The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-01-24
CHAPTER XT-Continued.

Not uU;tTTclfu. 'HII hiAtl'''
swcred he. laughing. And | suppose
ell people do differ. and yet love one
another To the end. You love me still:
"Tcs"-with a sudden graviry-"be-
pause | respect YOU. | think there Is
one only thing which could Kill my
!oye-if | ceased to respect you.
should do my duty still. but all love
would 90 dead out, like Il ire when
one tramplcs on it. And then | think
no power on earth could ever light II
UP again"
"God forbid" Roderick said. startled
by a kind of sad Stcrunc>S which came
INTO the gentle face. But it did him
good. after all, To feel that there was
that in his wife which would never
suffer any man To make her either into
n plaything or Il slave. The next min-
ute she had slipped her hand into his.
Don't let us talk such nonsense, my
Rodcrick: you will always love me and
hold me fast. l can bear anything 50
Ion. as you hold me fast
He did hold fast. and through more
trials than she guessed. To his sensi-
tive nature, the continual dread of
meeting Richerden people-old ac-
uuaintances who might speak 10 him
or her of painful things-became Il per-
feet bu-bear. And though Mrs. Grler-
son. with her usual delicate tact, had
managed to let him understand that
his own family had all returned 10
town-that is. Richerden-for the win
ter. still he caught himself looking into
every carriage that passed along theonc
beautiful seaside road. every steamer
that stopped at the now half-deserted
quay, with a V anxiety lest he
should see some familiar face; familiar
still. but welcome no more
Suppose he did meet them-hc only
said them" without individualiZing-
what should he do? Would nature and
instinct triumph over reason. so that
he could not ignore them. his W
flesh and blood, look and pass by, as If
they We're common strangers: And
once, Silence. who after Il time logan
TO divine his unspoken thoughts.
brought him face to face with them by
a sudden question, put with a tender
anxiety. but very earnestly.
Frederick. l have often wanted 10
ask-what should YOU do if you were to
meet your MOTHER
If we We're 10 meet her, you mean;
for We are never apart" In truth he
took care they never should be apart,
lest somebody or something should
chance to wound her, the defenselesS
creature whom every day he felt more
bound to cherish. and concerning whom
'his indignation continually higher rose.
A tragedy in a teapot" may be, but
none the less a tragedy that was al
ways coming between them and the
sun; and worse here, after a little,
when the first ~pleaSantnesS of the
change had worn off-wOrse certainly
than at Blackhall. BY and by. he spoke
of going back To Blackhall. but good
Mrs. Grierson entrcated they would
stay on a little longer.
1t would do your wife good, and me
too she said. "Remember l have no
daughter, and she no mother"
THAT is true, poor child" And he
looked sadly across to where, in sweet
unconscious peace. silence sat, making
with her dcft fingers 4 cap for the old
lady.
why call her poor Pardon me,
my dear Rodcrick. but may l ask one
question-has your mother eyer seen
your wife,"
No"
"She ought TO see her. Do you not
think so?'
What do You mean, Mrs. Grierson:
But. excuse me. this is a subject upon
which we had better not speak"
Il agree with you, and should ncver
have spoken" said the old lady ner-
vously, were it not almost my duty TO
tell you that Mrs. Jardine is at Fair
field, close by. come UNEXPECTEDLY on a
three days visit. She may not come 10
see me, ana She may. If she does"
I'VE Will leave immediately said
Roderick. rising. Indeed, my dear
Mrs. Gricrson, it is much better SO.
We should srieye to cause You a mo-
mcnt's Inconvenience"
My dear" laying her hand on his
arm. and looking at him with sweet
cain eyes lHdt were - near inc ot4cI
world as 10 have half forgotten the sor-
rows Of this. my dear. | knew YOU as
soon as you were born. Forgive an old
woman who never had Il child; but
mothers are mOthcr>-don't YOU think
that instead of going away. YOU should
rather stay, on the chance OF seeing
your mother
See my mother: what, she But,
indeed, l cannot talk ~ these things,
which, ] suppose, you know al about.