The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-08-22
CHAPTER. I-(Coutinued.D
BERTHA Nj. CLAY.

-N'f
mond: but | fear that Mr.. Medlicott
never quite approved Of her adoption.
He has always been most kind, but
He is naturally of a cold and re-
served nature. but he has IN excellent
heart" broke in Godfrey; land / am
quite sure that for the memory of the
woman he loved so fondly he would
not render you unhappy"
M. MedlicOtt would eve consent
to our marriage, Godfrey"
THAT remains to be proved. OF
course, | shall do nothing until | am
of age. All | ask of you now, dear, is
that we may plight our trOth, that you
will promise to be my wife"
Il will promise TO be anybody
else's.' she answered, looking upon
him with eyes that beamed with love
n earneStnesS.
''Then | suppose l must be content
with that negative promise, he said,
again raising one of her hands to his
lips. "Ah! Rosy, if you loved as love
you. you would not be cold"
"If | were as impetuous, you mean,"
she answered blushing.
Have you never heard anything of
your brother, since?" asked Godfrey,
after a pause.
Never: how should 1? He must have
lost every trace Of me when | was re-
moved from Marlborough. Poor Josh!
/ wonder what became of him? | have
thought so much of him of late; l
don't now how it s."
Had your father any friends?' pur-
sued odfrey. "He might have gone
to the l."
IL I mot tell" she answered, shak-
ing her head: you know | was so very
young at the time; but l have vague
impressions that he must have been
well offat one time.
"A gentleman no doubt!' cried God
frey. Il am sure you have good blood
in your veins; that you come of a good
stock. You know aunt was always Of
that opinion"
Perhaps So" answered the
young girl thoughtfully; "but
that is a doubt there is not
much likelihood of solving. But
we must get back or we shall be late
for dinner. l declare it is past q
o'clock" she said, consulting her
watch.
'"Then we shall have to hurry up
cried Godfrey, 'for uncle cannot en-
dure to be kept waiting for his din
ner."
Rising from their seats they turned
their faces downward, and set forward
at a brisk pace.
Having left Jack Straw's Castle"
and the Round Pond behind them,
they descended the hill leading to the
village, and, proceeding a little way
down the High street, turned off to
n right up n narrow passage, which,
after one or two turns, led them into
a broad, quiet t~horoughfare. at the
end of which Old Hampstead church
and its graveyard seemed to block the
way.
Tall, red brick houses that go back
to the days of Queen Anne rise on
either side the way, and one solitary
tree, all that remains of a shady grove,
stands in the middle of the grass
grown road.
A quiet, old-world place is Church
row; with a strangely fossiliZed look
about 1t; its grave. silent, decorous
aspect suggestive of the wigs and blue
coats and brass buttons. has no attin-
ity with this busting, leveling plebian
age of ours.
Passing out the region Of shops and
Omnibuses and cabs and hurrying pc
destrians into this retired spot. where
your footsteps echo in the stiffness
that reigns around, the effect is a
curious one, dimly, like the far-off
roar Of the ocean, you hear the din Of
the distant Babylon, and wonder what
kind of people have sought refuge
from its toll and turmoil in those
great, solemn looking mansions.
1t was toward Of these. and one
of the largest, that the two young
people in hot haste were bending their
steps, when they were stopped by a
stranger who was looking about as IL
In search of some particular house.
Can you tell me which is Mr.. Med
licott's?" he inquired Of Godfrey.
"Oh, yes; we are going there" re-
piled the young man. do you wish
to see Mr.. Medlicctt?"
yes
This is his dinner. hour; you had
better come back in an hour. This is
the house"
The stranger looked up at it. noted
the number. said Thank you" and
turned away.
Il wonder who he is and what he
wants" remarked Godfrey. "A curl
o~us-lOoking customer, isn't he?"
Very" replied Rosamond, looking
after him.
Further remarks were interrupted
by the door opening for their admis-
sion.
"Only a quarter Of an hour TO din
ner," cried Godfrey, leaping up the
wide oak staircase two steps at a
time.
CHAPTER III.
Luke Abershaw.
a quarter of an hour afterward
three nennlp were ssnmhla In tho