Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-06-18

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young figure with gloYe-like smooth
ness. Il have come, said Rob, with an
embarrassment foreign to him, from
Henry Dreier."
The face before him-a yer delicate,
sensitive face it was. with dark-Iashed
hazel eyes and beautiful mouth
famed scarlet from soft hair to white
throat
lie did not receive my letter then?
You arc Mr. Bonnell"
Rob assented
Il wrote him" hurried on Linnes
Josylan, that l would not 90 to Belle
vile as he desired"
Rob felt himself placed in an unpleas-
/ ant position. Assuredly the girl was
+ neither narrow-minded nor spiritless as
/ he had supposed when he agreed to full
/ fill the request Of Dreier For, though
/ her words were brief and simple. there
was a vast deal OF resentment in both
tone and expression. But how in the
name of Heaven had such a woman
promised to marry Henry Dreier! sud
denly and curiously he was answered.
That's right, Linnet" piped up one
of the group who stood gaping at the
stranger, don't ye 60. l heard ma tell
pa yistIday, that ii you went togit mar
ried she'd have to hire help, an that
the lessn she'd have to pay nd be three
dollars week. Don't We gop'
Linnet looked up from the frecked
and persuasive countenance of Master
Give Leonard Leroy Blatchford. All
the color went out OF her face with
rush. Something set and resolute came
into 1t.
81 shall go with you," she said to
BonnelL She turned and walked toward
the house.
"Poor little girl said Rob lie know
now why she was going to marry Henry.
She would be her own mis- tress. She
would be independent. SEQ would
be free from repellant labor and
petty despotism. If the absorbed and
passionate devotion all young hearts
crave IL was not in the nature of Dreier
to give her, she would at least receive
kindness and affection And, morbid
sentimentalists to the contrary, half
loaf is preferable to no bread.
Bonnell went back to the road. He
stood by the buggy waiting. lie could
hear within the house the sounds OF
angry and aggrieved protestation.
When, carrying sachel, Miss Josylan
came out, down the path, and to the
buggy, her lips were set in a mutinous
red line, and her hazel eyes were black
with rebellion. Silently he helped her
in. Silently they drove off. Warmer
the day had grown. The fresh, half
pungent scent of broke" ground drift
ed to them. And family heard they the
murmurous whirr and hum that pre-
ludes the summer
It is about three-hour's drive from
Concordia to Belleville They had
travelled more than half the distance,
and almost in utter silence, when all at
once Linnet broke down In fiji of child
ish weeping.
Torn she painted. go back,
can't marry Henry Dreier He is good.
Yes, l know that. But TO be with him
--alwaysl O, mono. ! was foolish.
I only wanted to get away from Batch
fordS II didn't think OF the sin of
marrying for such reason. Take me
back-pleasew
a force mightier than his Will, might
Ter than himself mastered Rob Bonnell.
TraitorOus- dishonorable? Perhaps But
he could at that moment no more have
held back the words that sprang from
his heart to his lips and overfowed
them than he could have restrained the
fierce fury Of a mountain food.
''Linnet, he cried hoarsely, Il love
you! Marry me-"
20 she whispered. and shrank back
trembling. lie had stopped the team He
turned in his seat and faced her. Their
eyes met. There was that in his, i'm
perious, steady, feryent, tlatcompelled
surrender. Linnet's lashes dropped.
Rob bent and kissed her. That broke
the mad spell that was upon them both
Don't" she said Go on ! could
care Tor you-yes. But the disloyalty
would be more wicked than-than keep
ing my word"
Bounell snatched out the whip He
gave the horses lash. He drove
straight on towards Belleville. There
he left Linnet at the hotel He then
went straight to the Office He found
Dreier alone. and in high spirits
We'll, ne cried, that elevator bust
ness was fixed to-day. We've come out
several thousands ahead What is the
matter? You look like ghost"
do -" with a wan smile Il ought
to look like a sconndrel. I've fallen in
love with your sweetheart Henry. n
asked her TO marry me. kissed her
Dreier said not a word for several mo-
ments. Whom he spoke it was in his
ordinary bland and drawing voice:
IF Linnot likes sou better than me,
it's all right. Mistakes shouldn't be
made in matrimony any more than in
business Mistakes arc poor policy.
They don't pay. Anyhow, Bob Saw
yer's widow would suit me nearly as
we'll. She isn't pretty, like Linuet, but
She owns a half-section over in Logan
County that joins mine"
Such an unexpected reply Such a
delightful unromantic reply! Bob
burst into boyish and ecstatic shout Of
laughter. lie felt he could afford to