The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-21

looked into her lace anu seemed to DE
laughing with her.
She hurried down to show IL to Rose.
her pretty face flushed with excite
ment.
What fun it would be to tell her and
make her believe that this handsome
man was her lover!
Here is his picture" she said,
proudly. as she handed il TO her cousin.
Rose took the photograph. and hold.
ing it down where the light of the Sire
fell full upon il. she looked once. then
grew dealhly pale.
is this your lover. Loisp" she asked,
family. Lois bowed her head. not no.
ticing the awful change in her cousins
face.
Your loverr' she repeated. then fell
back in her chair, the picture falling
into the glowing fire. LOIS uttered
little scream aud was soon by her
cousins side.
She bathed the pale face, rubbed the
cold hands and still the ewes didn't
open; then growing more aud more
frightened, she was about TO run for
help. when a low moan was heard and
Rose sprang up from the sofa.
wv hat is il. Loi>?" she cried.
You tainted. dear. Come, SIT
down." answered Lois. drawing her to
"A chair.
"Oh. yes. | remember. Lois, take
me TO my room; can't stay up" aud
Lois. unconscious of the cause of her
cousins Illness took her to her room.
then returned 10 the drawing-roon.
The fire had nearly died away and
the room was quite dark. but finding
her way To "A chair she sank down To
think of all that had happened. She
had shown the picture To Rose. aud
then she did not faint; ii was after that,
so it could not have been the picture
that caused it.
Then she thought OF the picture.
Where was it? Rose was holding it
near the fire: it must have fallen in.
She knclt down before the CRATE and
looked auXiously among the dying en-
bers, but saw nothing. She was about
To turn away when her eyes rested on
something. and. reaching it. she drew
the half-burned picture from the ashes.
Nothing but one eve remained viSi-
BILE. and that one looked laughingly in
to her face.
She felt rs though she had lost her
best friend, and, looking sadly ut the
one eve. she threw il back into the fire
then went to her room. She had TO
pass Roses room on her way, and on
reaching the door she hesitatcd whether
to 20 in or not. She heard noise as
the scratching Of pen. Rose must be
writing. She would 90 in aud see
flnt sla .sue hot fnt NJ rnga a
Knocked and n faint voice asked:
''Who is it?'
at is only Lois, dear"
There was moment of silence. then
the answer: Don't come in tonight,
Lois. am better aud want To see no
one" And poor. innocent Lois passed
on TO her room.
A few days afterward Lois and her
aunt were in the drawing-rnom alone.
Rose having gone for drive.
You won't mind, dear, if Rose isn't
home after this week will you?" asked
her aunt, looking up from her work.
WAY. auntIe. is she going awayp'
asked Lois. quickly.
Her aunt sent for her before YOU
came, but she didn't care to 20. Now
she isn't feeling well. and wish, ; TO 20
away from everybody. she SAYS.
On. no. | will not mind answered
Lois. and the subject was dropped.
The next Monday Rose bade Lois
goodbye and departed.
Ii seemed lonesome to Lois now,
but being lively herself. she managed
to stay aud enjoy herself as best she
could.
Sn,;rsy b,I ,nn,a .rr,;,, =, III l,,
loveliness. and Lois euiuved the long
walks through the woods by the side of
babbling brook. and every afternoon
was spent in that way.
1t was one of the warmest davs in
NAV so taking her books she wandered
oil 10 her favorite hauut. She had a
great deal TO think of to-day. for while
in Roses room she found II miniature
photograph of the same Young man
whose picture she had had.
Rose must have known him; she
would write that very night and ask
her. Then. after reading for awhile.
she sat still aud looked into the water
at her own reflection.
She did not hear footsteps behind her
until voice aroused her from her
reverie.
Pardon me, but can you direct me
TO MIR. Thorne's residencc?N
She looked up and her face flushed
crimson. for there beside her stood the
ori ignal u the unknown Photographic
She slammed few words and he
must have understood her. for he went
OH his way.
Lois gazed after him. and he looked
back once at the pretty girl by the
brook.
1t was almost dark when she reached
home. and her uncle was sitting on the
veranda with some Young man. As she
drew near she recognized him.
MY dear. this is Professor Stone"
said her uncle. She seemed To hear
no more, only remem bered that Pro-
fc>sor Stone was her cousins intended
hu ,band. The memory of the burned
photograph came back and she under
stood why Rose bad acted so strangely
There was not SO much sport in it
after all. Professor Stone was also
thinking. He remembered a mysterious
latt,.r la. h.,l rnnaiv,.I fran, Il Il,