The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-07-19

rising of the sun could have induced her
10 submit to it. She was not wise
enough to recognize the benefccnce of
this fate which harshly ignored her
preferences, and she was far from re-
joicing in that gentler mood and diffu-
sion Of interest which followed the first
intensity Of rebellious resolution and re-
gret.
Amid the accumulation Of Affections
which threatened TO overwhelm her
Hulda hoped at least to be released from
Falcks importunate wooing and the
necessity of being daily polite to one
whom she now detosted rs the author
of all her misfortuncs. But the curate,
who was probably trifle pachydorma-
tous, saw no apparent reason for betak
ing himself away, and though his APP
petite was poor he took his seat ut table
as regularly rs before Nor did he seem
particularly agitatcd unless Il certain
strained look about his mouth and
deepening of two perpendicular wrln-
kles on his brow might be supposed to
/ betray agitation. He rarely volunteered
/ "a remark, but replied in his dry voice
and with 0dious, painstaking effort TO
/ bo exact TO the pastors queries or Mrs.
/ Brinckman's observations on the de-
/ pravity Of human nature 1t was re-
marked by the pastor that Mr.. Falck's
second violin in the quartet was gaining
[ in delicacv and power of expression
and he would venture the prophecy that
Mr. Falck might some day become
virtuoso ON his instrument The good
pastor whose acuteness Of ear seemed TO
have been developed at the expense Of
his vision, failed tonote the evidences of
I strained relations between his daughter
and the curate and was rather congratu-
lating himself that the former had re-
covered her senses and had been cured
Of her insane infatuation for that hare
Drained engineer He had agreed with
his wife that no alllsion should be made
10 that unfortunate affair, which should
be allowed TO die a natural death; that
as Mr.. Falck had never notified him Of
the rupture Of his engagement they were
to feign ignorance of it and for the
present at least refrain from interfer
ence and trust TO the healing influence
Of time
This seemed to Mrs Brinckman "a
highly satisfactory programme, and she
was confident that her sagacity would
BE- justified by the result Moreover, she
fancied she already saw the effects of
this benevolent neutrality in "a certain
relaxation Of restraint and the return Of
the natural ease, mirth and cordiality
which had of old been the very air Of
the parsonage Hulda no more summed
Mr.. Falck, and she had even been heard
10 address him without any show of re
pugnance And as for Mr. Falck, though
be was studiously undemonstratiye and
anxious to avoid giving offense he was
as unobtrusiyely devoted as any lover
could be and would have jumped out OF
his skin ON the bare chance Of pleasing
his callous mistress He hoped against
hope, not because in his cooler moment,
he deluded himself with any actual ex
pectatiOn of winning her back, but be
cause his love for her was so much par
Of himself that the effort u get rid Of Il
seemed 10 involve some sort Of self ex
tinction. He could scarcely fancy how
and what be would be II he were &
cease 10 love this imperial woman, il
whom all his desires centered Their
was something within him that throb
bed and glowed. chilled and warme,
h.n by turns, but filling him always
: so that all other things seemed pitifulll
small By comparison. There were mo
ments even when his honest contemp
, for Mr.. Brun, whom he regarded as
sort Of picturesque charlatan, made hin
utterly scout the idea Of serious ri
+ yalry for Hulda, with her good sense
! would inevitably discover what val
and fiimsy fellow il was upon whom sh
, had squandered her affection, and the
! the humber bat more enduring merit q
/ her first lover would appear IN its ira
light, and her heart would return to il
allegiance. This hope was the candl
which he held above his head and b
, whose feeble fame he groped his wa
: through the night that threatened I
4 swallow him up