The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-06-05
XIII.

IGN pIONSu ~ SCuClAllS otIldtlitS w liV
guests at the hotel that the grounds were al
most deserted.
AS the sun declined on a lovely summer
about the fower-beds or resting under the
rees began to return to the house in dread
OF the dew. Catherine and her child, with
the nursemaid in attendance, were.left alone
in the garden. Kitty found her mother, as
she openly declared, mot such good com
pany as usual" Since the day when her
grandmother had said the fatal words which
checked all further allusion to her father the
child had shown a disposition to complain if
she was not constantly amused. She com
planned of Mrs. Presty now.
II think grandnamma might have taken
me to the Crystal palace" she said.
MY dear, your grandmamma has friends
with hcf-ladies and gentlemen who don't
care to be troubled with a child"
Kitty received this information in a very
unamiable spirit 81 hate ladies and gentle
IL % she said.
Even Capt. Bennydeck?" her mother ask
ed
mo; 1 like my nice captain. And / like
the walters. They would take me to the
Crystal palace-only they're always busy. l
wish 1t was bedtime; l don't know what to
do with myself"
Take a little walk with Susan"
"Where shall l go?'
Catherine looked toward the gate which
opened Oh the road, and proposed q visit to
the old man who kept the lodge.
Kitty shook her head. There was an OBJ
lection to the old man. "He asks questions;
he van to know how l get on with my
sums. He's proud of his summing, and he
finds me ont when Pm wrong. ! don't like
the lodge-keeper."
Catherine looked the other way toward the
house. The pleasant fall of water in the
basin of the distant fountain was just audi.
BILE. Go and feed the goldtishes," she sug-
gested.
This was a prospect of amusement which
at once raised Kitty's spirits. That's the
| thingl" she cried, and ran Off to the fountain
with the nursemaid after her.
Catherine seated herself under the trees,
and watched in solitude the decline of the
sun in a cloudless sky. The memory of the
happy years of her marriage had never been
SO sadly and persistently present to her mind
rs at this time, when the choice of another
married life waited her decision to become
al accomplished fact. Remembranccs OF
the past, which she had such bitter reason to
regret, and forebodings of the future, in
which she was more than half inclined to be.
lieve, oppressed her at one and the same mo.
ment. She thought of the different circum.
stances, SO widely separated by time, under
which Herbert years ago. and Bennvdeck
Uwenty-tour hours since) had each owned
his:lovea and pleaded for an MISUNDERSTANDING.
Her mind contlasted the dissimilar results.
Pressed by the faithless man who had SC
cruelty wronged her in after years, she only
wondered why lie had waited so long before
he asked her to marry him. Addressed with
equal artor by that other man, whose age,
whose character, whose modest devotion Of
fered her every assurance of happiness thai
q woman could desire, she had struggled
against herself, and had begged him to give
her a day to consider. That day was nov
drawing to an end. AS she watched the set
ting sun the phantom of her guilty husband
darkened the heavenly light; embittered the
distrust of herself which made her afraid to
say yes, and left her helpless before the hest
tation which prevented her from saying no.
The figure of a man appeared Oh the lone
ly path that led to the lodge gate.
lmpulsively she rose from her seat as he
advanced. lmpulsively she sat down again.
After that first act Of INDIGESTION the lutter
of her spirits abated; she was able to think.
To avoid him, after he had spared her at
her request, would have been an act OF
ingratitude; to receive him was to place her.
self once more in the false position of q wo,
man too undecided to know her own mind.
Forced to choose between these alternatives
her true regard for Bennydeck forbade hel
to think of herself, and encouraged her te
wait for him. AS he came nearer she saw
anxiety in his face, and observed an opel
letter in his hand. He smiled as he ap
preached her, and asked leave to take a chail
at her side. AT the same time, when he per
ceived that she had noticed his letter, he pu1
II away hurriedly in his pocket.
II hope nothing has happened to annoy
you," she said.
thinking Of his letter. at is only n report,
he added, 'froln my second in command
whom l have left in charge of my home. HI
is an excellent man, but / am afraiu his TEN
per is not proof against the ingratitude which
we sometimes meet with. He doesn't We
make allowances for what even the best nat
ures suffer under the deteriorating influenc
Of self-dlstrust and despair. No; / am no
anxious about the result of this case. l fol
get all my anxieties except one) when l ar
with you"
His eyes told her that he was about to re
turn to the one subject that she dreaded. Sh
tried-as women will try, in the little emel
gencies OF their lives-to gain time.
II am interested about your hOme," Sill
said; 81 want to know what sort OF place
IS. Is the discipline very severe!"
"There is no discipline" he answered
warmly. "MTy one object is to be a frien'
to my friendless felIow-creatures and m
one way of governing them is to follow til
teaching of the sermon OH the mount. Wha1
ever else l may remind them of when the
come to me, l am determined not to remin
them of a prison. For this reason, though
pity the hardened wanderers OF the street.
L don't open my duot, to them. Many a re,
uge, In which discipline is inevitable, Is ope
to these poor sinners already. Ny WELDON
is offered to pentients and sufferers of al
other kind-who have fallen from position
in life in which the sense of honor has bee
cultivated; whose despair is associated wit
remembrances which 1 ma. so encourag,
with the new testament to help me, as
lead them back to the religious influences III
der which their purer and happier lives ma
have been passed. Here and there l me,
with disappoIntments, but l persist in m
system OF trusting them as freely us If the
were my own children, and, for the mo
part. they justify my confidence in tber
On the day-if 1t ever ~comes-.when1 fin
discipline necessary shall suffer my disa
pointment and close my DOORS"
us your house open,'' Catherine aske
ITO men ana Wolnen alike?n
He was eager to speak with her on a SUI
ject more interesting to him even than h
home. Answering her question in this fran
of mind his thoughts wandered; he Dire
lines absently with his walking-stie on Il
, sOft earth under the trees.
1.-THE means at my disposal" he said, "a