The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-06-27

"One of them was 10 make me feel
! what n fool I'd been TO think or mar
rying that waXen-faced doll while YOU
| are free"
"Oh. dear. no! am not so vain: be-
| sides. you don't know that | am free.
| But, since you are so curious. L don't
| mind telling you that came here with
| the hope of meeting Kate Lilburne to-
| night"
kate Lilburne" he repeated. in
credulously. Are you out of your
mind? There is no such person liv-
| ing as Kate Lilburne."
well, perhaps she is married and
has changed her name, still she won't
have lost her identity"
And you really came here hoping
to meet Kate and not me-" he asked
earnestly as he stepped close to her
side:"
why should want to see your
she asked defantly. You are moth
ing to me-"
"And yet you are all the world to
me. Miriam-my love, my life. Only
say the word and we will fly together,
and | will break the hateful bonds
that bind me to Grace, whom l have
never loved"
He caught her in his arms and
strained her to his heart; but she gen
tly though firmly released herself from
his embrace, as she said:
at is too late, Victor. too late. /
have no pity for Grace, but l cannot
bring such pain and humiliation upon
her father. No; you must keep your
word and marry her; but l am sorry
for you and-and-So sorry for my
self"
She slipped away from him as she
said this, and ran upstairs, but on hep
way to her own room to dress she
thought, as a species Of self-mOrtitica-
ton, she would go into Grace's room
with the other girls and try to be
civil to her young hostess.
Many of the bridesmaids had clus
| tered around the eXpectant bride, and
| took great interest in the dress she
| was to wear on this the last evening
| when she would sit at the head of her
| fathers table as the mistress OF his
/ household, and they admired over and
over again the handsome trousseau
with which she had been provided.
You don't seem to have much jew
| elry." remarked Miriam Hindman. II
wish l had known it before. for
would have given you bracelet as n
| wedding present instead of the silver
dishes | brought with me. But | sup
pose your father will give you Hates
| jewels; she had splendid collection,
know"
"Kate's Jewels will go with her
money to her mothers family, when
there is proof that she is really dead,
but If people talk such stuff to my
father as you did this afternoon it is
not likely that anything reasonable
will convince him." replied Grace, Sc
verely.
II don't know why you should call it
stuff" returned Miriam. quietly'
people don't disappear as your sister
did unless they go away to return
at some time or other, or unless they
are murdered. Therefore. until it is
proved that she is dead. we may rea-
sOnably hope she is alive"
Grace shrugged her shoulders.
She would not discuss the matter.
but intimated that it was time they
should begin to dress. and her maid
came forward to attend her while tho
girls all went off to their own rooms.
How very horrid Miriam is in her
manner to Grace! remarked Lizzie
Goulburne to her sister, as they We're
dressing. without the help of any
maid: "she seems to do all she can to
yeX her"
Yes" replied Amy; "but / don't
wonder at all; an only surprised at
her being here at all"
why"
81 wonder she cared to come 10 the
wedding of the man she was engaged
| TO herself. and | am not surprised a.
her constant reference to- poor Kate
I.ilburne. for Kate and she We're
bosom friends. and you must admit
that the way in which Grace tries to
assume that Kate is dead is irritating
to those who hope, If they do not be-
lieve. otherwise"
Eyes, perhaps you are right: and |
don't think it would take much TO win
Sir Victor back to his old love"
$50 little that would not risk a pair
of new gloves on the chanc, of our
wearing those costly gowns to-mor-
row."
And she pointed to the two brides
maids costumes that lay on the
shelves of the open wardrobe.
1--WE shall keep them in any case
laughed Lizzie; land they will serve
us for evening dresses for the rest OF
the winter. After all, loOkers-On see
most of the fun"
'They see 1t, but they don't take
part in It," sighed her sister: land
girls like you and me seem TO have nc
. chance Of ever being anything but
loOkers-on."
ooh! our turn will come" was the
hopeful rejoinder. "And there goes the
, second gong; do make haste, or we
shall be late, and that will be dread
full"
II don't see anything dreadful about
It.; but I am nearly ready"
, They hurried so much after this