Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-10-12
Fart II. tcontinued.,

MI lily Stuititt. Il was BOIhc oh " say
that at least / had done no harm to
any one else: if no ones any better
through me. ut least no ones the worse
for my selfishness-oh, yes, don't in
terr1Ipt." he went on. Il know what
you'd like 10 say-'No man liveth TO
himself the high. flown sort Of thing.
l don't 20 In for that. But now-I
have not even kept my consistency.
You'd never guess what I've gone and
done-at least, Maddie, can you guess
And his at all times sweet voice
sweetened and softened as he spoke,
and into his eye stole a look Madeline
had never seen there before.
'Despartl,' she exclaimed breathless-
iy shave you, can you, have fallen in
loye?!v
He nodded.
"Oh. dear Despard,'' she exclaimed,
81 am SO very glad. 1t will be the
making Of you. That's to say. if-but
1t must be somebody very nice"
Nice enough i'm herself-nice," he
repeated, and he smiled. Yes, if by
nice you mean everything sweet and
womanly, and original and delightful,
doh, you mustn't tempt me TO talk
about her. But what she is herself
is not the only thing, my poor Mad
die
Mrs. Sclby gave a start.
"Oh. Despard.'' she exclaimed, you
don't mean that she's a married wom-
an:'
mo. no."
.Or--or any one very decidedly be-
meath your she continued with SONY
relief, but anxiously still.
Despard hesitatcd.
That's exactly what I can't quite
say" he replied. shes a lady by
birth, that I'm sure of. But she has
been very little. Lived always in n
village Apprenticeship has been in
some ways unusually well and carefully
educated. But I'm quite positive she's
poor, really with nothing of her own,
I fancy. I'm not sure-it has struck
me onc or twice that perhaps she has
been intended for a governess."
Mrs. Selby gasped, but checked her
self
"She has friends who are kind to
her. met her at some good houses.
1t was ut Mrs. Englewood's first of
oil, but since then I've seen her at
much better places"
but why do you speak so doubtfully
you keepsaying Il fancy'-I suppose
IL must be easy TO find out all about
herr
No; that's just ii. She's c~uriously,
uo-not reServed-she's too nice and
well bred for that sort of thing-but,
IL You can understand, she's frankly
backward in speaking of herself. She'll
talk of anything but herself. She has
an old invalid father whom She adores
and, upon my soul. that's about all
she has ever told me"
You can ask Mrs. Englcwood, sure
ly."
Despard frowned.
II can, and L have; ut least, l tried
Ii. But il was not easy. She's been
rather queer TO me lately. Shetwould
volunteer no information, and of curse
you see I didn't want to seem interest
ed ON the subject. It's only Just lately.
since I came here in fact, that I've
really owned 1t to myself, and his face
iushed. II went Yachting and fishing to
put 1t out of my head, butts been no
nse--I won't laugh ut all that sort OF
thing again as l have done, | can tell
YOU,
Hes very much in earnest" thought
Mrs. Selby.
"What-you don't mind telling me
what is her Nance" she asked.
.Ford-Miss Ford. / fancy her first
name is Mary. There's a pet name
they call her by" but he did not tell ii.
Mary toId-tlat does not sound
aristocratic,'' unused Mrs. Selby. "Des-
pard. tell me~AMrs. Engiewood is really
fond of you. Do YOU think she knows
anything against the sin, or her fam
ly, or anything like that, and that she
was afraid of IT. for YOU
''Oh, dear no! Quite the contrary.
Mai-Miss Ford is n great pet of hers.
Gertrude was angry with me for lot
being civil 10 her. and he laughed.
Not being civil to her" she repeated
And you were falling in love with her!
How do YOU mean:"
THAT was aftcrward. / was brntally
lncivil [ o her at first. That's how it
began somehow ne said discon-
nectedly.
Mrs. Selby felt utterly ~perplexed.
Vas he being taken in by a designing
girl? Ii al sounded very inconsistent.
.Despard." she said after a little ST
lence, shall / try to find out all about
her from Mrs. Englewood? She would
not refuse any information If it was
Tor your sake
He considered,
well, yes lie said, perhaps you'd
better
And she went on, IF all is salts
eactory-
'Well:r
You will go through with it?'
"I~--suppose so. Altogether satisfact-
ory II cant be. I'm fairly well off
as a bachelor. but that's a very differ
mi matter. And-Maddic-I should
nate poverty.
you would have no need to call 1t
poverty" she said rather coldly.
We'll weu-I'm speaking COMPARE
lively of ol.se." he replied impatient-
". 1T would be what / call poverty.
And | am selfish, / know. The best of
zoe won't come out under those circum-
stances. I've no right to marry, you
see--tlmt's what's been tormenting
me-.
"1But il slss likes to face it-would
aots that bring ont the best Of youy'
said Mrs. Selby hopefully. though in
aer heart rather shocked by his way