Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-07-24
misunderstood.

.yes it is quite true that 1 am en-
c,eed to Mr.. Lemoyne, although the
t IT,, has not yet been announced. But
hov did YOU find it out so quickly, Alice?
yan are the first one who Why,
N, Warren, you here? am so happy
10 see vou! We were just wishing that
we might be fortunate enough to meet
come pleasant cuuaintance-were we
not, Alice?"
His deep, dark gray eyes turned to
tbs beuatitul dusk face Of Olive NIayne
With a look which it would have been
mpossble for even her to fathom.
For as those dark, liquid eyes met his
sDd those perfect lips smiled upon him
with such sweet unconsciousness, his
heart was beating in his very throat and
every pulse was tingling with mad
ouazement and despair that seemed be-
yond all restraint.
Yet he smiled back with nonchal-
ance as cool and perfect as her own, and
held ont his hand with the easy grace
that characterized him always.
Pray accept my congratulations,
Miss NIayne," lie said. with just such an
air of kindly interest as any other &C
Quantance like himself might properly
assume. You will pardon my having
overhead the confession which you made
moment since? CHANGED to be so
near that I could not avoid hearing it,
YOU know"
She had lowered her eyes mt the first
words he spoke, but as he ceased she
lifted them again. rush of crimson
staining the beautiful dusk face from
brow to chin.
But the change in her was passed
almost before he had time to realize
that any had occurred, aud her sweet,
cool voice was falling on his ear:
Yes, she was saying with another
laugh, Alice artfully beguiled me into
soaking of it here in this art gallery,
Of all places, where any one might
chance to overhear it. shall find
pme way to punish her TOR that, but in
Ne meantime accept your kind
shes, Mr.. Warren"
Lemoyne's betrothed wife!" was the
ought that surged through his heart
md brain-the thought which made
him clinch his firm, white teeth more
than once to prevent its utterance.
And only yesterday-ay, only last
night at parting-she was almost mine
Had asked her then 1 could almost
have sworn that she would have given
her love to me. Why, did I not? God
only knows! But to-day thank Him
for whatever saved me from It'll"
And it was the truth.
For mingled with his worshiping,
UNASSIGNED love. and even her false
ness could not tear all in moment
from his heart, was wrathful scorn as
deep as it was bitter-a proud contempt
which made him look back with horror
upon the danger he so narrowly es-
capped of committing himself irrevocably
AID thus becoming openly her dupe.
How he got through that hour he
could never clearly remember, but he
knew that he did act his role OF indilfer-
ence to the last.
What charmingly agreeable man
Mr.. Warren is-and so very handsome!'
exclaimed Alice CALDWELL admiringly
as they drove away. "And, Olive dc
YOU know really believed until to-day
that you would marry him instead Of
Mr.. Lemoyne?"
"Nonsense!" said Olive, sharply
turning her face away to look at some
tilng from the opposite window. HE
is not the sort of man should care te
marry Alice; and besides, he wa
merely one of my numerous admirers
yoa see"-with an odd, unmusical laugh
and not the anxious candidate 10
,Matrlmony that you evidently though
Well, Olive"-with a sudden bird
NE laugh-"I'm glad l was mistaken
ABOUT his being your lover. Now tn
rest OF us can have q chance to try gu
CHARMS upon him. 1 always did hav'
me most boundIess admiration for Al
Warren, assure YOU"
At this frank declaration Olive glance
quickly around at the pretty, yellow
nalred girl who had made it, and opene'
ner lips to speak. But she did not d
DO Instead, strange expression 9
pam swept over her proud, Lowell
lace, and she turned away again, max
Ng some comment upon the stree
scenes through which they were pass
Ing.
1t was not until, having set Alic
,"u"eil down at the latterS doorstep
cue had driven to her own home an
a. .1cked herself securely in her bedroom
mat Olive Mayne allowed the stern ter
''h OF her nerves to give way.
., 1t Is over-over. thank God!" sh
;a w. family, burying her white FAC
~ the pillows OF the couch upon whic
sue mad thrown herself with moan
PASSIONATE anguish. Il know playe
NY NY part we'll, and he never dreams til
ruth. All! how little he or Alice rea
~. 1eo that it was who led the convers'
l ls 70 the subject of my engagement
hhno~lng that he stood there and mu
Lear my announcement of it. But whit
uu lie care? Such baseness as his dot
A a suffer from SO tritiing wount
n az l, IN order to deal it and to redee
tue PRIDE he had SO nearly crushed
1aSe tettered my life with chains tn