Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-09-24
CHAPTER XIV.
what the Bells nang for at Anna
hnie.

what the Bells nang for at anna
dale.
'Hope deferred maketh the heart
sick said the wise man. and poor May
found the truth of the proverb.
The words of Agatha Henwood had
reused her once more to hone. and day
by day she watched and waited 10!
tidings from her betrothed husband.
Day by day she grew paler and
thinner: her appetite deserted her. anC
of her former self.
The greater part OF the time she
spent in her w room. refusing al
-comp%anionship. and shrinking away
from expressed sympathy. To whom
could she talk? There was m subjecl
alone on which she could converge
Tor it occupied all her thoughts-bul
upon that subject she was tongue-tied
True, she need no longer feel herself
bound by the promise made TO Ernest
Hartrey, for he had deserted her-at
beast. so she believed: but that. to her
seemed the greater reason for keeping
silent on the subject.
Could she bear TO reveal that she had
loved, and had been forsaken? Could
SHE tDUI6SS lI1N even hOh. Nlith SliN
should have felt herself aggrieved, that
she had loved the man who had left
her, more than all the world beside?
No, no! She determined the secret
should be kept: and that If she lived
she would marry John Gridley. and
strive hard TO make him a good wife.
AS she made the determination. she
felt it TO be a mockery, but she elung
10 1t pertinaciously.
Wearied out with watching. waiting,
and hoping, sick at heart. miserable,
and i'll at ease. poor May grew weaker
and weaker. till one morning she was
unable to rise from her bed.
AS long as she had strength she com.
batted the notion of sending for 4
doctor; but she became so mich worse
that Matthew Rivers, without consult
ing her, mounted his cob. and rode of
to Alverton, and returned with DR.
Price.
"a low fever my dear sir: nothing
more; n low fever. | Will send hei
.Some medicine. Let her be kept quiet,
and have nothing to disturb her in any
way."
Nothing to disturb her? Even hel
father could no longer shut his eyes "a
the dread with which she regarded hel
coming marriage with John Gridley.
He would have giyers all he was
worth. now. to recall the engagement
with his ~partner-for his former clerk
now possessed his share in the bust
ness; but such a proceeding was i'm
possible.
He had limited that the engagement
should be broken off; but John Gridley
treated the proposal with scorn. and
Matthew Rivers was too completely III
his power to dare TO resist him. 4
The thousand pounds had been paid
to the maltster's clamorous creditor
and ruin was for the present averted
But Gridley held a slip of paper. which
was the acknowledgment Of a debt OF
twelve hundred pounds sterling, and
was signed, in a trembling hand
Matthew Rivers"
1t was by mean of this scrap of pa
per that, the maltsters junior partne,
was enabled to compel compliance tc
his will: and at the very mention OF
it the old mans check would blanch
and his limbs quiver-for lie knew tlial
he could not repay tliensoney, andAthaI
he might at any time be cast int
prison by the young man.
The young man had. worn a mask rs
long as it served his turn to do so
and outwardly humble, he had pleased
his employer, but now 1t was different
He was master, and could dictate whai
terms he liked.
Of the power thus acquired ht
was not slow to avail himself
and Matthew Rivers became all but
~nonentity in the business. which, unit
the unfortunate day when the Other
had first come TO Annadale, had beer
so profitable.
Matters with those at the little
country village who are concerned il
our story went ON far from satisfac
torily.
Matthew Rivers and John Gridley
though outwardly civil-nay, even cor
dial to each other-were enemies a
heart.
Mrs. Rivers and her husband ha6
differed: she insisting that the mar
rage with John Gridley should no
take place, thereby exciting the ange;
OF that gentleman. and her husband
protesting vehemently that it should
though he did moi care to confess tC
his wife the potent reasons which rem
dered his consent to the union almost
compulsory.
In this house, with the members di
yided between themselves, poor May
lay lowering between life and death
SO TRANQUILITY she lay, 81 gently she
breafhed. that more than once they
thought her spirit had flown; but
youth. and a good constitution, n
length asserted themselves, and May
was pronounced, after an illness OF
oome weeks to be our OF iaIiger.
xt was almost winter before May