Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-05-06

VI ann dilcT Il.}l. Il u0N,t
think him insuffer1ble now.o
1T was strange, but Frank felt no mar
ucular satisfaction on hearing of the
young lady's changed opinion; he made
no reply.
You say he has had much tc troubie
nm. And, indeed, / can see il in his
race. There is something SO gentle in
hlm, so tender, i might almost saw:
such soft, dark eyes, and such q sweet
voice. At first, as / tell you, L found il
ihtolerabie, but now it strikes me as
Fathef poetlcal. He must certainly be
q poet, and have been crossed in love;
ne can se no commonplace man."
NO, that he certainly is not said
hrank, vaguely, a little i'll at case over
EVaS raptures; and a mingling of
jealousy and regret-something like an
aversion Tor the worldly polish, and a
dul envy OF the poetic gTaces which
Eva attributed to his friend. ran,
through his veins like = chill. He
glanced up. almost pathetically, at the
pretty creature, who was sometimes
50 sllreWd and sometimes so naive; so
learned In all that bore on her favorite
STUDIES, SO ignorant Of real life. A
aim compassion came over him. and,
on a sudden, the gray rain-clouds
weighed upon them with a pall of mel
ancholy, as though they were ominous
or some inevitable fatality which
threatened to crush her. lis fingers
involuntarily clasped her hand more
tightly.
Here is the path once more!' cried
Sir Archibald, who was twenty steps
ahead of them.
"Oh, yes! There is the path! Thank
you, Mr.. Westhoverl" said Eva. ma
she sprang from the last stepping
store, pushing her way through the
snapping braken to the beaten track.
AM up there is the hat with the
weathercock,' her father went Oh. II
believe we have made a long round out
OF u way. Instead OF chattering so
much, you would do well to keep a
sharp lookout for the path. My old
eyes, you know"
But 1t Vas great fun jumping over
the stones" laughed Eva.
Far above them they could see the
hut with the tall pole Of the weather
cock, and they went on at an easier
pace, their feet sinking in the violet
and pink-bloss0med heath, crushing
the bilberries, dimly purple, like tiny
grapes. Eva stopped and picked some.
"Ohi so nice and sweetr' she ex-
claimed wit childish surprise, and she
pulled some more, dyeing her lips and
GIEerS blue with the Juice of the Der
Ties. taste them, Mr.. W~esthoye."
He took them from her soft, small
hand, stained rs it was with purple
blood. 1t was true; they we're deli
Ciously sweet. and such fine ones!
Ard then they went on again, fol-
lowing Sir Archibald, often stopping
and triumphing Ike children. when
they came on a large patch where the
wortleberries had spread unhindered,
like q miniature orchard.
Papa. Iapa! DO try themr' Eva
cried. needless Of the fact that papa
was far ahead; but Sir Archibald was
not out Of siTht, and they had to run
TO overtake him; Eva's laughter ring
Ing liEe Il bell, while she lamented that
she must leave so many berries IN
touchcd--3nd such beauties!
II daresay there will be plenty round
the hut" said Frank, ~conSOlingly.
do you think sol" she said, with n
merry laugh. "Oh, what a couple OF
babies we are.'
The path grew wider, and they found
l. easy walking up to the top, ome
times quitting the track and scram-
bling over the stones to shorten the
way. Presently they heard a shout,
and, looking up. they saw Sir Archibald
standing on the cairn In which the
staff of the weathercock was fixed, and
waving his traveling-cap. They bur
ried on. and soon were at his side. Eva
knocked ut the door OF the hut.
''Tle hut is shut up" said h@' father.
How stupid" she exclaimed. why
does 1t stand here AT all if it is shut up?
Does no one live in itY'
why, of cours sc not" said Sir Archi-
bald. as IL it was the most natural
thing in the world.
Frank helped Eva TO climb the cairn
round the pole, and they looked down
at the panorama at their feet.
1T is beautiful, but melancholy"
said Eva.
The long ford lay before them. a
narrow ribbon OF pale, motionless wa
ter. hemmed in by mountains, now
wreathed with gray vapor. through
which they cleaned fitfully like ghosts
of mountains; Lapparen and Vengeln-
der, TroIltinder and Romsdalhorn, tow
ering up through the envious roiiing
mist. which. swelled by the coming
storm. hung In black clouds from eV-
cry Deslk ana tISt IL SlpoiJy AShNN'NSh
on the still waters. The hills were
weeping - unsubtantial, motionless
r.hantoms. sorrowing and tragical I'M
der some august and superhuman woe
"a grief as of giants and demigods;
the ford, a plot of gardens, ana ROOFS
and walls, and the white chatlet or the
Grand Hotel-all weeping, all motion
less under the gloomy sky. a ghostiy
chill rose up from the gulf to where
the trio stood, mingling with the tangi-
bio CLEANLINESS Of the mist, when
seemed TO weigh on their eyelids. ~
was not raining. but the moisture
seemed to distil on them from the
black. unb ,cken wrack of clouds; n
TO the westwards, between two ems
which parted to show a cleaning strip
of ocean. a streak was visible OF pale
gold and faint cse-color-hardy more
than a touch of pink, a sparkle OF gon
"A stinted aims Of the setting Sun.
They scarcely said another word. op-
r.ressed by the superhuman sadness
which Ell wrapped them like a shrouo.
When Eva. at last, spoke, her ciear
voice sounded far away--througn
curtain.