Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-11-13

&SAS0 OA Nv A4A0o AMY
awoke from the little stcat nap" she had
been enjoying.
"Nancyw she called sharply.
Miss Nancy started and raised her
crimson face with it's new expression
from its resting place.
Wait a minute, dear heart" whis-
pered Jim. II want to know when you'll
so back with me. I went away to
make q. fortune and a home for you.
They're waiting. When will you go?"
when will l go?- echoed Miss Nam
cy, bewilderedly.
"Nancyw called Miss Abby again.
'Tm afraid 1 don't know what you
mean, Jim," faltered Miss Nancy.
why, back out West. I've got a
pretty little place there, with thirty
acres or so, and nary a mortgage. You'll
have neighbors, for there's other farms
near, and you shan't work, Nancy. I'll
get q girl"
"And Abby?" asked Nancy.
Jim Wilmot started.
II had forgotten her." he said help
lessly. "But where's the rest of the re-
AASAOAoS vi WHY SOuluA = 6uO kO 10 Il
home or-something?"
The flush in Miss Nancy's face faded
and a little line of pain formed around
her mouth.
"She'd never stand it to leave this
place. She's lived here all her life,
JIM" she said slowly.
There vas a silence for q moment,
then she continued, steadily:
II shall never leave her; so good
good-by, jim"
"And you'll sacrifice yourself and me
fer a notion?" he replied hotly. Cali
right, then, I shan't leave my farm
and settle down in this humdrum place
jest fer the sake of your sister. Good
by, Nancy" And five minutes after the
horse drove out of the yard and down
the hill while one lonely woman strain
ed her eyes for a last glimpse of 1t, and
the gathering flakes of snow were al
ready filling up its tracks.
She stood there a long while watch
ing the sullen clouds and the snow that
was coming thicker and faster. Little
puffs Of wind blew the flakes Of snow
against the pane, and Miss Nancy won
dered vaguely If they felt unhappy be-
cause they melted SO soon.
At last she reused herself and went
into the bedroom. Miss Abby, tired Of
calling, had fallen asleep. She was
thankful for the respite, and, going out
softly, prepared her own supper and
the invalid's while the wind blew furi-
ously around the little old house and
fairly shook its foundation.
She sat by the fire with her head on
her hands long after her sister had
eaten her supper, and being satisfied
with the evasive answers to her many
questions had gone to sleep again. But
the fire had died down and it grew
chilly in the little kitchen, so finally
she, too, went to her nights rest. It
was very late when she dropped into
a light sleep and the morning soon
came.
The day passed drearily. Miss Abby
talked necessarily of Jim-Jim, until
her sister felt she should scream or go
mad: but she did neither, and was only
a little more tender, q little more pa
tient.
The night set in with a regular snow
storm. Miss Abby declared they would
be showed in by morning. The wind
blew down the chimney with means,
like an uneasy spirit.
In the morning Miss Nancy was star
tied by the darkness in the little rooms.
The wind had blown the snow in big
d,iffo o0ofnc< tho u,indox,,c o,6 doov
What Miss Abby had feared had come
to pass, and they were showed in. But
there was no cause for worry as yet.
There vas plenty of food in the pantry
and wood In the wood box. There
was no stock to suffer, and someone
would surely go by before the day was
over and discover their plight.
She lighted her lamp and did her
work. though in a rather half-hearted
way, and the day passed and no one
went by. and the now piled up higher
and higher around the house.
Miss Abby was very little frightened
at their situation. Indeed. her sister
hardly knew what to make of her: she
seemed Il little wandering and confus-
ed things strangely.
The next day. late in the afternoon,
it stopped showing, but no n went by.
and darkness came on again. Another
long night. Miss Nancy left a lamp
burning in the kitchen and then went
10 bed.
Very early in the morning she wa.