The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-11-27


picture" she said proudly, as she
handed it to her cousin.
Rose took the photograph, and.
holding it down where the light OF the
fire fell full upon it. she looked once,
then grew deathly pale.
rs this your lover, Lois?" she ask
ed. family. Lois bowed her head,
not noticing the awful change in her
cousins face.
Your lover!" she repeated, then
fell back in her chair, the picture fall
ing into the glowing fire. Lois uttered
little scream and was soon by her
cousins side.
She bathed the pale face, rubbed
the cold hands, and still the eyes didn't
open; then, growing more and more
frightened, she was about to run for
help, when a low moan was heard and
Rose sprang up from the sofa
What is it, Lois?' she cried.
You tainted, DEAR Come, sit
down." answered Lois, drawing her to
a chair.
''Oh. yes, I remember. Lois, take
me to my room; can't stay up" and
Lois, unconscious of the cause of her
cousins illness, took her to her room.
then returned to the drawing room.
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, and
then she did not faint; it was after
that, so it couldn't have been the pic
ture that caused it.
Then she thought of the picture.
Where was it? Rose was holding il
near the fire; it must have fallen in.
She knelt down before the CRATE and
looked anxiously among the dying EN-.
bers but saw nothing. She was about
to turn away. when her eyes rested on
something and, reaching for it, she
drew a half-burned picture from the
ashes.
Nothing but one eye remained visi-
BILE, and that one looked laughingly
into her face.
She felt as though she had lost her
best friend, and, looking sadly at the
one eve she threw it back into the
fire, then went to her room. She had
to pass Roses room on her way. and
on reaching the door she hesitated
whether to 60 in or not. She heard a
noise as the scratching of pen. Ros o
must be writing. She would go in
and see if she was better, at any rate
co., 81 I'll
"Who is it?"
ut is only Lois, DEAR"
There was moment of silence, then
the answer: Don't come in tonight
Lois. 1 am better. and 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-room 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.
"Why, auntie, is she going awayp"
asked Lois, quickly.
'.Her aunt sent for her before you
came, but she didn't care to go. Now
she isn't feeling well and wishes to go
away from everybody, she says"
''Oh, no, I will not mind, answered
Lois, and the subject was dropped
The next Monday Rose babe Lois
good-by and departed.
It seemed lonesome to Lois now,
but being lively herself she managed
to stay and enjoy herself as best she
could.
Spring had come again in all her
loveliness, and Lois enjoyed the long
walks through the woods by the side
of a babbling brook, and every after
noon was spent in that way.
1t was one of the warmest days in
May, so taking her books she wander
ed off to her favorite haunt. She had
a great deal to think of to-day, for
while in Roses room she found mini
allure 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 a while,
she sat still and looked into the water
at her own reflection.
She did not near footsteps behind
her. until voice reused her from her
reverie.
Pardon me, but can you direct me
to Mr.. Thorne's residence?"
She looked up and her face flushed
crimson for there beside her stood the
original of the unknown photograph.
She stammered a few words and he
must have understood her, for he
went on his way.
Lois gazed after him, and he looked
back once at the pretty girl by the
brook.
1t was almost dark when she reach
ed 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 remembered that Pro-
lessor Stone was her cousins intended
husband. Then memory of the burn
ed photograph came back and she
understood why Rose had acted
strangely.
There was not SO much sport in it
after oil PrOfocc0r Cfnno 1uoo o1co