The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-12-30

No. CHAl' Elk Alll.- (IOSTlSCED.,
81 silly little goose. How can they
SC guess unless you tell them with your
eyes? Come, take my arm, and let us
lngo In together. But tel me, first, is
vt To be-or not?" -,
Yes" she answered in a very low
r5voice.
He looked at her for a moment in 81
Of lence; then he said:
t God bless you, Pearl" and led her
ia toward the house. At the threshold of
~ the library they were met by Carmen.
h, who do you think is here, Margar-
ct? Guess"
In II can't" sail Margaret, who had no
er idea Hamilton Shore had been invited
cito Join them at Abbotsville.
IN 'sMr. Ruthven's nephew-are you not
surprised? And here he is" continued
,c Carmen, triumphantly waving her
hand toward the new arrival.
stS II thundcr-0oit had fallen at his
ID feet. Hamilton Shore could hardly have
looked more astonished than he did
!, when he perceived his uncle and Mar
garet O'Reilly. But he soon recovered
id'himself With his natural GOODNESS he
T. concluded that, since Ruthven had
"a sanctioned his visit to Abbotsville, he
must approve of all be had done be-
fore it; so, with a bold air, he prof
: pfercd his hand to his uncle, who re-
ceived it very indifferently. To greet
Margaret was a more difficult matter,
ytice the awkwardness with which it was
/ accomplished.
le' carmen, however. took complete pos
session of her admirer, and saved Mar
garet much annoyance; but between the
two fires OF Ruthven's burning glances
and Hamiltons half-averted ones, the
poor child hardly knew which way to
look, and was thankful for the first ex
cuse to run upstairs and hide her blush
yStng cheeks. But she could not go to
bed She listened patiently for up
inward of an hour to Garments culo-
!, r. ginms on Hamiltons appearance, and
no whispered compliments and protesta
. lions, all of which she repeated
for her friends benefit; and not
until she had left her had
Ot Margaret leisure to think. But
how her thoughts came pouring in upon
u her then! 1t was all too wonderful to
believe-that whilst she had been be-
moaning the loss of Hamlton's pink
N and white face and curly hair, her guar
dian, whom she had never dared to
think of except as a being Of superior
= order to herself, should have loved her
:, and wanted to make her his wife. She
rsS Huthven's wife; the life companion of
q one of the cleverest and best-known
men in England! The idea was too stu
NJ pendous for the girlish brain. She felt
: az II she couldn't comprehend it
, y within the four walls of her bedroom,
and tender romance impelled her to
re-seek the bench where Ruthven had
cOnfded this marvellous truth to her.
n ana think over and try to realize it
there. The night, though dark, was
! sultry; there was no need to do more
than throw shawl about her head, for
41rgaret to SEEK the Monks Walk
With perfect safety.
G She found the seat where they had
qoat together, and threw herself upon 1t
With an air Of the most perfect con-
INT How strange and gloomy the
W4lk locked at midnight!
Margaret turned and gazed at the
= venerable old pile before her. The
:. building had seemed wrapped in dark
ness as she left it; but now she saw
I to her surprise, that part of it-that
part which joined the sleeping apart
, ments of Carmen, and which her friend
said was occupied by Sir Frederic-was
Hghted up so brilliantly that the blinds
\ GQked like transparencies. What
lid the baronet be doing at that time
o 08snight to render such an illumina-
. tIon necessary? Margaret sat watch
~ the mysterious chamber in fasci-
mated curiosity. Presently a shadow APP
: PREACHED the blind upon the opposite
/ side shadow clad in long garment
like dressing-gown. 1t moved up and
down behind the blind for few min
utes, restlessly, then it commenced to
p move faster; at last, 1t took hold of it's
y okirts, and, holding them out, danced
rVolently up and down, wagging it's
d Enthusiastically the while. A second
ENEnre-that Of man-approached the
Arst-and laid hands upon it, which it
eemed to resent, shaking of the touch
opatiently. The second figure, how
Ter, continued to persevere until the
Bt became violent. and, turning.
hpp.ed with him. and the two