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

Anu no ~eUtIcAflGS or
prayers on the part of her lover
awaited anything against the coEsgirn.
tious resolution Of Alma. And even
when. az length. the leave Of absence
expired. and he was ordered TO join
his regiment, which vas stationed in
Scotland, lie took advantage of this
fortuitous combination OF Circumstance
es to urge TO upon his beloved Alma
the consideration Of the deep pain of
separation and the facilities for their
union offered by the locality of his SER
vice, she remained true TO her conyic-
lions of duty, and had the firmness TO
bid him adieu and see him depart.
To young creatures surrounded by
sisters. brothers and cousins, relatives.
friends and ~neighbors, the ~self-denial
OF this lonely girl will scarcely be ap-
preciafed.
From the time OF her lovers depart
IRE for Scotland she saw no more of
him until the day of the double funeral
al Ailworth Abbey.
We have already said that it was
only in the times of their afflicticn that
the Honorable Mrs. Elyerton ever Wis
tied her neighbors. Thus. recluse as
she was. she had ordered her mourn
rs NNNAkA dAtb Will AIM EtlttNi W
her side. had attended the funeral so
IDENTITIES at Allworth Abbey.
In the course of that day Alma had
exchanged a glance and a bow with
Norham. And the rext afternoon. in
stinct, rather than understanding, led
her 10 take a walk in the woods be-
hind Edenlawn.
IL was a lovely summers afternoon.
and the Understanding sun was strik-
Ing his level. yellow rays through the
interlacings of the forest trees. edg-
ing each leaf and twig with a golden
hame.
Alma wandered on. and In that
mental struggle between duty and in
clination. or rather between conscience
N necessity, that occupies one-half
Of u inner lives.
She was happy in the thought OF
seeing Norham. and miserable in the
fear of w%rong-dolng. This is a para
dox OF daily occurrence.
While she walked on In the duicp-
marah. the bitter-sweet OF this forbid
den hope she heard the fallen leaves
and twigs break beneath a firm foot
step behind her.
Her breath stopped, her heart hut-
tered. her cheek crimsoned. She
paused for the coming up of the foot
steps. but she did not urn her head.
II have the honor of speaking TO
Miss Eiverton. l presumeT'
The voice of the speaker was deep.
rich and inexpressibly mournful.
Alma started, turned around. and
dropped her eyes, while a deep flush
mantled her face.
The speaker was n tall. finely-formed.
fair-compiexioned n very handsome
man. about forty years of age.
While addressing Alma he held his
hat entirely off hiG head. and stood
with n courtly grace that the girl had
never e e equalled.
She was naturally surprised and
even terrified at the unexpected ap-
partition OF n stranger in that lonely
place and at that late hour. but aside
from these natural emotions. there
was something in the aspect of the
man that thrilled her with n feeling
that was neither surprise nor terror.
but something infinitely deeper than
either.
II have the honor OF adj
dressing Miss Elverton. pre-
sIne:" repeated the stranger. with the
same gracious courtesy of tons and
manner.
Eyes. SIR breathed the girl, with
her heart throbblng quickly.
Miss Elverton. does your mother
still llvc?' inquired the deep voice OF
the stranger.
The throbbing Of Alma's heart yearly
~suffocatpd her. Her breath came
quickly and gaspingly. She threw her
arm around a tree for support and
leaned her head against the rough
ark while she stole another look at
D. stranger.
Yes, there was the same noble head.
9Th it's bright locks OF golden brown
Eaving round the broad. white fore
head: the same dark blue eyes with the
falcon glance; the same Grecian nose.
short. proud upper lip, and rounded
chin: the same face, only a little older.
that daily looked down upon her from
che portrait in the study. As Alma
realized the truth. she felt as though
her last hour Of life had come, and
that she was dying in a dream.
Does your mother still liver re-
peated the stranger.
my mother stiIl lives, IL breathing
means living answered Alma. in an
expiring voice, and trembling in every
limb.
The eyes of the stranger were fixed
upon her-were reading her very .
At length he spoke.
"Girl. your eyes never beheld me be-
FIRE. ant yet-does not your instinct
recognizes meg"
"Oh heaven. my hearth gasped the
girl. leaning. pale rs death. against
the tree.
ayes, your heart acknowledges him
whom your eyes never before saw"
"My father"
'Hush-hush-no word of that sort
ooh. my father
"IiUsh, hush. no word like that, |
sayr' repeated Hollis Elyerton. in Il
s~epulchral voice.
But his daughter. pale as death,
trembled like a leaf, and nearly faint
ing with excessive agitation, had en-
tirely lost her self-posseSsion.
She either did not hear or did not
understand his strange words.
Extending her arms towards him
with n lock of imploring affection, and
In a voice OF thrilling passion. she
cried:
Father, oh. father. will you not