The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-11-07
CHAPTER NI-IContinuesi.'

the country?'
why. that is the simplest part of
il all. He wrote me word of his in
tended return last week. From Paris
he wrote, | think"
"You correspond. then!" His face is
white now,and there is Of curious eX.
preston on his lips. Does your
grandfather know that. too?'
IL don't know" nonchalantly, Il
daresay not. You can tell him"
Colonel Dalrymple, catching her by
her arm, swings her lightly round so
as to face him.
''Once for ALL" says he, you are n
girl. | know, and | am n man. but un-
derstand at once. that you shall not
insult me-
What a temper you are in" says
she, shaking herself free of him. with
a little rapid movement, land all be-
cause you lost that game at tennis"
IF that was all the loss | am ever
to cndure!' says he in a voice o low
and subdued. but very sad. He
seems ashamed of his late violence.
''Still. you don't like it," says she.
you hated having to play with me,
for one thing. because you know | am
uncertain with my balls. Yes: | quite
understood what o meant by that
depends when Dicky called out to
you, and said that he would give you
q licking You wanted to play with
Mary"
Il really don't believe l gave the
matter a thought" Jelly.
However well you play tennis, you
Certnimlw play the lover badly" says
she with II s%cornful little laugh. IF
yCu had been sensible. YOU would
have given mt Il thought. Not hat |
wanted il. | much prefer Dicky as Il
partrer-but still it would have been
more graceful than to show openly
what a bore you thought me-"
Did | show that?"
"Well, | leave it TO yourself. OF
course, | know Mary plays beautiful
ly. and that | am inferior to her in
every way, but there is a certain
amount Of courtesy, that think"
she says quickly, perhaps at heart a
little ashamed of using her best friend
as Il medium for her desire to torment
her cousin, Il think Mary is the sweet
est thing alive"
Miss Sylvester is charming. aS all
the world allows" says Dalrymple
with warmth. The warmth has its
principal source from the anger that
is still burning hot within him; and is
30 pronounced that ~involuntarily Nell
turns her eyes TO his. 1t is not the
answer she had expected, and some
hOw-for a moment-it startles her.
How, or why, she could not have eX-
planned.
"Yes. all the world" says she, slow
ly, "and-yOu.'
at is really a matter of no impOr-
tance to her" says Dalrymple: but
she certainly stands very high in my
estimation"
when she marries." says Nell. still
staring at him, II shall lose my best
friend"
81 hardly sec that says he. 'but if
you do lose her. she will be, | should
think. a real loss to YOU"
You admire her very much" says
she slowly, yet with much vehemence.
"As | have said" shortly.
"Well, You can't marry her either
cries she. with all the careless anger
of a spoiled child. Because she is
going 70 marry John Amory!''
"Nell..' says Colonel Dalrymple,
sharply, as if shocked. as indeed he
Z l~sll bt. lboH l SlItdh W lIlt uht
that" He lays his hands upon her
shoulders and presses her back from
him, and as she thus looks into his
eyes, something in them should have
touched her-but it doesn't. Il have
no desire 10 marry Mis- Sylvester, or
n One-unleSs'-
"Ah, there we are equal" inter
rupts she quickly. not needing the end
xLn,.A ,N;,ht H., 81 liz. ..uNl.-.
just how | feel. We are companions
I'm this II thing at least. | don't
want to marry any one, either
Don't you?" says he. "Well but |
do; so we are not such close compan-
ions as you thought. And yet. all my
desire lies that way. For. as YOU are
tired of hearing no doubt. | would be
your companion always"
Don't make me quite hate you"
says she, with a fierce little wrench
that leaves her free of his grasp.
Dalrymple, as though effectually
silenced. walks on beside her with
out n word. 1t seems to him, that if
he was eve so eager to pursue the
argument, no language is left him in
which TO do ii. She has killed within
him all spontaneous thought. \
dreadful chill seems TO have fallen
into the heat of the summer day, and
indeed as he looks round him i'm n half
hearted fashion, it occurs to him that
day is gone, and evening is already
here. The warmth, the vig0r of life
has faded, only the ashes of it now
remain. And so with his life.
AS If in passionate protest against
this mOurnful deere, he throws I'D his
head and compels himself to enter
onc again into conversation with the
wilful beauty walking in stubborn ST
lence by her side. He will talk gen
eralities to her-anything-evcry-
thing-if only to show her that he is