Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-03-05
CHATTER XVIII.

XVIII.
Pleased, panied and perplexed at
once, Alva stood transfixed where Ell
verton had left her.
She had seen her father! her father,
whose sudden flight, mysterious wan
derings and unknown fate had been
the great subject of wonder, specula-
ton and conjecture TO her w self, TO
the family and to the community.
She had seen her father, actually
seen him in the flesh, aud spoken with
him, face 10 face! There in that spot
he had stood before her, interceptinG
the last rays of the setting sun as Ii
sank below the horizon. They had not
embraced or kissed, OF even taken
each others hands-they had met as
souls may meet on the confines OF an
other world. And now he was gone,
like a vanished spirit.
She had met her father, and though
the shock of that meeting, with It's
conflicting emotions of great sur
prise. deep joy and bitter disappoint-
ment. had impressed her senses as
forcibly as any actual event could pos
sibly impress any human being. yet
nov the whole affair seemed to her so
like a dream that she almost doubted
it's reality.
The meeting so sudden and unex-
pected: the interview So short n un-
satisfactory; the consequences so I'M
certain and alarming; theS esubiects
engrossed her thoughts. absorbed her
senses, and riveted hersto the spot, so
that she did not move until the brush
wood near her broke sharply beneath
the tread of the intruder whose distant
appearance had driven away her
father.
Then she started as from sleep, look
ed up. and flushed with joy, for she
thought the new conner would be Nor
ham Montrose.
AIack, he was only Davy Denny,
the head gardener. returning from II
of his occasional inspections of the
woods.
The old man cast a curious, anxious.
sorrowful glance at his young lady as
he touched his hat in passing her.
Alma blushed at meeting that glance
which said as plainly as eyes could
speak:
please. Miss Elverton, 1t is too late
for you to be out walking alone in
the woods, and if l only dared to
speak I'd up and tell you so"
And the old servant vent slowly,
sadly and reluctantly up toward the
mansion house.
Alma felt no disposition TO follow
his footsteps, but turned and wander
ed still farther down the slope of the
hill into the narrow valley below,
where the woods were thickest.
She had nearly reached the foot of
the hill, when the figure of a man sud
denly crossed her path.
Looking up with a start she recog-
nized Hollis Elverton.
MY father back" she exclaimed.
les, Alma, back; / have not been
far from you since we parted. L left
you intending to return to my present
retreat. But from the covert of the
trees that concealed me / saw old
David Denny pass, and saw you, in
stead of going home as l expected you
to do, and as you should have done.
child, turn and ramble down the hill.
l then took a shorter path to meet YOU
here to complete the interview that
was interrupted and under the shadow
of the coming night see you safe with
in the lawn Of your W dwelling
said Hollis Elverton graveiy.
"Oh, my dear father! how glad l am
that l did not 90 home. oh, IL you
knew how happy 1t makes me TO see
you again, even after this short inter-
val, you would indeed love me a lit
tie" said his daughter %fervently.
peace, girl, peace! No more of that
il you would eve look upon my face
again! / have sought you, Alma, with
n purpose. Sit down while l unfold
II to you. Sit down. l say, since you
cannot stand" said Mr.. Elverton,
pointing TO the trunk OF a felled tree
that lay across their path, and upon
which Alma Immediately sank.
Mr.. Elverton stood at a short dis
lance. with his arms folded, leaning
against an oak.
You know something Of this whole
sale poisoning at Allworth Abbey?'
he began.
"Oh, yes, sir" answered Alma shud-
dering.
How much 90 You known
".As much rs had been made public
through the coron rr's Inquest
md that-is 1thinG-worse than
nothing, since it 10 a tissue OF false
deductions. What opinion have you
formed from the facts ELECTED by the
coroner's inquest:'
"olr, l cannot form any,
"What do you think of the guilt or
innocence OF the accused girl, Eudora
Leatong"
"Oh. sir. l dare moi think OF that at
all, the subject is so painful to me"
"Nou think her guilty. theng'
81 would TO heaven that | could be-
lleve her innocent, for l loved her.
oh, my father, she always looked
kindly toward me, and in my loneli.
ness loved her." S-'a Alma In a bro.
ken voice.