Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1895-02-08
X1I-Continued.

rather ~night-when, after toiling, soaked
through, up the steep brae, he sat down
n few minutes after, dry and warm, by
the bright fire. holding the little hands
which had served him SO lovingly. Poor
Black, whom l left in his large, hand
some. empty house. l am quite sorry for
all old bachelors"
''Ihank you, dear"
"Though he told me once, in n confidcn-
tial moment. that his life had been SO
hard he was often glad there had been no
one to share it,"
"IIc was mistaken"
81 think he was mistaken" Rodcrick
said, pressing his lips OH the smooth brow
and bright grave eyes, that looked on
life utterly without fear, SO long us it was
{: life with love in it. II cannot believe
that any man is the weaker, but the
stronger. for having " to help him.
Only he must choose Il who can
help him-as did,
''You are very conccited," she said,
gayly, and then cluns to him passion
ately. 1.-Two together; / can bear any,
thing if we are two together. But if you
had left me to go through my life alone
-" A kind of shivcr passed through
her. "Some have to bcar it, and do. Cou-
sin Silence did. And I would have borne
it, tool told you SO once. l would have
lived II busy, useful life. l would not have
died. But, oh!-thc difference, the diff
fereace.'
"And, oh! the difference TO mel" he
said. az he clasped her to his heart, and
felt the peace and felt the strength she
gave him. And then, coming back to
common things, he added, Poor old
Black! He has been just n trife difficult
of late; he is not the best temper in the
world, and lie likes you so much, you
perhaps might smooth him down. If L
bring him home with me tomorrow, can
you give us some supper, Mrs. Jnrdine?'
So, in the dusk of the next evening. the
tall young fellow, handsome and strong,
and the bent old figure with the brown
wig and yellow CATERS, appeared ut the
front door, which the mistress always
herself opened for her husband.
81 was going to introduce the visitor"
said he, "for we never have any other;
hut look here! / feel like Robinson Cru
soc when he saw the footmaris on the
shore. Wheels! horses feet! Mrs. JAR
dine. YOU must have been entertaining Il
carriage and pair?:"
1.-TWO carriages and pairs! They have
only just gone. And they We're so very
nice"
"The c~arriages?"
mo, the people. Such nice people; is
not that your English word-gentil, agrc-
able. charmant!'
"Shc is going back to her French again
tho ~rcncgade!'
"No. l am thoroughly Scotch now. Mr..
Black knows it," said she, as with gen.
tie. almost iilial hands. she took off the old
mans plaid and bonnet, and sat him in
the armchair, he submitting with aston
ishing mccliness; but all old people, just
as all children, loved and submitted to
Silence.
.'ffow bright your eyes look! Did your
visitors talk French with you, my dar-
ling"
"A little, for they had been Il great deal
abroad. But they were so simple and
kindly, not grand or overdressed like"
She stopped.
"T.ike other friends of ours, whom be-
ing friends we will not criticisc," said
Roderick, with a kind of sad dignity. 1t
had been n sore veXation to him that, eN-
cept the Gricrsons, nearly all the Scotch
women his wife had met were of the
class of Mrs. Maclagan, that eNaggera-
ton of national qualities which people of
one country constantly make the type of
another. "But, my dear. who are your
visitors? MIR. Black will be sure to know
them"
"Ou, ay; but they would never condo
scend to know me-" said the old man,
lingering with Il half-comical awe the
cards on the table. Sir John and Lady
Symington, of Symington; Mr.. and Mrs.
Manchester, of Castle Tore. 1 told YOU,
sir'-he always addressed Rodcrick out
of business hours as sir and Silence as
.madame''-"the gentry of the neighbour
hood would soon be finding out that there
were again Jardincs at Blackhall. Be
sides. Sir John and our father We're lads
thcsither, and MacAlister of Torrc-he
was 4 bit BARN then"
.Yes," said Silence, after n puzzled
pause at the Scotch words, which when
he forgot himself the old mar continually
brought in. 'Ies, they told me so. They
spoke of him-Rodeiick. you would have
liked to hcar how tliey spoke of your
father. And they said they hoped we
should be good %neighbors and meet very
often"
Roderick looked pleased-it is but hui
man nature to enjoy being ''respeckit like
the lavc'-but suddenly he clouded
over. Don't let us talk of this; it is im-
possible"
Silence was so astonished at the tonc
rs well as the words that the natural, in
nocent "Why:' died on her lips. She
turned away and began talking to Mr..
Black of something else, asking no moro
questions, nor referring again 10 the Wis
itors, who, Rodericli saw with pain, had
evidently charmed her and been q little
brightness in the long empty day.
He told her so. when the old man de-
parted-after n rather dull two hours; for
the master of the house was very silent,
and when he did speak, there was oncc or
twice the faintest shade of discomfort in
his tone, q sort of half apology for their
simple menage and frugal fare, Of which
Silence took no outward notice. She had
given her guest the best she llad-given
1t With n warm heart, too, and a grateful
for Mr.. Black had been very kind. and
many q brace of grouse and bunch of
grapes had found their way from the
Mill-house to Blackhall.
OAnd I think ho 1.por,o o,v u,ovu aud