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

But what were YOU tlhhhihs' enSn
what fancies?'
He wiped the water of the table.
cloth with his pocket handkerchief, anu
replaced the flowers in the glass.
"Nothing-nothing at all ne mur-
INJURED, huskily; he was muio
with nervousness, and his 0 n was
deeply compassionate. as II MS WORDS
were meant to shroud some awful Sc
| cret. Then, as he said no more, she
sank on the sofa and broke into uncon-
trollable ard passionate sobs, scared
by the i~ndefinable terror which rose up
in her soul.
..Eya. dear Eva, be calmT' he en-
treated her. fearing lest some one
| should come into the room. And then
then he knelt down close by her. tax
lug her hands and pressing themten-
derby.
Look ut me, Eva. 1 aSsur you; |
| swear to you there is nothing
| nothing at all, but what exists in my
own Imagination. But, You see, care
| for you SO fondiy: you viii let me say
So won't YOU? For what | feel for you
| il only guileless, devoted friendship Tor
my friends bride and my own little
sister. l love You 70 truly that | can
| not help asking myself. VIII my dear
Eva be happy?' 1t is a foolish thought,
| thought, no doubt; but in me 1T IS not
strange. because L am always thinking
of those I love. You see, l have known
so much sorrow and suffering. Ana
when I see anyone I care for so truly
as / do for you-see her so fun OF con-
| fidence in life and of fair illusions. the
thought comes over me. terrible but ir-
| resistille: VIII she be happy? Is
there, indeed, any such thing as happl-
ness? Oh, | ought not to say such
things; [ only darken your outlook, anu
give you pesSimlstic notions; but some
times when / see YOU with Frank, my
heart is So FULL For / love rank. too.
[ owe SO much to him. and would so
gladly see him happy with some We
man-with someone-still. | can only
say. trust wholly in Frank. He loves
yon, though he is a little tickle, a little
capriciOus In his feelings: but he
adoreS YOU. The delicate shades of a
woman's nature are above his compre-
hension, perhaps. and he is apt to car
ry his ligh-heartedness a little too far
still. he means no harm. He is so
candid, SO honest: you know always
so exactly what he Is at. Aud so, Eva,
dear Eva, never let any misunder-
standing come between you-always
be open with each other: will you not,
my child? Oh, my poor Eva"
And he, too, sobbed low in his mys-
FERROUS anguish. which was not alto
gether a pretense, for he was really in
despair at the prospect before him.
She locked down on him in dismay,
greatly distressed by his words. from
which she inferred something which he
would not reveal: each word n drop or
subtle venom and the germ OF strange
doubts, which shot mp like poisonous
weeds.
Then there is nothing to tell?" she
said, once more. in a weary tone OF en-
treaty, clasping her hands.
"No, dear Eva, nothing at all. Only
I am worn out, you see quite an old
MAINLAND So / worry myself ONE
times about you two. When L am far
away-far from London-win you be
happy? Tell me. Eva, will you be
happy? Promise me, swear to me tina.
! you will"
She gently nodded in the affirmative,
with a sigh OF regret thar he must
leave London-rcgret for what he had
suggested. worst OF all for what he had
left unsaid: the mystery, the terror!
He. meanwhile. had risen: holding out
his hands to her, and shaking his heal.
as though over the follies Of man, he
said. with the most pathetic smile:
How silly you must think me. to tor
ment myself SO about nothing. l ought
not to have said 80 much; perhaps I
have saddeI "a you with it
Have IT,
No." she replied with a gentle
smile, shaking her head. NO, not
really"
He let himself drop into a chair,
signing deeply.
Alas! such is lifet" he murmuved.
with a fixed gaze full of sinister sig
~nifcance. She made no answer, her
heart was too full.
rem took his leave. Frank alone mad
been asked TO stay to dinner.
Have you forgiven me-" he asked,
very humbly. with his most insiauat-
ing and romantic air AS the last rays
OF daylight shed an ethereal glow en-
lis face.
"For what2" she said, but she was
silently weeping.
80 hd'AAS hioNAtoc'l w., tNtu lOI
Il ciruteI"
She nodded and rose, trembling, ex-
hausted and tOttering.
"Oh. yes: you gay me a great fright.
But YOU will o do so again, | beg"
Never he murnuured.
"He kissed her hand; n couteous car
ess he was accustomed to bestow, with
a touch OF foppery like an eighteenth.
century marquis; and he went away.
She was left alone. Standing there.
in the middle of the room, she closed
her eyes. and she felt as though a mist
had fallen and enwrapped her. And I'm
that mist she saw Moldelhoi and the
spectral ford cleaning between the
two ranges of protecting mountains,
and far away in the west those three
thin bars of gold. And suddenly she
felt, as she had never felt before, so
~forlorn, so lonely, in that midst of the
cloud, without even a thought OF Sir
Archibald and Frank. remembering
nothing but her i0ng-dead mother. A
weight pressed on her brain, like the
Icy palm of a giants hand; dusky
gloom closed in upon her, and suddenly
the living warmth within her was
- IL