Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-03-05

Afsne WAS going mad--1f thh WIS., featIy
mania-she could never, never, never
For in : Hash ofintuition she knew that
now. She knew he was in love. She knew
he loved her.
In that Wild moment Of awakening all
the rest mattered nothing: The solitary
idea that ran now through her head, rs the
impu Sc to dance had run through 1t last
night. was the idea that she could never
marry Cyril Waring. And If Cyril Warning
could have seen her just then! Her cheeks
burned yet q brighter scarlet at that
blush suffused her face from chin to fore
head. The maidenly sense of shame con-
sumed and devoured her.
Was she mad? Was she mad? And was
this q lucid interval?
Presently, Is she lay still on her bed all
dressed, md with her face in her hands,
trembling for very shame. = little knock
sounded tentatively at the door of her bed
room. / was q timid. small knock, very
low and soft, and, as it were, inquiring. It
seemed to say in an apologize sort of
undertone. II don't know whether you're
awake or not just yet; and If you're still
asleep, pray don't let me for q moment
| disturb or arouse you"
who's thereS" Elma mustered mp cour
age to ask. in a hushed voice OF terror,
hiding her head under the bedciothes.
ats me, darling" Mrs. Clifford answer
l VS. Gty 1OAVA AhN cVNSStys q
never heard her mother speak in so tender
and gentle q tone before. though they loved
one another well, and were far more
sympathetic than most mothers and
daughters. And besides, that knock was
80 unlike mammals. Why SO soft and
low?
Had discovered her? With q
despairing sense OF being caught, she look
ed down at her tell-tale clothes and the un-
slept-in bed.
asoh, what shall 1 ever dof' she Thought
TO herself confusedly. II can't let mamma
come in aud catch me like this. She'll ask
why on earth / didn't undress last night.
And then what could / ever say? How
could / ever explain to herr"
The awful sense OF shame-facedness grew
upon her still more deeply than ever. She
jumped up, and whispered through the
mother, can't let you in just yet! Do you
mind waiting five minutes? Come again
BY and BY. film so awiully tired and
queer this morning, somehow"
Mrs. Clifford's voice had an answering
little ring ofterror in it. as she replied It
once in the same soft tone:
Very well, darling. That's all right.
Stay as long as you like. Don't trouble to
get up II you'd rather have your breakfast
In bed. And don't hurry yourself at all.
I'll come back by and by, and ses what's
the matter"
Elma didn't know why, but by the very
tone OF her mothers voice she felt dinly
conscious something strange had happened.
Mrs. Clifford spoke with unusual gentle
ness yet will an unwonted tremor.
ed through the door, going bach
TO the bedside and beginning to un-
dress in . tuInult Of shame. Come again
by aud by: in Just five minutes" 1t would
do her good, she knew, in spite of her shy
ness. TO talk with her mother. Then shs
folded her clothes neatly, n by one, on
chair; hid the peccant boa away in ito
own lower drawer; buttoned her neat little
embroidered night-dress tightly ROUND her
throat; arranged her front hair into q care
less disorder. and tried to cool down her
iiery-red cheeks with copions bathing in
cold water. When Mrs. Clifford came back,
1--WE minutes later, everything looked to the
outer eye Of q mere casual observer exactly
- If Elma had laid in bed all night. curled
up between the sheets in the most orthodox
fashion.
But all these elaborate preparations
didn't. for moment deceive the mothers
watchful glance, or the keen intuition
shared by all the women Of the Clifford
family. She looked tenderly ut Elma-
Eima with her face half buried in the pill
lows, and the ~tell-tale flush still c~rimsoning
her cheek in . single round spot; then she
ly folded 81 the chair by the bedside, as
she murlnured low:
you're not well this morning. my
child. You'd better not get up. IN
bring you 2 cup OF tea and some toast my
sell. You don't feel hungry. ofcourse. All,
no. 1 thought notl just . slice Of dry toast
yes, yes. ! nave been there. Some eau de
Cologne on your forehead. dear? There,
there, don't cry Elma. You'll be better by
and by. Stop in bed till lunchtime. I won't
You'd rather be alone. You were tired last
night Don't be afraid, my darling. tn
soon pass of. There's nothing on earth,
nothing at ali TO be alarmed at"
b laid her hand nervorsly on Elma's
arm. Half-dead with shame as she was,
Eln.a noticed 1t trenlbled. She noticed,
too, that mamma seemed almost afraid to
catch her eye. When their glance met for
m instant, the mothers eyelids fell, and
her cheek, too, burned bright red. almost
- red, Elma felt, as her own that nestled
hot % deep in The pillow. Neither said :
felt; but their mute sympathy itself made
them more shame-iaced than ever. In
eOne dim, indefinite. instructive fashion.
Elnla knew her mother was vaguely
aware what she had done last night.
on the bottom drawer. With quick
insight. Mrs. Ciifsord's eye. followed
her daughters; then it Tell q before. Elma
looked up at her terrified, and burst into .
sudden flood of tears. Her mother stopped
QOWu, dilu caught ilGT Wildly Ia neE arms.
"Cry. cry. my darling" she murmured,
clasping her hard to her breast. ..Cry, cry;
it'll du you good; there's safety in crying.
Nobody but I shall come near you to-day.
Nobody else shall know! Don't be afraid
Of me! Have | not been there, too? Its
nothing. nothing"
With . burst Of despair. Elma laid her
face in her mothers bosom. Some minutes
later, Mrs. Clifford went down to meet her
husband III the hreakfast-room.
'Well?" the father asked, shortly. look
ing hard at has wite's face, which told its
own tale ct once. for IL was white and
paltid.
asWell!" Mrs Clifford answered, with q
preoccupied air. "Elma's not herse elf this
morning at al. Had q nervous turn after
she went to her room last night. know
what il IS. I suffered from them myself
when / was about her age Her eyes fell
quickly. and sheshrnik from her husbands
searching glance. She was . plump-iaced
and ~well-fayored British niatron now; but
once, many years before, ~ . slim young
girl, she had been in love with somebody
somebody whom by superior parental
wisdom she was never allowed to marry,
being put off instead with . we'll -connected
mat0t, vnnnU Mr. G1ifEnrd 0f the Calunfnl