Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-11-16
NELLY s.
8 HUNTINGDON.
CHAPTER III.

something would happen! IL only LORD
Langholme vas handsome n not III
tie, we might fall In love with eacn
other; at least, 1 don't suppose he would
fall In love with a simple little country
girl like me after he's been used TO
elegant, well-bred London women-no
that there's an older or better family
than the Huntingdons anywhere" con-
tradicted the little maiden's family
pride. Il shouldn't mind being very
miserable. I'd rather die of a broken
heart than 60 on living In this utter
stagnation. But Ii he were only hand
some and fell In love with me q may
as well imagine it all perfect, as II
viii never happen), how delicious it
would be! We should meet aud meet,
and at last papa would find 1t out, and
be furious, and we should be forbidden
to see each other any more. Then he
would Take me in his arms. and kiss
me once like Launcelot kissed the queen
the last time, and when he was gone l
would grow paler and paler, and at Last
L should die, and have white lilies laid
upon my breast and in my hand. Ike
Tennyson's Elaine. Then papa would
relent, and send for Lord L~anSholme,
and he would come and hang over me
broken-hearted: and then, when it was
too late. the old family quarrel would
be made up, and they would plant
flowers together on my grave"
And the foolish little maiden, touched
by her own pitiful story, let the big
tears gather In her sweet brown eyes,
and brim over in great diamond drops
f.n,, tb>sr lxr~ IoSbnS IbraSarrlr ha-
coming more cheerful, she raised her
eyes, and they lighted kindling up a
great mass OF heaven-blue forgetme-
nots on the opposite bank.
.Oh, IL / could only get them" she
cried, stopping short in a suitable cpl
taph she had been composing on her
untimely end; but the attainment Of her
desire seemed hardly compassable.
since the stream ran between her and
the coveted treasure. True, IL was
very shallow, for there had been no
rain for weeks; but IL was quite be-
yond a jump even for such agile feet
rs Miss Nelly's. Il must have them"
she said to herself. Il never saw such
beauties. Oh, II they were only this
side.."
The difficult Is not the impossible;
and SO the young lady whose thoughts
had just been ceutered on earthly death
and white lilies began 10 reflect on the
ways and means OF obtaining the tempt
Inc cluster OF forget-me-nots IN the
sloping bank
There's no one about" she said, look
ing round mysteriously. why should
not I?'
ne roY,r,a e},n oo,JJ rn4 go +hox ,-~I
behind a clump of alders on the oppo-
site side a very handsome young man
was stretched at full length, watching
her with keen admiration through the
branches. Slowly she drew off one
of the Cindrella-like slippers and the
dainty sillken stocking, thereby exposing
TO the watchers enchanted view the
ioyeliest little rosepink arched foot:
and the conquest was complete. or
course he ought to have rushed away
like Damon, leaving a little note on
the bank to say he was gone to keep
all other intruders from the sacred
spot: but perhaps he had not read
Thomson's lines, and the idea did not
occur to him, or perhaps he feared
to scare the pretty apparition away
forever, or perhaps he thought 1t was
no harm: and I'm sure very few men
would have acted differently under the
circumstances. So he held his breath
while two little slippers came off, and
the dainty little feet were plunged
half shrinkirgly on the pebbly ground
OF the little stream. Three steps, and
then eager hands stretched toward the
coveted flowers and uprooted them from
fhnis. nnEfttnpy cnrrtVdtr- Ipy,& &I.-t 49,
as Nelly turned there was a treacher-
GUS hole In the sandy bottom, and one
little foot slipped into 1t, and got a
wrench that made her cry out sharply
and fall back against the bank. In n
second the young man had started from
his hiding place and was beside her.
Poor Nelly would fain have the hole
big and deep enough 10 swallow her
up altogether; the pain of her foot
was as nothing compared 10 the anguish
of having been e ~trespassing, with
naked feet, too, upon Lord Langholme's
property.
Are you burt?" he cried, eagerly,
without more ado putting one protect
Ing arm round the terrified little form.
and standing heedlessly ankle-deep In
the water.
You won't tell Lord Langholme!'
she uttered, beseechingly, looking I'D
with such terror In her Eyes that he
almost lnughed. Visions OF this tres
pass being made the occasion Of anoth-
er lawsuit through the hatred
OF the two families fitted agonizingly
across her innocent mind.
Il won't. indeed" he answered. reas-
suringly; but don't think of him: tell
me IL you are hurt"
My foot. I can't move IT." She said
with 4 look OF b~eseeching In her eyes
Ike a wounded deer might give.
The stranger took her up In his arms.
and lifted her quite gently on the high
bank.
let me look" he said, pleadlncIy.
only anxious now about her hurt: but
she blushed wildly. aud hid 1t away
under her dress. But the pain made
her utter a sharp little cry.
Il did not know n one was there
Oh! what VIII papa say" she n,nr-
INJURED, turning a wistful look upon
him like n distressed kitten.
We'll. but how fortunate that some
n was there!" he answered her. sooth-
ingiy; you never could have got home
alone"
"Rut I shall have ~ co l,oD,o ,Iu.-