The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-06-17

n thirty.
HEIRESS OF ARLINGTON.
It was a lovely face, proud, sweet
and spirited, and yet q vague sadness
fingered in the lovely yes and round
the curves Of the sweet, red lips.
She was standing under the shadow
Of a dropping laburnum tree, ler soft
eyes looking beyond the sloping =
dow lands to where a glimpse Of the
ocean could be seen, sparkling In the
golden glow of the afternoon sunshine.
And she, this fair, sweet Helen Ar
lington, was mistress Of all the fertile
lands that lay around her, mistress
Of the stately home that stood ON the
hill, overlooking sweeping meadow
lands and sunny glades.
All this wealth had come to Helen
Arlington In her childhood, for her
fair young mother had died when Helen
was six years old, and az for her faith
Well, every one had a different opin-
ion Of Roy Arlington, according to their
dealings with him, o. their experience
Of him. ~
A handsome, passionate daredevil,
with a fund Of good nature underlying
his almost diabolical temper, was the
standard Of general opinion, though
others whispered there was more thar
temper the matter with Roy Arlington
before his death.
lie had lived only four years after
his wife's death, and Helen barely re-
membered him, for very little of his
time was spent at home, but when
memory did recall him at times, her
face generally paled, and the haunting
shadows grew darker in the wine
brown eyes.
Standing on the piazza of Arlington
hall, Paul Chandos watched her with a
strange expression on his handsome
face, a look of pain clouding his clear,
grave eyes.
While he stood there Layton Holmes
crossed the lawn and, coming up the
steps, walked yer to where Paul stood
Paul, who turned and looked at him
with questioning eyes.
"Well, old fellow" he said, did you
summon courage enough to face your
fatey
Layton laughed bitterly, and his eyes
turned to where Helen stood in the
glade below.
I'VE have had few secrets from each
other, Paul." he said; 'at least I never
had the knack of keeping my mind to
myself, and you know that / love Helen
Arlington and Well, she has re-
fused ME, ~and"-with another faint
laugh-'looking at her nov would you
think she wrecked q mans hope and
happiness less than an hour ago"
'She refused you?"
Paul Chandos' tone was almost incred-
ulous. Refused Layton Holmes, the
master Of wealth even greater than her
own-Layton Holmes, with his gay, de-
bonair manner, his handsome face and
winning tongue--Layton Holmes, ON
whom she had always seemed to smile,
ana whose coming had been the death
blow to his own hopes?
Who he was this Paul Chahdos, ex-
cept that Roy Arlington had been his
guardian, no n seemed to know; 1t
he knew himself he was silent on the
subject, but one thing was certain,
from the day Of Roy Arlington's death
there haa been q subtle change in his
manner, an added tenderness in every
look and word he gave to Helen Airing
ton, who, growing from winsome child
hood to fair, sweet girlhood, received
from him, but whom Paul knew he
loved with all the strength and tender
ness of his manhood.
When Layton Holmes came home
from abroad it seemed to Paul that
Helen's heart was won by his bright,
genial manner, 80 different from his
own grave %sternness, while to him she
grew more strangely shy.
But II she loved Layton Holmes no
word of his would stand between her
and her hearts desire,
He had very little faith, however, In
the depth Of Layton Holmes love for
my woman, be she ever SO pure and
true. Like the lover IN Locksley Hall:
"He would bring her to his level,
He would lower her day by day.
All that's nne within her, growing coarse
A Should SSSiI ha aS.a . pen T tts novel Sts f fosce.
A little. better than his dog,
"You must not be discouraged, Lay
ton" he said after q moments silence;
faint heart never won fair lady. Re-
member the old adage: II at first you
don't succeed"
After Layton left him, Paul Chandos
stood watching Helen, till she turned
hOmeward, the shadow deepeningson his
face, the curves growing firmer round
his mouth.
"Oh, my darling, If you only loved me,
how well it would be, but Well,
the matter is perfectly personal, and
I Am ut liberty to be silent II I wish,
though the truth may come out some
time, however unlikely"
Late that evening Helen came to
him, and laid her hand lightly on his
arm.
Paul" she said, did Layton Holmes
tell you anything to-dayY
He told me that you had refused to
become his wife, and, Helen, tit was
an offer most girls would have been
proud Of"
"But / did not love him, Paul." she
said.
Something In her voice, In it's strange
usefulness and minor tone of pain
made him look at her, and then he
noticed how pale the lovely face had
grown, how tense the lines Of the rose
red mouth.
"Was that your sole reason for re-
fusing him, HelenY' he said.
The next moment he felt her clasp
tighten on his arm, as the lovely eyes
looked into his.
'sYOu know the truth, Paul-yOu re-
alize the horror that at times envel-
ones me. Paul. YOU know. even ff