs: he mailed and re-
ceived all his letters and bought all their
provisions at Wave. IL town in the
valley, some miles distant, to which
Vulcan, who Ind been with them ever since
she could remember. went every week
She. Lionne, hn,l nrver l"en to Wave, nor
anywhere else since they Ind come to this
lodge; she had no female companions. never
Ind had any. Her father had taught her to
rend nnd to write: She had read l,apin's His
tory of Enylaul. Chaucer, Spencer. and
Shakespeare. that was NIL, only she liked
Shakespeare hest. and knew muny o. the
plays by rote.
Her ;nther had taught her to ride md to
nll0ot: he used to he herconstant companinnin
these field and forest sports, or rather, she
used To lie his: hut OF late years he better
liked the quiet of his room. and she. who
could not abandon these outdoor nmuse.
mants, WIS NOW Obliged to pursue them
alone.
alone! nh. my leautiiml huntrcss. how
blest should esteem myself in the coveted
privilege OF becoming your companion.
your attendant. your groom, upon these ex-
cursions.'
SHOULD you" exclaimed Lonne, in limo.
cent surprise. ooh. l am SIRE il that could
afford you the least grutilicntion-'
"tirn,iticatinn-it would a ford me delight"
well, sir, only whit until you nre nble to
ride
"Ah. dear 1.ionne! whut conlescension!
what fnvOr'
"Favor" she exclaimed in simple wonder
what favor? 1t il you who confer the
favor, for Inn SIRE that it is very, very
good in you to offor to heronia my escort,
nntt . say that it would make you happy to
be SOL
"iIerc il a child OF nature who has never
been spoiled by fiattery." thought the young
man; then sud
bright Li0nnc! is it possible no one has
.
be permitted only to walk or ride by your
eide I"
She TUNED upon him IL curious look.
IL do not understand ynu, sir. OF cOurac,
no one has told ME; there was no one TO tell
me any such thing, even fit were true. Priv
i"ge only to walk beside me! How could
that l,e!."
"Ah! beautiful one! is it possible you dc
not know"
''Oh. of course. l know that company il
good; that even you, now that you are
away from all your dear friends and fine nc
qnaintanrrs, would rather walk with me
than quite alone. Tint IL easily unierstoot
for my.elf AIN very glad to have you will
me-"
"Ar. you. Lionne?"
"fes, Intlsel! ! fuiicy you would think sc
lyon knew how lonesome feel ut times"
NO mother. no sisters. no brothers. nc
companions. 1t is easily comprehensive,
snid tho young man, communing with him
sell; then aloud
$50 You are often lonesome, Lionne?"
"Oh. yes: tct ling az il had not friend q
companion in the wide, wide world; though
that il wrong. | know, for hive my deal
father md Vulcan, to say nothing OF Nox."
"Nox?"
YES, my horse: aud good companion
though he does go upon four legs ! am un
grateful to forget my friends.
"rcn YOU only feel lonely when you ar
depressed in spirits?"
NO; hut when am elated also. It. liz true