Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-07-02

trap However, / have no business 70
pry into your secrets. Good might"
He kissed his two daughters, lighted
his long meerschaum pipe and walked
into his Office. where he was in the
habit Of working for an hour before go
ing to bed. MagdA. seizing one Of the
three armed candlesticks upon the piano,
lighted his way through the dusky hall,
leaving Falck and Hulda alone in the
parlor.
The air seemed charged with excite
ment to both Of them as soon as they
found themselves tete-a-tete. Hulda, In
whose nerves the music was still vibrat-
ing, stood at the piano. which abe was
closing. and the big lamp. which was
the only remaining light In the room,
projected her shadow. huge and strange
" distorted, upon the opposite wall.
She was debating In her mind whether
she should yield TO the impulse which
bade her remain and encourage the Gu
rate in his infatuation, or whether she
should obey her nobler self, which babe
her resist the temptation. She well knew
that MI. Falck was q man of too small
q caliber to fetter her Maynard fancy,
and she was we'll acquainted. too, with
the line Of conduct which duty demand
ed. But somehow q complex feeling.
being In part the mere feminine desire
for conquest and in part q vague, emo
tional %yearning, overruled all her scru-
Piles and made her do the thing which
she had determined not to do. It was,
az I have said, the music in her blood
q t"ect, irresistible rhythm which
throbbed in the air, In her brain and in
her heart.
"Mr. Falck," she said, turning
abruptly about and showing him q face
from every inch of which smiles were
breaking, tell mi what made you want
to become a Clergyman"
why, how do you mean?" he in
quired. startled by the ~suddenness Of
the query.
"Why, I mean Of course why didn't
you become a doctor or an army officer
or-or-something nice?'' she finished,
laughing.
"Then you don't think it nice to be q
clergyman"
why, yes, of course. When papa is
: clergyman. how could ! think it other
wiser"
"Then, il You will pardon me. I am
afraid ! fail to catch your meaning"
Nov, please. MI. Falck, don't be
stupid. she begged with comic urgency.
"But how q I help II, Miss Hullaa''
he answered humbly. "You know, !
have never associated with young ladies'.
I shouldn't wonder il / do appear stupid
TO them"
Somehow she liked that remark, and
there was o manly simplicity in the
way he uttered it which made it doubly
attractive. She detected now that there
was q great refinement in Mr.. Falck's
features and q kind Of scholarly severity
which was not at all displeasing. OF
the tired look in his eyes, which at their
first meeting had impressed her. there
was not q trace left. On the contrary,
there was . strange perturbation in the
glance he fixed upon her and q curious,
insistent intentness which made her 70,
. moment uncomfortable.
do you mean to say that-that-you
never have had a-a-love AFFAIR."" she
asked breathlessly.
Eyes, ! mean to say that" he replied
earnestly, "and ! may add, Miss Hulda,
that I have not only never had one, but
] have never come within miles of hav.
ing one"
''Isn't that stranger she murmured.
mo, it isn't strange, Miss Hulda.
My mother filed my whole life while
she was alive, and since she died I some
how never had the courage to-to-take
any one into my confidence, " he finish.
ed cautiously.
Hulda had Imagination enough to pic
ture to herself the lonely life OF the
sorrowing son, and once more her heart
warmed toward him. His shyness and
his fear Of her sex seemed, ON the whole,
commendable. It was perfectly true that
q man situated as he was would have to
be on his guard lest he be cl,tnngled In
the net that vas spread at . feet by
designing women. Sonnet .yer inter-
ests seemed mysteriously fed with
his, and 1t never for IN instant occurred
to her to class herself among the un-
scrupulous enchantrc = who plotted
against his peace Of l.. ID
Having removed the sheets of music
from the piano and her fathers violin
stand, she walked rather aimlessly
across the floor and seated herself with
. vaguely expectant air in the corner
ct the sofa Eu ignored the implied in
vitation. II indeed h. understood It, and
kept walking up and down the floor,
sending her each time he passed her q
Whit Of that .slor If fine cigars with
which his clothes were impregnated.
This Odor had to Hulda become, in .
way, associated with her thought Of
him and seemed to express his personal
ity. Her father, too. smelled Of tobacco,
but it wa u cheap mixture called Tide
mand's Petum, and all other males Of
her acquaintance moved, like the gods in
Homer, in the same invisible cloud,
which did not, however. impress the
sense by It's fragrance. There was no
n but MI. Falck who smoked imported
roQa1ias. the very nerfume of which