Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-07-09

MAY I speak to you a moment,
Miss Drummondy" he said.
Louise promptly laid down her work
and went with him INTO a room on the
opposite side OF the hall. Mrs. Will
Jams felt a sympathetic trepindation,
well Knowing the interview must be
one of great importance to her sons
welfare and happiness. She bent
more intently over her work, wonder
ing whether, presently, she would see
two happy faces before her. two hands
held out for her congratulation ana
blessing.
The doctor had had ample time to
prepare his speech, after the
of young men who have affairs OF the
heart on their minds. and, quite con-
trary TO custom, he remembered his
speech and spoke 1t most perfectly.
Miss Drummond." he said, Il shall
be neither foolish nor unfair enough
TO pretend that L did not understand
you in the court Dol this forenoon.
| have no excuSe TO make for what
have done, no explanation TO offer and
one to demand. Some men. perhaps,
might be content to let the matter
pass without further allusion TO 1t. |
cannot do so. | ann be at ease I'M
less / know exactly where | stand.
Let us have at least nc more than one
misunderstanding. / have called 70
ask whether you have spoken or writ
ten TO your father about my proposal
to yon.'
II haven't known where to write to
papa, you knew that responded Lou
Use.
Have you spoken to himy"
1T seems to M you ought to do
that"
The doctor bit his lip to suppress the
retort that that had not been a part or
their understanding. He had prepared
other things TO say, but Louise did not
give him the proper cue. Other men
have had such experiences. The wo-
man in the case seldom takes the
view of it she was expected to take.
Il am not here to argue" said the
doctor, after n moment. II put my
self u~nreservedly in your hands. Ii
you tell me to speak to your father, |
will do so tonight"
Louise looked around her helpleSsIy.
You may If you wish to-" she m
swered. II shouldn't think you'd dare
to face him il he knew what you said
in that horrid court"
You may tell him, if you like 10,
Miss Drummond."
II want to forget It,"
Does that mean" asked the doctor,
earnestly, that you love me. and that
you wish to forget what was painful
to both of u.s."
Louise could not raise her eyes to
his, and for a long time she could not
control her quiyering lips 10 speak.
The doctor waited with growing Won
der, not at her, but at himself. A 10y
al man who has, or thinke he has, rea-
son TO doubt his own loyalty, suffers
an agony that l think is not set down
in therapeutics. 1t is not everybody
that is capable of that peculiar sor-
row. In days not s. very remote. a
few weeks, at most, DR.. Williams had
said to himself that his heart eve
could fail to glow more warmly at n
glance from Louise, that her presence
never could fail TO charm and relieve
him. He believed it. as all lovers do,
and he had said TO himself that his
career thus far had justified his be-
lief.
So, indeed, it had, and yet, here he
was, unmoyed by the distress OF her
whom he had asked to love him. AZ
ter the misery of the inquest he had
wrestled with himself alone. and had
pursued the task of self-analyses TO
the extent of his powers. Reasoning
as well as a physician might. he had
said that his nature was suffering
from shock and strain that dulled his
sensibilities to familiar emotions; that
presently all would be as before; and
he further argued that the one tonic
for his emotional disorder was a sight
of Louise. With her, whether or not
she reproached him with bitterness.
he felt that he should find restored all
that ardent love hat had impeiled
him t. do everything short of positive
crime in shielding her father. TO feel
again that intense, yearning affection
and the craving for her love. would be
better TO him, even with disappoint-
ment as its accompaniment, than this
dull indifference.
Well. here he was, and there was
she, and his heart seemed like a black
cinder from which the flames had long
since passed away. Fearful OF commit
ting the most disloyal act possible, he
yet held himself at her command. pre-
pared to carry out the programme OF
love in form, even ii the spirit We're
lacking.
Miss Drummond," said he, at last,
II cannot go to your father unless you
tell me you love me. 1t would merely
be postponing the end"
''Then don't 60" she answered.
He bowed gravely and held the
door, ashamed, MORALLY ashamed, TO
feel relief instead of rsin at his dis