Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-07-13
CHAPTER /.

The sky was a vault of fieckless blue,
the sun a great cleaning sapphire, the
air bracing as pure wine, and the rare
autumnal day was drawing to a close.
Hopedale was a peaceful hamlet, but
beyond its kind in certainty INT pro-
gressive point-it had a young ladies'
seminary of unusual excellence, and n
young man of more than usual acumen
was enjoying the beautiful day and
taking in the distant turrets and peaks
of the institute of learning in question
at that ~eventful hour, for him, when
our story opens.
He had the look Of an artist, and the
equipment Of an artist surrounded him,
He had chosen the slope of a wooded
grove for his camp-stool, and had set
his easel facing the village The fam
ing leaves of a broad-spreading tree
sheltered him. Air, earth and sky were
in harmony with the artistic impulse,
but just now he seemed in a thoughtful
rather than al active mood.
His brush had fallen to his side, and
the canvas showed only a few lazy
patches of color. 1t seemed as IL he
had come out to paint nature and mad
been shamed from feeble effort by the
glorious brush Of nature itself. The
sun, which dashed the white villas with
pale gold, made the sumacs a great
ensanguined blur of crimson, and,
mingling with the v~ari-colored tree
tops. produced those exquisite shades
and alterations of color and beautiful
effects which no pen has ever yet de-
scribed, no brush ever yet delineated.
II wish she would come,' he muir
INJURED. II wonder if she will Gomez"
His words were a sigh of longing and
anxiety. and he continued to gaze at the
distant turrets as if "She" was a fairy,
with power to fly straight through the
air to his side.
There was a rustling among the dry
twigs back of him, but he did not heed
1t. Then there was a culver of branches
overhead, and down came a hundred
futtering leaves.
Caught in a shower, Mr.. Dreamer"
laughed a bright, belllike voice. rs
This the way you work ut the great
picture that is to charm the world?'
Edna"
Over went stool and easel as the
young man sprang to his feet, us if
from an electric shock. Red as the red,
red leaves strewn about him flushed
the handsome face, and brighter than
the crystal rays of sunshine glowed
his proud-looking eyes down into re-
5ponsive ones brighter yet, while he
clasped the hands, both hands, that
had shaken the bough overhead, send
ing earthward the fiuttering messen-
gers of mischief.
II so wanted to see your he breathed,
/ fhriIlinu or tho fptrStfrI rlannn nf fhnsn
pure eyes.
And / so wanted to see you, but
Raymond"
He was a privileged character, this
athletic, handsome-faced young fellow,
all soul, all art, all love, for they were
affianced, yet her tones were a tender
%reproach, a mock serious mandate, as
his eager lips came a trife dangerously
near sweeping her velvety cheek. She
had managed to shrink back and dis
engage her hand, and with the tip of
one pearly pink finger she pointed back
the way she had come.
There was a roguish twinkle in her
eye, as Raymond Marshall stole a quick
glance in the direction indicated. He
frowned and groaned, dolefully but
submissively.
His visitor had not come unattended.
Back in the grove, a girl of her own
age was toying with the rafting tops
of the blanched golden rod.
"Was 1t necessary" he began, and
then he uttered, quite testify: Always
that girl!'
Raymond, how dare your came
the spirited Interpolation, and Miss
Edna Deane showed the fire of her
quick nature in a sudden, indignant
flash Of those captivating eyes. "Bea-
trice Mercer is my friend"
Il wish she wasn't. OF all your as
sociates ] distrust her the most" ven
tured Raymond Marshall.
you ought TO be ashamed" COM
mented Miss Tyrant, severely, land
you ought to feel grateful to her, in
stead of otherwise"
"Grateful?"
"Yes; that Is IL you really care about
seeing me. You know the rules of the
seminary. No young lady may leave
it's sacred precincts unless accompanied
by one Of the teachers. Poor Beatrice
has to teach for her tuition, and they
invest her with the dignity and judy
ment of a duenna. So, when / told
Miss Chandler, the principal, that / had
the headache, that I thought / spied
you so lonesome and Industrious oyer
here, and felt that the encouragement
of my criticism IN your beautiful pict-
ure might hurry up its completion, she
reluctantly admitted that such a pro-
ceeding would be quite proper If Bea-
trice accompanied me-"
Raymond Marshall WINGED at the
thrust ut his Incidence. He frightened
up, however, as he said:
Never mind. All that will soon end,
and o we shall have no friend, chap
eron or duenna TO mar the complete
ness of happiness. Eth, my little lover
Edna's head had dropped on her
breast, and she shook her head slowly.
IF only-if only Miss Chandler would
speak
YES" interrupted Raymond, excited
"; If she would only speak. Just look
at 1t! Here we are, two loving, har-
monious souls. i think the world Of
you, and you take pity on me, and hope
10 make rue famous some day by mar