Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-07-23
It gave MI. Falck a certain safis7,,

~ NORTHUMBERLAND tue accuracy OF his
own knowledge as compared to the neb-
ulous theorizing Of Mr.. Brun, who had
q q remarkable gift for talking
beautifully about things which he knew
Little or nothing about. He was far from
dreaming that to Hulda the discourap-
ing facts which he had stated were re-
pulsive and forbidding. They seemed to
close the heavens a. with a lid and put
an end to all her imaginings. Since her
moonlight walks with Mr.. Brun. who
mad no scruples in populating every star
IN the universe for her benefit, she had
given free scope to her fancy and found
Infinite entertainment in the contempla-
ton OF the sky. And now came Mr..
Falck, probably actuated by jealousy.
and declared that it was all fantastic
nonsense and idle dreaming. How could
she be grateful to him for information,
even II information it We're, conveyed
in such a hateful spirit.
The curate felt vaguely that his sci
entlfic discourse was not well received.
but he failed to divine the cause. For
10 or 20 minutes they darted away 81.
lently over the shining ice, swinging
out now to the right and now to the left
whenever the horse deviated ever SO lit.
tie from the straight line. Though the
last misunderstanding had left a slight
deposit OF irritation in Hulda's mind,
she could not long harbor her resent
ment, and when they had abandoned
the river and once more struck into the
woods a couple Of squirrels that leaped
across the road gave q fresh turn to her
thoughts.
aren't they lovely?' she exclaimed
in girlish staccato. "They are the dear
est little things I cver saw. l remember
reading in a natural history book how
they store up nuts for the winter like
prudent little housewives; how they
keep their pantries in hollow trees, and
the male and female love each other
dearly and live together year after year
like husband and wife, and both work
for their families and live in peace and
harmony and are indeed models of thrift
and fidelity, and then they arc so sweet
and SO graceful and so perfectly harm
less"
Mr.. Falck well knew what an un-
scrupulous marauder the squirrel is and
with what villainous sang froid he will
rob o birds nest, but he had no desire
to incur further ill will by volunteering
unpalatable truths. So he only CHR
ruped ''tsch, tsch, tsch" to the horse
and cracked his whip. But this time
Hulda almost jumped in her seat, and
he felt through all the furs how she
gave a start rs if she herself had been
hit by the whip.
"Why don't you stop that idiotic
chirruping?" she asked with perceptible
annoyance. Don't you SEQ the horse is
going as fast as he can?''
Mr.. Falck made no reply, though he
felt the rebuke keen]y. His anger was
not OH the surface and not easily arous-
ed. Her face was SO very lovable that it
disarmed him, made him willing. rath-
er than retaliate, to submit to whatever
treatment she chose to accord him.
There was but one thing he could not
afford to risk, and that was to lose her.
All else was Of minor consequence.
Mr.. Falck sat Illuminating upon all
the complicated possibilities Of this very
complicated relation, and Hulda for
awhile was giving her attention to the
same subject. She had forgotten entire
~ that from q sense of pique she had
set out deliberately to capture Mr..
Faick, and the odious fact only re-
manned that he had been imposed upon
her as a "burdensome duty" not by
threats of force, but by q silent and per-
sistent compulsion which was all but ir.
resistible. How could any honorable
man lend himself to such a scheme,
taking advantage Of an unfortunate
family necessity to deprive IA girl Of her
liberty of choice-nay, Of all that made
life precious?
While she sat thus absorbed in bitter
reflections they met a long line of horses
driven by peasants who were returning
from a fair in the nearest village. Some
were too dru1k to keep awake. and their
soberer comrades, knowing that in such
condition sleep meant death, were walk
ing them briskly along the roadside.
Hulda, to whom every family in the
parish was known, had the healthy in
terest of q country bred girl in her
neighbours affairs. Quickly dismissing
her own troubles, she motioned to Mr..
Falck to stop, and leaning out Of the
sleigh strove to identify the Keeling "
elers.
"Why, Lars Nordby," she exclaimed
a. she recognized M Of her fathers
most prominent practitioners, "aren't
you ashamed Of yourself to be coming
home to your wife and children in such
q condition.
"A-a-a-shamed Of m-m-myself?' re-
peated the festive paterfamilias with
imperfect articulation.
ASHAMED Of yourself, yes. I should
hope you had at least the decency to be
ashamed"
"C-c-o-can't say I have, " the peasant
declared cheerfully as he tackled an
steadily across the road and tumbled
into the snowbank."
"And you, Peer vandsbeck," she
CALCULATED On another we'll known figure
hove into view, lyon, who are . poor
-.~ nna nnnd avery farthinu Won make