Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-01-25

i u0VcC IOuuQ u OeIOre-LuuL myUpSfy
of being acquainted with grief" He
himself had known vexation, annoy
ance, disappointment-but sorrow,
heart sorrow he had never known. She
had. Young us she was, he felt from
that hour that in many things his wife
was both older and wiser than he.
81 will do exactly as you WISH" he
said. "Mrs. Grierson. will you write
to my mother, and say I shall be with
her at the appointed hour? But re-
member 1t is wholly and solely because
my wife desires It"
So he went. When he came back.
which was almost Immediately, he sat
down beside Silence, and kissed her
without n word.
"Well, dear?"
"Well, my love. / have done ~ o
wished, and-there is an end Of it,"
"What did she say"
1--WE lad neither of ls an opportuni-
ty Of saying anything. She hal, or dis
covered, important business ut Richer
den, and LETT at 3 this morning"
"Without any leltes or message:"
"Without n single word. And
now, my wife, that page is turned over.
Let us close the book and begin
again. Is it not best, Mrs. Grierson?'
The old lady hesitatcd. There were
tears in her kindly eyes.
at shall be best" said Roderick,
firmly. "Come, my darling, let us
thank our dear friend here for all her
goodness to us. Let us pack up our
boxes md return to Blaclshall."
To Roderick, as perhaps to most
men, anything vas easier than n thing
uncertain. He recovered in spirits
sooner than Silence, who was greatly
distressed, could Mt all have expected.
Perhaps, like many of us, having re-
solved to do q painful thing, he was
not sorry when fate stepped in to pre-
vent his doing it. And he listened pa
tiently to Mrs. Grierson's arguments
against raslly Judging what might
have been pure accident or unavoida-
bic necessity.
1--WE shall see," he said. "In the
meantime, need we say any more. My
wife and 1 have an equal dislike to
talking 1t over. Let us all forget it,
and spend a happy last day together."
1t was happy, and the next day, too.
Mrs. Grierson, who, while %consenting
to their departure, had sorely regret
ted it, had accompanied him a part of
the way on their journey, and made
it as easy as she could. Her farewell
words, too, were given with unmis-
taxable, earnest affection. Frederick,
take care of your WIFE"
He did take care of her, with IN in
stinct new, but strangely sweet. Most
men have passion in them; many have
q kindly good-nature, and q sort Of
ever-craving affectionateness which
p~assesfor love; but very few have that
tenderness that generous devotion Of
the strong to the weak, the helpful to
the helpless, which constitutes the
highest manliness, and which is best
described by the scripture phrase, II
was an husband unto them" Rod
erick had it.
Lovely US the day was-one Of those
rare late autumn days which in
Scotland make earth look like para
dise-and beautiful as was the scenery
through which they passed, Silence
was so tired with her journey that
for the last few miles she lay with her
head on Roderick's shoulder, scarcely
speaking q word, and only rousing her.
self when she saw, glimmering like
stars in the distance, the window
of Blackhall.
"Ahw she sighed, "that must be
home"
"'East or west. home is best
Home is home, be it ever so h%omely,'"
said Roderick, as he lifted her indoors,
and sat her in the large armchair by
the blazing fire, seeing nothing, needing
nothing, except the little pale face
which to him was so infinitely dear.
Not until tea was v and her
cheerful smile had fully returned, did
he notice, among the small heap Of
papers lying waiting for him, the fatal
%well-known book-packet-the MS. re-
turned.
He tried to cover it over, and not
let his wife see it, but her eye was too
quick. Vain, too, was the innocent de-
ception of his protest that he fully
expected this" and did not care"
But 1 care" said Silence, mourn
fully. And then the poor young things
sat down face to face with their BIT
ter disappointment, and tried to bear
it as well as they could.
Go be continued.)