The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-04-18
CHAPTER I.

Nilh IN
The time was the close Of a bright,
warm day in June; the place 4 little pag-
Tor in The most picturesque cottage 10 he
found on the estate of Brynmar; the scene
a strange one. the first that lived in the
memory of Lady Hutton's ward. and the
one that influenced her whole life.
1t was Il strange scene. The parlor WAS
bare and poorly furnished; no carpet, no
pictures, no books. nothing that tod of
comfort; stern. dread poverty was shown
In the few articles of furniture: i'll a small
chair near the enter OF the room sat Il
lady niagniticently dressed, costly velvets
and rich silks swept the cottage floor.
She was in the very prime of lie. n tai,
stately, well-formed figure. Il clear-cut,
calm. patrician face. bearing the impress
Of many troubles. No one ever called
Lady Hutton beautiful. but iii the cN-
QuiSitc refinement Of every feature, in the
expression OF the clear eyes, and the
smiles that at rare intervals lighted her
face, there was Il charm deeper than that
of vivid coloring or perfect form. lei
dark brown hair Was plainly braided, h"r
dress. in its simple elegance, was perfec-
tion. She looked what she was, n thor
ough English gcntleWoman, calm. elegant
and refined. II any storms of passion mad
ever crossed her quiet face, there was no
trarc of il now; if scOrn. or hate, or lore
had ever dWclt in that quiet heart, they
were al dead. She seemed as one who
looks ont upon the world. yet takes little
intcro~t IA il.
Far different from the calm. paSslonlcsS
lady. was the beautiful woman who half
kncll, half crouchcd upon the floor, and
covered with hot. bitter tears. the white
soft fingers of a little child. A waving
mass of rich golden brown hair fell over
her shoulders in splendid confusion and
disorder; the face, though dcathly pale
and stained with tears, was Il most beau
tiful one. There was q supple grace in
every line OF her figure, n dignity even in
her reimbursement, yet Magdalen Hurst
was but a simple ~villager, owing lone Of
her rare beauty TO noble birth or high de-
scent. She had no thought of her beauty.
If ever woman's face looked as though
her heart were broken, Magdalen Hurst's
looked so now. Passionately, wistfully,
she kissed the child's hands and buried
her face on the little head-kissed her as
though she hungered and croyed for love
kissed her with all the warmth Of affec-
ton and the passion of despair.
My little Hilda," she cried, look at
me; let me carry your sweet face N my
heart; look at me, darling"
The little one raised her wondering eyes
to the white wistful face, and there was
q strong resemblance between mother and
child. Both had the same beautiful vio-
let eyes, the mothers hair was golden
brown, but the child's pretty curls were of
pure pale gold; the same delicate, charm
ing features, the same white brown and
arched red lips. The two gaZed at each
other, the mother with difficulty refrain
ing from tears, the child wondering what
all this sorrow meant.
Il IN half sorry | came" said Lady
Hutton. you will unfit yourself for
your journey, Magdalcn."
Il could not have left without seeing
her said the woman. pleadinGly. "Oh,
Lady Hutton, can you not tell what it is
to have your heart torn in two, as mine
isf | must give up my husband or my
child. He is in sorrow. in exile, and in
want. She will have a hom and Il moth
er. | must 20 to him; he needs me most;
yet death itself would bc less bitter than
leaving my child"
still said Lady Hutton. "as you can
not have both, | think you are acting
wisely Ililda will have everything 10
make her happy with me,
IL know that, my lady" sobbed The
woman. Il know it. or | would not leave
her. | DO not fear for her, but my heart
aches for my little child. | shall feel the
clasp of her arms round my neck, | shall
feel hrr warm, soft lips on my face, /
Shall hear her voice and listen for her
footsteps. Ny life win be empty and
dark without her"
Choose for Yourself SAID Lady Hut
ton, quietly. "If Won wish 10 alter our
arrangements, there is time TO do so"
'po not torture me-, my lady" cried The
poor mothcr. "Nou know | must 20 TO
him. IN lives such as yours there comes
no sorrow such As mine. Can You not
understand what il is To look Your last.
perhaps. in life upon your own child"
a quiycr, as Of sharp pain, crossed the
lady's calm face for one instant.
You are only doing what you decided
yourself was for the best said Lady
Hutton. 81 cannot change my plans:
they are founded on COMMON sense. If
for fifteen or twenty years | educate your
daughter, and she becomes n refined and
delicate lady, you would not surely wish
to drag her down again to your level, re
membering what hat level is?'
No replied the woman, %shudderils
as with deadly fear, ''anything rather
than that"
"You are not the first continued Lady
Hutton, in her cold. paS>ipnlcss voice,
"whose life has been wrecked N its on
set: others have had the same trouble,
perhaps even greater. Life is ended { IT
YOU. The cloud thai has fallen over ii Is
so dark that no light can penetrate il.
Let your child live and be happy. as Sht
never could be with You. DO you think.
after fifteen years spent as my daughter