The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-08-31

! mat man meant when he accused me of
seeking to marry an heiress:'
| Yes, said she, with hanging head
| tthe beautiful headD, Il think | do.
lie said something of the same to mo
at Blackpool'
| And do you Think I urged. that
| IL l told that heiress how | loved her.
how had loved her and thought of her
from the first moment | had seen her.
before guessed she might be an heir
ess-do you think if ] said that, it
would be only because | expected she
would be rich one day."
"Oh. do not think that at all But" "
| she said, looking up with bright.
| uncertain smile (Which was so winning,
so ravishing g:-"but / am not an
heiress'
You guess, then it is you / would
say this to?-that it is you | love and
have ever thought off,
She trembled violently dear f1uttercd
hearty, but | still held her hand.
Il did not guess she murmurcd,
until he made me think of it at Black
pool. Then l understood why you had
been SO very good TO me, and /
What, Louise? Whit dear" !
urged.
Then II think" she faltered. Il
began to-Do not make me say it,"
She trembled more violently and her
head was bowed SO that | could not
see her face
ITO love me little:" I asked =.
do say it,
Yes" she whispered Her face was
hid against my shoulder, and my arms
were about her before she added but
not a every much"'
1t was some moments before either
Of us spoke again
DO you think" said she, at length
1T is right that we should have said
these things at such a time when we
do not know anything certain about my
dear, dear father:"
Louise, | answered darling, |
would, You know, save YOU the small
est pang of pain. But / think | ought
to say at once, dear. that you must give
UP the hope you have clung to, / know,
i'll secret, that you might after all find
your father alive. He does not live
am sure ow,-indeed, | may say |
as good as know where he lies buried,
though l must not tell you more at
present. All we can hope TO do then,
darling, is to give him decent resting
place Then we shall 60 away out of
this terrible region Of money grabbing,
of horrible toiling and moiling in smoke
and steam and poisonous yapors, where
the eye cannot rest upon one single
spot Of nature unabused-We shall go
away to place where the people are
poorer and milder, where we may see
clear skies and pure water. and trees
and flowers bright and wholesome.
Won't that be a welcome changes-
and to get away from the constant
talk Of brass 7"
Thus l ran on TO tighten her heart,
and to raise her hope,-to turn her
thoughts, above all, away from that
subject on which she had SO hrooded.
"Oh. yes,' she exclaimed. that will
be sweet. Let us go--do let us 90
as soon as ever all things are settled.
and we have done something for onr
dear uncle Birley. We shall do some
thing for him-shall we lot?"
We were thus talking when dear
Uncle Birley" came in He probably
suspected the understanding he had
Dld gentleman us he is, he said moth
ng then,
Wondered where I've been have
you? Well, lad. ] have just
walked down to thy lodgings
o tell tn old woman she may
70 to bed. for thou'rt to stay here the
rest Of this night-the last night but
me, very likely, that | shall be here
nyself"'
A tear glistened in his eye. and
ump rose into his throat; but. after a
pause, lie talked on and
hese signs of emotion disappeared
We soon went to bed. but | think no
me Of the three slept much.
In the course of much intimate talk
With Louise which | had that Sunday
learned how near | had been to /
osing her while she was at Blackpool.
where her vigilant duenna had been a
lard faithful old German servant of I
1t was only gradually |
hat l got to know all the anxiety. and |
ven terror. of those days Of detention
nd surveillance, but that day | heard
0 my horror that the poor girl had
,een so wrought upon by Steinhardts
Of her duty to her faith
r, oe the Nervousness OF refusing to
ulfill what (Steinhardt declared) had
een his frequently expressed wish,
hat she was on the point OF accepting
rank for husband-When he and his
ather were called away, the one home
nd the other to London.
The knowledge OF this, it may be
uessed, did not make me feel any the
,ss bitterly toward Steinhardt.
ru ADTER YIT