The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-03-26
CHAPTER VI.

conversation she was frivolous ana mar
apert: against this fault he put the tren-
ulous carnestnpss of her voice in this last
supreme moment
VANITY loves me- quoth the deludcd
boy. THAT much is sure. Vanity loves
mc-loycs mc-lovcs me tcnderly:.
After their parting at the brook ten days
elapsed without his seeing her again.
Meanwhile. by every honorable means he
tried to learn something about her and
her father. but when the information he
picked MP was put together with that
which | had learned myself elsewhere, We
remained as much in the dark as ever.
The HardWarcs kept no regular servant.
An old charwoman was engaged To do the
houscwork and the cooking. coming III at
seven in the morning and leaving punctu-
ally ut one. At five she returned, and dld
such further turns as were nocdful; and
at eight she left for the night. OF old
Mr.. Hardware this woman saw little or
nothing. He never came down to break
fast. and he would not suffer her to enter
any room where he might happen to be.
Cross-cxamined. the old lady declared
that 10 visitor ever came near the house.
Concerning The strange man whom | had
Sftli Win MISS NV biN' ~ hiNS''
thar she knew nothing of him. 1t was
impossible he could be so often at the
farm without her knowledgc. Was tho
old gentleman a kind father: She dared
say; it was all coughing. and Wheeling
and grooming morning. noon and night.
Did the old gentleman drink: Poor old
soul. not IL drop-lived on Cruel and dry
toast.
AT last the lovers met again. One even
ing, as Willie looked. With scarcely hope
full eyes, across their f~avorite field, he
saw Vanity standing at the gate, wait
ing. as she had So often waited before.
She was gazing penSivoly at the distant
hills. and did not see Willie until he was
at her side.
"What brings you here this evening:'
he asked.
Pate she answered in a composed
voice. as if She had prepared the reply 4
week before.
The last time we met YOU said YOU
loved mc-did You not:"
II did"
Vanity" Willie cried, II want nothing
more in all the world.'
She looked NJ.
LIS NV ANN. iH'i'' Nv li' spi
love me-you are not married; yet you
cannot marry me-. What can the reason
be: l have it, he cried. You have
promised To marry come one else"
Il have not"
Then why may we not marry:"
You must ask me- no more. If I let
my liking for You grow into love" she
went on. in Il low voice. Il would love
YOU till | died. You would take me out
of myself. and hold me as your own. Do
what YOU would, be what you would. l
could never take back the heart | had
given"
well, Vanity, what them"
you could never love me So"
Il should not. What do you mean?"
said Ne.
IF you knew that there was a fact i'll
my life-an ineffaceab!e fact-which
would leave me open to sudden shame;
something that children ought never to
know about a mother, that friends ought
never to know about a friend, that a hus-
band ought never to know about his wife,
unless he loved her with a love that was
unquenchable-what them
Il don't quite understand you" Willie
replied, hesitating. "AIy love is unquench.
able"
IF all that were true of me, would you
still say that nothing in the world could
alter your love-"
"I-e-s." answered Willie slowly. Il be.
lieve So Then, after Il pause, he added,
"Of course, it would be nothing really dis.
graceful"
Vanity rose with a sad smile. She
t,,,Al,,l l,,. Ill. l -
the elder and the stronger of the two.
LISTEN she answered, in Il tone tina,
sun into his very soul. IF you had been
brought up all your life amongst people
who were some thoughtless. some vicious,
some selfish, until You hardly knew THAI
there was such n thing as goodness; and
II, all of a sudden, you saw somebody
who drew forth Il pure and noble love.
which flowed out for you like Il delicious
stream, promising to gladden. IA hard,
life; and if. just as YOU were 20.
ing TO drink. something told that you had
no right to that loye-Willie. Willie!' she
cried, starting up ~wildly-'if the veil were
torn off me, YOU would hate me. Go. and
let me 90. Tell nobody what | have said.
let it be a secret between YOU and myself
forever. Don't write 10 meas YOU yaIue
my life. don't write 10 me. o, Willie.
Willie. my heart is broken..'
You are nervous and excited" he sai1.
soothingly. You must be distressing
yourself without reason. Are we to part
in this way"
I'VE are" she replied, grown more COM
posed. Il have been foolish, and | must
pay the penalty. Forget me, Willie. for
get all about me. Remember me only az
a boy remembers his first love"
Am l never To see you again."
Never. except at this gate" said VAN
ity decisively; land never unless you find
me here, without asking me to come"
CTo be continued.)