The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-11-21

ing, no pretty blush: there is defiance,
rather. and shame i'll the lovely. youth
ful eyes.
Il saw YOU says he again. in IA dull
sort OF way.
And what did you see?" cries she,
fierccly. You talk and talk ana say
nothing"
You know what l saw"
Il do not, indeed"
III YOU will have it, then" says h,
violently. II saw him kiss you"
Just for the m il occurs to
Dalrymple that she il on the point of
striking him with her small, clcnched
hand. But once again she subdueS
herself and gIinds the little doubled
fingers into the palm of the other
hand. and so stands staring ut him.
silent but breathing very quickly.
You do not deny it," says he, his
last hope dead.
Deny what you saw? How could
H." says she. And then suddenly she
bursts out laughing, Il little peal of
laughter, wild indeed but without mcr-
riment.
Gene. if you must tell me your ex-
~periences. let rs go where there is air"
she says, pressing her hand against
her throat. Il cannot breathe here
She passes him and steps hurriedly
through the window on to the bal
cony. and leaning against the rails as
If glad of their support. drinks in
greedily the sweet, soft night air.
heavy with the perfumes of the sleep
ing flowers beneath.
The sky is bright with stars. and in
their midst a crescent moon hangs
lightly. Eleanor, after a quick glance
ut ii, turns her gaze with an impatient
gesture to the dense gloom of the dark
pines upon her right that hook like Il
dark blot upon the already gloomy
~blackness of the woods around.
Are you engaged to Dartford?'
asks Dalrymple, sternly. He has fol
lowed her and is now trying vainly to
read her face in the uncertain light
cast upon it by the faint beams thrown
by the half-grown moon.
No" impulsively.
NO. And yet. He proposed to
you?"
No answer.
Not even that" says he bitterly.
why, it is a sorry tale. 1t would have
been bad enough If he had made YOU
an honorable offer Of his hand; but as
it is"
II you know" says she. turning To
him II speaking very slowly. that
II is horrible to hate any one as | hate
YOU"
oh, never mind me- says he. 1T
Is not Il question OF me. 1t is Of YOU
| ain thinking. This sort of thing
must he stopped. 1t shall he stopped.
You are only n child. after all. and
perhaps no one has taken YOU to heart
suttlclcntly. How are you to know a
good man from q bad one. or a right
or wrong Of anything? | tell YOU this"
says he. as If warning her, Il shall
put an end to your acquaintance with
hartford. You shall find some one else
TO accompany you when yvu choose
To play your violin. | shall inform
your grandfather tomorrow Of what
sort of man this hartford is"
You can tell him what YOU like.
You Will speak too late. You should
have lone 1t before" Is there re-
proach in her tone?
you mem by that"
THAT all you can say now will
make no difference
What do YOU mean. EleanOr?" de-
mands he roughly.
Exactly what | say"
we shall see" says Dalrymple. IF
you insist on believing you feel an
affection for that-that fellow. am
sorry for you. as shall certainly take
measures to prevent yOur having any
thing further to 10 with him"
You will be giving yourself useless
trouble"
Il am to understand by that, / sup
pose. that you defy me-
You can understand anything you
like, Sc far as | am concerned, but,
after all, | did not mean that"
Then what? | wish you would ex-
plain Yourself"
why. that is too much % expect,"
says she, with an unmirthful laugh.
That l should supply the riddle and
the answer, too. No, no, find out the
latter for yourself"
You have some thought. some plan
formed which you hope to keep from
me-, says Dalrymple with n pOOr at
tempt at Caimness But do not hope
to deceive me. | am your nearest rel
alive after YOU grandfather, and |
shall see that no harm comes to YOU"
You needn't lose your temper over
hiN' 1T an tN'HjN' says SIZE, WIN Il
provoking intOnatiOn, half mockery,
half contempt, that fires his blood.
You make yourself very ridiculous. I
must say. when you let yourself ga,
as you are doing tonight. What is
all this rhOdomontade about? | know
grandpapa has given us to zach other
ever since | was born; but there is
really very little in that, / am moth
inu IN va, op1 WON lnI;nro 49,
less to me. In spite of grandpapa's
perpetual naggins, you are not bound
to marry me-"