Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-01-17
NON-SUTTED.

be more to each other than we are
now. We are both pcnniless, and, in
addition, / am up to the colka- bone
In debt"
"But-but yon love met" she asked
timidly.
"Love! Bah! What is lover A
n~onsensical caprice. Born to-day,
dead tomorrow. Perhaps 1 did love
yoJ once; but-well, one can't live on
sentiment. One day our feelings lead
US astray: next, stern circumstances
conpels US to DO more philosophical.
We have both been wropg; you for
loving me, and 1 for being foolish
enough to encourage It But, Edith,
ciandestine courtship must cease
from tonight. You are but the gov
erress, you know, whilst well, So
ciety expects great things from me.
You must see how absurd a thought
Of marriage is for u.s."
a. bsl rd!' she murmured, scarcely
realizing that such levity and cruelty
were possible from the man whom
she had confded her trust some
months before.
"Yes, utterly absurd. Now, be sensi-
bic. Look ut the matter in a reason
able light. l don't want TO hurt your
feelings, you know, but you are aware
that your position in my uncle's house
would of itself ridicule the idea Of
marriage between US. OF course, you
will always have a friend in me. 1
shall always be glad TO advise, and
"Frark!" she interrupted.
Don't be historical, Edith. There's
really no need for any fuss, you know.
You are poor; so I'M /. But / have a
position to maintain. You haven't.
Come, let us put an end to our fool
ishneSs. There's George Markham.
the Curate, you know. He's head over
ears in love with you. and-and you
wouldn't have any difficulty with him.
He'd make a good husband, and-and
all that sort of thing"
The poor, deluded girl hung her
head in silence. Her breast heaved
tumultuously as she endeavored to
suppress her emotion. She trembled
in every limb, and for 3 brief moment
Lllt lSiES slOOu III HGI ldiE blbc " IL.
But Edith Malvern, the poor, friend
less little governess, had more phil
osCphy In her nature than the heart
less II an walking by her side in his
uncle's grounds gave her credit for.
This was a staggering blow TO her.
To have her hopes dashed to the
ground and her heart stabbed with
n sudden, unexpected lunge, was
torture In the extreme. But there was
that within her which enabled her TO
hold her feelings in check. Such
words were concentrated cruelty and
bitterness. But they had unlocked
and opered a capacity within her
heart which she had previously been
unaware existed there. 1t was the
power to feel and TO be thankful for
what she had escaped from. A mar
whose opinions Of love and Of mar
riage-the most sacred passion and
bond in the univcrse-were so also
lutely debased, must be worthless. To
have been compelled to call such a
man husband" would have been to
one OF her nature more fearful than
this sudden SCATTERING Of her hopes.
Had she discovered his hateful, true
inwardness after she had been ire
vocably yoked to him, her life would
have been one prolonged misery.
Calmly she withdrew her hand from
his arm. Her grief seemed suddenly
ussuagcd. She paused by his side,
aud. looking steadily into his face,
said:
ut shall be rs you wish. Yes. ! have
been foolish. I am, rs you have said,
moor, and of no account In the world.
/ IN parentless as we'll AZ pcnniless.
Tit would be-absurd to think OF
marriage. Let us forget the past
be rs though we had never met. Your
words have forever ohliterated the
past In my mind. 7 could not. I would
not. III your VIE. rhough all the world
urged me TO it. But your debts. yoar
position! How are you going to eXtri-
cate ~yoursclf from the one and main
tain the otherT"
"TTow uDsophisticated you are,
Edith"
"But you do not surely intend 10
make marriage your emanclpator:"
she asked.
He smiled at her earnest. plying,
semi credulous look, and then replied:
"Well perhaps such a proposal
! seems -a-pcculiar TO you; but, m
dear girl. look at things sensibly.
There's Mary. for instance, my cousin.
She's an heiress. / believe shc-well.
thinks a great deal about me. You
must have seen II. Edith. Now"
But, for PHYS sake, think OF what
you are going to do. Dc not deceive
and betray Miss Mary. Pause before
you attempt to win her love for such
sordid ends. Is II not eoouGh that
you should chill one heart, without de.
Itberately breaking another? She is
OF such a disposition that when she
disccvered-as she undoubtedly would
| some day-that you had more regard
for her wealth than for herself, it
would kill her. l entreat you, consid-
er. For myself, I care not; / can bear
the revelation. But Mary-no, she
shall not be thus deceived. Oh, con-
sider."
There was a great deal Of consldera-
ton I'm Frank Vaughn's nature. He
was full Of II. But, unfortunately, Ii
was all for himself. He did consider
Mary, truly, but not in the name IN
inyaI nv tho fnnIipr yfpi In hn1 10