Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-11-16
for

| NOW klluAllln klhNpo oluNp llJL ab-
quaintance with Ralph, just as meaner
things are polished by contact with
better.
"Ah, here you are, Mr.. Benning?"
she said, with forced smile and an
equally forced assumption Of light
heartedness. II wondered what had
become Of you Twas afraid you might
have wandered off into some danger"
"Oh, | know too much for that" re-
turned Ralph, with bitter curling Of
his lips. II have been taking long
walk among the hills"
And yet you know that | do not
want you TO 60 so far upon these lonely
rambles," interrupted Alma, with q
look of keen anxiety,
We'll why not?"
Because - because there may DO
enemies looking for you in some Of
those lonely ravines," declared the
girl, with the air Of having been forced
to say something she would have pre-
ferred TO keep secret. II dare say
some of the-the native young men
may be Jealous Of you"
Jealous of mey Impossiblel They
know that am only poor waif upon
whom your father and you have kindly
taken pity. They know that l am only
a pensioner upon your bounty and not
sutton for your hand, Miss Bullet.
The girl sighed, as she tore In pieces
a bunch Of wild flowers she had gath
cred.
"They may not know all this-those
native young men who used to try to
pay me attention, she murmured; "and
some Of them, know, are very ugly
and malicious, and that Is why have
so often begged you not to wander away
so far, and why / have asked you to be
always on your guard. You have been
ten or twelve miles, I supposeP"
"Yes-or more. How can | help
moving? am too worried and excited
to remain motionless. Finding myself
little tired upon my return from this
long ramble, dropped into this pleas
ant place to rest,
shall we read a little more to-day?"
asked Alma, after waiting few mo-
ments for Ralph to continue his ac-
count of himself.
mo, no-thank you! I am tired of
geography, tired of history, tired Of
even your ancient Greeks and Ro-
mans
"Then perhaps you don't wish me to
remain here ut all ?" breathed tho girl,
sadly, while tear welled up slowly
into each eye.
eyes, do-of course, of course, re-
turned Ralph, quickly, looking as If
his conscience smote him for those
tears. "Sit down here beside me.
am always glad to see you, us you ought
to know by this time. Come when you
will, your coming is always welcome.
How could 1t be otherwise after all you
have done for me ?"
Sending u quick but comprehensive
glance in every direction around, as If
to assure herself that no intruders
were near, the girl seated herself upon
the velvety sward near eRalph, and
promptly recovered her calmnes5 and
all the studied charms of her voice and
manner
Its no wonder you are tired of read
ing and studying" she murmured.
"How constantly we have been porting
over books during the time you have
been herel You were only few hours
In learning the letters of the alphabet,
and since then we have exhausted the
whole stock Of books upon the island.
Even the missionaries have little more
to lend us. But you must certainly
feel that you are paid for all this
trouble. You know almost everything
all that Is usually taught in the
schools, and all that Is to be learned by
an extended course Of select reading"
81 am certainly improved from the ig-
norant creature | was when you took me
In hand" returned Ralph, with sad
smile. "Then everything was so strange
to me, as II l had just dropped down
from the skies. l had no idea of the
ocean, the continents, the islands, the
stars, or the planets. London, Paris,
Rome, New York, San Francisco
America, Europe, Asia-these are all
names which were then only empty
sounds to me. But now, Miss Bullet,
thanks to your constant and generous
assistance, am like other men"
"Only 50 much nobler and wiser than
the majority of them." breathed Alma,
with an earnestness which rendered
any doubt of her sincerity impossible.
Ralph smiled again, and rejoined:
"You hatter me, but | know how to
excuse your flattery. The teacher Is
always partial to the scholar, But ]
am so far like other men, at least, that
l am now prepared to bear my part in
the great battle of life; that can look
out intelligently upon the scenes around
us; that can reason and act in all and
any given circumstances; and that |
am now capable of considering all and
any problems-even the great mystery
of myself.
And 1t is of this great mystery
that you have been puzzling again, no
doubt?" murmured Alma, with an UNI
easiness she could not entirely conceal.
"Yes; it is of this horrible secret
that 1 have been puzzling again,
affirmed Ralph, his rich voice freighted
with unrest and desolation. who was
before your father gave me this name
OF Ashley Benning? Where did
come from? What was my former name,
my race, my kindred9"
Father surmises that you may have
been sailor upon some ship said
Alma, with averted face.
"a sailorP Impossible! The same
idea occurred to me, and | have
been and looked at a hundred sailors
one after another. I am not like them.
You need only look at my hands. Is
that the hand of sailor2"
+ The girl glanced at the hand extend
ed toward her, so white, so soft-skin,
ned, so small and delicate, and the ut