The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-11-04
DAWN.

May day a cloud had fallen; a funeral
pail lay over the gold Of the laburnum
and the purple of the" lilacs; a dark
mist hid the budding roses and the lily
leaves; the birds seemed suddenly to
have changed their notes. What was
the fiery, horrible pain that made her
heart bleed?
She went on quickly. She wanted to
be alone to think over what she had
seen. She gave the message to the
gardener, who looked at her in maze
ment-her face was white and her lips
park into the woods, where she could
had known that Alan was searching
tience in his heart against the widow,
she would have gone to him.
What bewildering pain it was! She
flung herself down, hiding her white
face and burning tears in the long soft
grass. The memory of that kiss was a
burning pain; it tortured her. How
vas she to bear it? Was his love so
light that a few glances from dark
eyes and a few smiles from rosy lips
could take his heart from her?
The white hands were clinched; the
pretty lips trembled with deep-drawn
passionate sobs. Hoy could she bear
it? She loved him so well. Why should
this dark-eyed woman come between
them? Why should she WOO him with
soft voice?
He is mine!" she said, raising her
fearful face to the sky. why should
she try to, take him from me? He is
NINE"
The fever of jealousy that burned
the loving soul grew cool in the rain of
bitter tears; but the pain remained.
How it tortured her!
Presently she returned to the house.
1t SO happened, as ill-fortune would
have it, that Alan had Overtaken Lady
Fraser on the lawn, and Hyacinth saw
them enter the house together. AS a
matter OF course, she thought they had
spent the morning together, while she
had been weeping her heart out in the
wood. The sight of them entering the
house together made her grow faint.
The bell was ringing for luncheon.
She had only just time to remove all
traces Of tears from her face and has
ten to the dining room. The widow
ond Alan were side by side; but a chair
had been left for Hyacinth next to her
lover. She took it; but it was a mere
farce for her to pretend to eat.
Alan was kind to her-he attended to
all her wants; but he was laughing the
whole IN at some absurd anecdote
that Lady Fraser was telling him. Hy-
zenith could not eat, but she did not
wish to draw attention to herself. She
contrlved to keep up appearances, and
joined In the discussion about a ball
ohat Lady Rosedene had resolved upon
giving. But her voice seemed to her
as though 1t came from a long way off.
1t was forced and unnatural.
More tina C she found Lady Rose
enc eyes fixed a~nxiously on her; and
tnen she tried to rally; but it was in
valn. Inc sting of her pain was too
bitter. How was she to bear it?
On the same day Alan asked her r.
20 down to the lakeside with him. and
She did so. They sat down 11non tha
green bank that sloped gently down
the clear lake.
"Hyacinth," cried the young squire.
suddenly, "let me look at your face
Why, my darling, what is the matter?
Your eyes are quite dim. what is
wrong! You do not look happy. And
yet you must be happy. You cannot be
otherwise"
Il am not happy. Oh, Alan" cried
h girl, do you not see that nv heart
is bleeding-not panied, not aching. but
bleeding? Can you not see it-you who
love me so well?'
He looked at her in utter wonder.
NO" he said. what is it, my darl-
ing? Have I displeased you?'
AsNn ~ c,n op,cryoro1. orl 1,o ~o-, 4l..L
there was mortal pain on her face.
ture me. Oh, Alan, give up Lady Fra
ser!!"
He repeated the words in wonder.
darling, what have / to do with her?
She is nothing to me-"
"'She talks to you; you sing with her;
you kiss her hand. I saw it. Oh, Alan,
it is killing me-! You must give her
up"
II have nothing to give up" he re-
piled. 81 hope you are not Jealous, Hy-
acinth? 1 do not like jealous women"
"She causes me nothing but pain,"
said the girl, earnestly. But I see it
is not your fault. She seeks you"
"Yes, / think she likes to talk to me-"
he answered, little dreaming of the bit
ter anguish his words would cause her.
'You see, she is a clever woman, and I
understand her."
"Give her up, Alan, for my sake-be-
cause it makes me so unhappy to see
you with her,"
my darling" said the young lover,
gravely, while we are in the world,
we must do as the world does. Because
a lady happens to be young and beau
tiful, and to show, as Lady Fraser does,
a decided preference for my society, I
cannot be rude to her. I must give
laugh for laugh, jest for jest"
"Give her up, Alan. Tell her you are
going to marry me, and have not time
to spare to her." = :
my darling, I cannot; every n
would laugh. They would say that I.
was under petticoat government
"But it is for my happiness" said the
girl. Sometimes, when she looks into
your eyes and smiles it seems to me as
though my heart were burning. For
my sake, Alan" r
IT have never wronged you, even in
thought, Hyacinth," he interrupted. II
would do anything on earth to please
you; but, my darling, I cannot make
mySeiI O. subject OF 1 PROM
Use to keep out Of the fair widows way;
do not ask me to make myself the mark
for everybody's wit. Let us talk about
something more pleasant
And he forgot the subject, white she
suffered unutterable pain. But that
evening, when Lady Fraser asked him
to sing, the young squire excused him.
self; he was going to play at chess with
Miss Vane.
The widow gave a glance at the fair