Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-04-05
HER CONFESSION.

lllal Is dear 10 my soul! Let me tell
you a story for answer" ....
Then let us go out and stroll on the
piazza. 1t is pleasanter there than here
in the ballroom and vastly better for
conversation. Besides, / think you are
tired Of dancing"
mo, / never tire of that; the waltz
Is the path to paradise for me. But 1
VIII go outside with you, for 1t Is very
warm here"
The long piazza faced the beach and
the music and tapping waves mingled
with the strains that came floating out
from where the dancers gayly circled.
The air from the sea blew soft and
warm and the moon and the stars
shone down with 4 soft radiance. Yet
Miss Merton shivered a little as the
salt wind touched her and drew her
flmy mantle closer about her white
shoulders.
1--WE will go inside If you are cold,''
said her companion, noticing the move
ment. Perhaps you are not used to
the night air."
mo. 1t always make me cold to
think of an opal. They call the light in
them fire but it chills me instead of
warming. And they are changing and
t~reacherous as the sea yonder."
THE sea has been my very good
friend" said the other; Il have found
that its changes rests me-"
That is all very well for a man, lieu
tenant. But a needs something
different from men. There should be
nothing in their lives to disturb its
calm. That Is why l hate opals-one
did that for a friend of mine"
The young officer laughed gently.
Fancy will do much-f0r n woman"
he said.
IF you are going to laugh and fling
at u sex | have done!' said Miss Mer-
ton. Il can find better amusement
than being laughed at in the ballroom"
Il beg your pardon. l will be very
good" he answered contritely.
For a few moments they walked on
silently until they were at the farthest
end of the piazza. Then Miss Merton
began her story. Her voice was low
and musical and at first Lieut.. Phelps
who had long been beyond the sound
of any Woman's voice whatever-was
content simply to listen to its smooth
flow. But she had only spoken n few
words before he began to find her story
Of absorbing interest.
This opal" said Miss Merton, was
given by a man to the woman whom he
said he loved. The man believed in
the evil power of the stone. Now, sir,
you may laugh and have your nlug at
us. He was afraid Of it, but she was
rot. When he told her to choose she
asked for that and he gave it to her,
with many q caution. If any harm
comes Of it harm will come to u.s. he
told her. You must never let 1t be
upon the hand Of another, for then that
one will come between US
she promised Of course, but she was
young and q leless and did not believe
in looking at the serious side Of life
when there vas a brighter and better
one to see.
THE stone was very beautiful. In
its depths it held all the glowing col
orS of the furnace. 1t was changcable
as the chameleon. 1t fascinated me
when | looked at it, but frightened me
because It was so inconStant. As l
told you my friend was young. She
had not yet learned how very serious a
matter life is. The ring kept other men
away from her, curtailed her pleasures
her freedom"
Her companion began some protest,
but Miss Merton stopped him.
Eyes; | know what you are going to
say-that she should have reckoned
mon that-that she would not have
cared If she really loved him. But you
cannot change the nature Of n girl in
q day. She found that the ring mar
rowed her life and so one day she put
1t away"
IF she was not willing to wear it
she should have given it back to the
man who gave it to her" said the lieu
tenant.
HE would haze misunderstood it,"
said Miss Merton. HE would have
said that she did not care for him-that
she had never loved him, that she had
played him falSe-and all the other nice
fhings men tell the women they love
whenever their point of view happens
10 be different. So the poor girl did
what she thought was best n laid the
ring away and met him IN night with
out 1t upon her hand. / don't know
what he said to her, but he was so bru-
tai about it that the girls proud spirit
rebelled, as 1t should have done.
Then she brought the ring to me.
Helen she said. l know you love
me. l can trust you. He said that If
any other wore 1t that one would come
between us. Now, l want to show him
how silly his superstition Is. l want
the ring but / do not want 1t to be my
tyrant. Take 1t and wear 1t tonight
and let him see it on your hand. And
Miss Merton's voice grew very soft
.you won't come between us, will you,
sweetheart?' she added, kissing me-"
Miss Merton paused and they both
stood silent and looked out upon the
sea. bathad I'm its glorious moonlight,
for a lone time. The lady stole a glance
Mt the mans face to see II he took any
interest I'm her story. But 1t told no
more than the white walls # the great
hotel In whose shadow they stood.
Wher she resumed, her voice had lost
Cts mellow sweetness and had taken In
ST, ad a hard worldliness that grated on
his ear like music out of tune.
.I did not mean to be false to her.
7 should not be telling you this now
~ I could not say that honestly. But
when she gave me the opal she tenrpted