Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-06-10
ii.

And now, long as they had been, the
days had all stolen by-all, after
another. beyond recall. The past was
more and more the past, and would
forever remain so. 1t would never
come back to them, she thought,
haunt them with 'hideous memories.
She grew ealmer; her nervousness di-
unfinished, and something like peace
cane upon her in her passionate long
ing for the happy future; for she was
going to be happy with Frank.
She was now in London with her
father, living very quietly; still feeling
the past in spite of her present glad
ness, still conscious of what had been,
in all its misery and it's horror. Frank,
too, was In London, in a poorly-paid
place as assistant overseer in some EN-
cheering works. the only opening he
could find by the help Of his old con-
nections: jumping at it, indeed, In on
sideration of his ~antecedents, of which
ne had no cause to be proud. BY and
by he should get something better,
something more suitable TO his attain
ments And he took up his studies
again, to refresh his technical knowl-
edge, which had grown somewhat
rusty.
Sir Archibald had grown much older,
and was crippled by attacks of rneum-
atism; but still he sat porting over his
heraldic studies. Living in Holland,
for his daughters sake. he had too
long been ont of his own circle OF ac-
quaintance and groove of habit; ard
though he had from time to time, i'm a
fit of childish temper, expressed his
vexation at Eva's becoming the wife
Of a murderer, he now agreed to ev-
erything. shrinking from the world
and troubling himself about nothing:
only craving to be left undistufbed in
the apathy of his old age. SHE knew
nothing about it: old men knew moth
ing about such things. The young peo-
pie might please themselves; they al
ways knew best, and must have their
W way" So he grumbled on ap-
parently indifferent, but glad at heart
that Eva should marry Frank, since
Frank. If he could be violent, was good
ut heart. and Eva would be well cared
for. and he himself would have IN
one 70 bear him company in his own
horse-yes, yes, a little company.
Frank and Eva met but rarely dur.
ing the week, for he was busy even in
the evenings, but they saw each other
regularly on Sundays. And Eva had
IA whole week in which I o think over
II Sunday when she had last seen
him. and she tried to recall every word
that he had said, every look he had
given her. On these treasures she
lived all the week. She had never
loved him so dearly as now when
crushing depression weighed on him.
which she longed to tighten by the
solace of her love. There was some.
thing motherly In her feeling for him.
as though his sufferings had made a
Child of him, needing n tenderer re-
gard tina or yore. She had loved him
then for the mysterious charm. as il
seemed 10 her, of the contrast between
MS Feeble gentleness and his powerful
physique; and now it was no more
h Il higher development of the
same CHARM since she saw the stall
wart strong man suffering so pitiabIy
under the memory of what he had
gone through, and lacking the energy
TO rise superior to 1t and begin life
anew. But this want of vigor did not
discourage her in her hopes for the fut-
are; on the contrary, she loved him for
his weakness, while regarding this as
singular and incomprehensibie in her
self; dreaming over 1t in her solitude.
or smiling with gladness.
For she. as a woman, In spite of her
nervous, visionary temperament, could
resolutely forget the past. bravely 20
forward to meet the future, compelling
happiness to come to her by her sweet
patience and elastic constancy. Had
not all the o OF the past lain out.
side them both? Had not Frank done
penace enough for his fit Of rage to
hold up his head again now? Oh, they
would soon have got over 1t complete
~; they would insist on being happy.
and she would cure him Of everything
like heart-sickness.
Thus she hoped on, a long, long time.