Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-05-13
VII.

Van Marren, his friend, took no fur
Their trouble. expecting that when the
case became urgent Bert1e hifnSei
would ask Iris assistance. But Berries
refusal led Frank TO perceive, for the
first true the false position in which he
had placed his companion. hith with re-
gard 10 himself and to his associates;
his kindness 10 a friend out OF luck III
allowing him TO hive for a year as a
man of fortune, struck him now-seen
in the light of IN attachment which
had purified. renovated, transformed
his whole nature-as indeScribably NE
po~sterous. as trampling on every law
of honor and veracity; an unjustifiabie
nfockery of the god faith Of the world
he lived I'm. Formerly he had thought
this all very amusing, but now he felt
that ii was mean. base, to have en-
joyed such amusement as this. And
he understood that he had himself en-
couraged the growth. as OF some pois-
onous weed. of Van Maeren'S false
pride, which now forbade him TO ac-
cept a favor from any one Of their boon
companions.
The days glided by, and Westhoye
could no shake off the sense Of self-re-
proach, which. indeed, grew upon him
as time went IN Van Maeren cast n
shadow e the happiness of his love.
Eva saw that some dull grief made
him silent; he would sit brooding for
many minutes at n time-lis bfows
knit and a deep furrow across his fore
head.
What ais yoiI. FrankT'
"Nothing. my darling"
".Are YOU still j~ealous:'
NO. L will cure myself Of it"
well, you see it is your fault; IL
you had not always sung the praises OF
BERTHE as your best friend l shouiC new
err have become so intimate with him."
Yes, Ii was his own fault; he saw
that very clearly.
And are you satisfied with menowT'
she asked. laughing.
He, too, laughed. For, indeed, it was
true; for Franks sake, she had sudden
ly changed her behavior TO BERTHE; she
would rise and quit the sofa where
they sat while he was yet speaking;
she sometimes contradicted him. re-
preached him for his foppishness aud
laughed at him for his dainty little
hands. He looked at her in amaze
ment, fancied she meant ii for firta-
ton, but could not understand what
she would be at. One evening. for
hour after hour. she pes.ered him with
petty annoyances. pin-pricks. which she
intended should reassure Frank and
not wound BERTHE too deeply. The con
y~ersafion presently turned on h%eialdry.
and lr Arthur wanted to show the
two men The blaZoned roll of the fam
lily tree. Frank rose, ready to follow
him 10 his study, and BERTHE did the
same. Eva felt a little rompunclion.
thinking she had carried her teasing
rather far this time. and she knew that
her fathers pedigree would not interest
him in the least.
Leave BERTHE here. papa" said she.
HE knows nothing about heraldry."
And. ut the same time. to comfort
Frank. who dared not betray his ieal-
eusy, she added. lightly. with Il molli-
flying twinkle OF her long ~eyelashes:
Frank will trust us alone together,
/ darcsay."
so loving. that Frank smiled and nod
ded tr1lstfully. though annoyed at see
ing BERTHE sit down again.
AS soon as they were alone Berre
began:
EOI slid Aiit Efl. loN touiu NOu lUI-
10 me as you have been doing.'
She laughed and blushed, a little
ashamed of herself for treating him so
to please Frank. But Berries face was
grave, and. with an appealing gesture,
he folded his hands and said. beseech-
ingiy: Promise me that you will not
do SO again."
She gazed at him in surprise al his
earnest tone. 1T Is only my fun" said
she.
But a form Of fun which is suffering
to me- he replied. in a low voice.
And still she looked at him. not nm
derstanding. He sat huddled up. his
head on his breast. his eyes fixed be-
fore him. and his brown hair. which
waved n little over his forehead, cling
ing TO his temples, which were damn
with perspiration. He was evidently
much agitated. He had no idea what
might come OF this dialogue, but he
was aware that his tone had been sci
emn, that these first words might be
the prelude 10 n very important inter-
view. He felt that these few minutes
werG destined to become a precious
link i'll the chain Of his life, and he
waited with the patience Of a fatalist
for the thoughts which should take
shape in his brain. and the words
which should rise to his lips. He kepr
an eye on himself. as il were. n nj
a same time spun a web about IA.
as a spider ~entangles q DIV In the
thread i draws out OF Its bowels.