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

OF which ! can speak freely, for WY
messed i.
Have . said that for years my f~avoritc
walk ran past Tumblelown Farm: on"
evening | had strolled gently there, and
before / turned my steps boucWarl it
was quito dark, lust as | approached
the garden gate | saw a woman in a light
colpred dress come UP the hill. and imme-
tiatoly | heard Il strong. harsh voice say:
is ,hat yea. Nanity!"
ayes replied another voice, which |
recognized.
know The hour: Not t. Vanity re
piled. in a tone thinly disguised by af-
fected gaiety. Thine passes quickly"
"Whcn You are not with me. you mean"
rcDliei the tall man. You selfish. willful
jade"
Don't be cross" interposcd Vanity.
The white figure drew close to The tall
3ark figure. and. as well as ] could see.
she laid her head against his shoulder.
He pushed her off, with a savage oath.
and | saw him stalking back 10 the house.
IL went the great strong form, after
followed Nanity's slow white figure: bang
went the door. and somehow through the
crash | thought | heard a cry of pain
b. fear.
You may be sure I turned this incident
over in my mind a good many times: and
though | made nothing out Of it. | re-
solved to tell Willie what | had seen. 1t
was clear that at present the old father
Was not the only inmate Of Tumbledown
Farm: for though | could not discern any
feature, the form of this stranger WAS
that of a great ablc-bodicd man. Was
he a visitor only? Why. then, should he
charge her with being late night after
night: And how should 4 visitor speak
10 her in So violent Il manner: Was he Il
brother: Was he Il husband? One thing
was clear TO my mind: Willie did not know
about mis- sweetheart all that was neccs
sary 10 be known by a lover. ! resolved
t. starr him on The track Of inquiry: and
it happened, c%uriouSly enough, that soon
after be came to ne To talk over his love
affairs, which had come t. Il crisis.
They had arranged IA new meeting place
IA littI" swinging gate, which You may
soc even now standing at the corner of
the plantation. SO far they kept up n
nrctrn>e Of accident in these encounters:
and sunset after sunset found them at
thlS swinging gate. ready to stroll off
different ways, if need arose. At last,
one Saturday night, Willie resolved 20
speak his mind. Vanity was leaning upon
abe gate, swinging herself To and fro. fit
;ing her white tingertips into the bios
SONS Of Il long stalk of foXglove. A
painter might have chosen her as a model
81 a trmptress.
"Nanity,' said he az last, and felt that
this was a great stride to make in a
breath.
What is IT." she asked studying he
pink thimble of foxgloves with the most
a~llurinS carelessness. Have you any
news 10 tell me-"
What a white hand" cried Willie,
feeling more himself all of a sudden. "A
Observation-Disclosures"
There are no rings To set it off" VAN
ity said, looking at her hand with a pout.
Then her face rippled into a smile and a
laugh.
Cover your hand with diamonds. cover
j until every finger carries a fortune"
be cried, land the hand would not look
50 beautiful as now. Vanity, dear Van
ity"."
Yes" she said. what have you got to
say to Vanity-dear Vanity:"
She raised her eyes. SO that the last
beam Of sunlight touched them and IRA
dated their dangerous brilliancy.
May |: may 2" Willie trembled at his
~ daring, Vet he lifted the hand to his
lips while he thus asked leave to kiss il.
Vanity burst out laughing.
May /. may |. OF course you may"
81" cried. Dear timid lad. Look here"
Light as a flying bird. and as graceful,
she touched his cheeks with her lips.
skimming away after a pressure which
would have scarcely hurt a butterfly's
wing. But her breath was on him. and
her brilliant laughing eyes were sparkling
close 10 him. Delight-delight with pain
i'll it-shot through Willie's heart.
can | pass now demanded an imperi-
ous voice behind him. with marked en-
phasis. If it will not be inconvenient"
Willie looked round. There stood Nan.
cy Steele. Neither of the lovers had no
ticed her approach, for She had a light,
swift step, and got over the ground quick
iy.
rs that you, Willie:' said Nancy,
speaking now in her most agreeable
voice. Il did not see your face. What
a pleasant evening" and passed by, show
ing to him n& veXation whatever, nor
manifesting any curiosity.
who is that" Vanity asked, disdain-
fully. Where does she come from? At
least. where did her bonnet come from!'
'She is only a girl l know" Willie re-
piled, hardly able to speak for confusion.
more. | assure you"
Counting was over for that evening.
Willie felt dashed by the sudden appear
lnce of Nancy. Vanity, too. assumed an
expression new to her-half angry, half
effective; and there was a coldness in
heir parting such as might have signifed
hat their commencing tenderness was
aady to vanish.