The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-10-17
PEER WILL

NI>. Ibent WHS SIuuutuS NPil iN' Falt
way carriage door, chatting cayly TO The
three gentlemen who were with her. who,
al The further eud Of the station sh" SAW
th' quaricrmaster Cominc toward them
win his daughter.
"Gu aud meet her. Gerald" sln" said 10
hcr husband. and waited impatiently I'M
I'll they should come up.
The weather WAS wild and stormy. and
Jane bad wrapped her gray alpaca dust
cloak closely round her. and drawn the
hood over her head, her lovely face look
ing the i~ovelicr with battling against the
wind. her cyrs. frightened by excitement.
shore like Two stars: and Mrs. Depc.
CHANGING furtiycly fton, one man to the
other. saw how fair they thought her.
She stepped forward and kissed her,
no, So much in demonstration of her Of
fcciimn-for Ms. Dene was not one 70 dis
play her feelings as to show she consid-
cred her a friend on an equal footing with
herself.
Then fcnowed the introductions. anc
James eyes rested upon Major Larror
Will something like awe. caused partly
by The knowledge that ne was bearing
now an honorary title, and would one
day be a peer of the rcatm-on which nat.
uraily she from circumstances laid an
exaggerated stress and partly from a
romantic admiration OF his dark Byronic
~coUntcnanc., which might have been
~good-looking had II not been 10 grim and
gloomy. She only withdrew her gaze to
meet Valentine Gracme's laughing blue
eyes. and 10 put her small gray-gIoved
fingers into his OutstrctchCd hand.
You have met before" observed Cap
tain nene. who had made them formally
known 10 each other.
we are old friends" said the II
man. with easy hOyiSh cordiality. That
Is 10 say, We are already sufficiently in
innate a. have had n quarrel. and | am
afraid /" ten Mrs. Dcnc on what sub
tcct.'
WAS ! %concern"dT' asked the lady.
smiling.
1T war only a question Of color" an
swcrcd lane. II old Mr.. Graeme I
thought ,yonr dra wing-r0om so pretty. and
he said ont OF pure kindness. You know"
she assured h"r listeners gravely that
he tk"d orr hluc-and- white striped
chintlcs better
BETTER than mine Of m%iynoncr,e-
green finished Mrs. Demo. in pretended
wrath.
al is my ignorance. perhaps" he plead
ed, humbfy. Every one is not born cs-
thetic.'
For which The saints be praised cx-
claimed the Hon. Barry I@.arron. Then
meeting her glance of hurt surprise. he
added quickly. with an air of elaborate
gallantry, Il mean no reflection on the
mignonc,tcg green curtains. than which
f1nrI ic vZ1ltr. ,l.
II possessed the exquisite taste Of Mrs.
Dene, there would be no need Of a pretty
affectation becoming a vulgar fashion"
w had better get into the c%8rriagc."
said Captain Dene. curtly.
II annoyed him always to see Major
l.arron In converse with his wife. for he
could never Cor q moment forget the IN
suit she had suffered al his hands. and
he wondered slspicinnsly why she had
asked BIN 70 JOIN their party. Was il
only ga Jane KnoX's account: lie had
never hc"n admitted to friendly inter
'ttirSc since their marriage. He had
dinc' once with them when he was one
of twenty guests. and he had called twice
- he utuaI eXigencies of society. no more.
But Mrs. Dene noticed nothing. and
jumped lightly into the carriage ia "hcdi-
encc 10 her husbands suggestion. as Jane
turned to meet her father. who was com
ing toward them after seeing ia her Ing
gage.
How do you do, Mrs. Dene: 1t is very
kind Of you 10 be troubled with my daugb-
ter" he said, with an awkward attempt
Mt ease. Then addressing Jane: Here is
your ticket: take care Of Yourself. my
girl"
Il will take care of her. MIR. Knox"
said Mrs. Dene graciously.
we will take care of her" supple
mentcd Val Graeme. with p smile.
"Good-by. Jenny.
Good by, father.
And with a hand pressure only they
parted, the Quarter-master not being Ger
tain whether a warmer farewell was com
patible with good manners. and unwilling
10 compromise his daughter-she. too. a
little ashamed and ~self-conscious. But
~ the train lef, the station she yielded to
the impulse that moved her, and leaning
on, of the window. kissed her hand to
him opce. twice, thrice.