The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-02-03

SO shall certainly refuse to take you
place"
''Then Floss will have to come her
by herself"
"What! all the way from Natal, NOR
than weeks journey through couD
try that she knows nothing about? W.
can not think of it,"
II suppose not, so you had better g
for her.
''Or you," said Ralph. 'You mus
see in common fairness that il is a
much your duty as mine. But it is O
no use quarreling about it. We mus
decide it like sensible men, and broth
ers."
"How?n
''The fairest thing seems to be to tos
up which goes"
Toms eyes frightened. After tn,
decided way in which, before Viol,
Gray's advent, he had declared his in
tention of meeting his sister at Natal
if she came, and spending a week ol
two there, he was afraid that Ralpl
might insist on his holding to his in
tention.
His face flushed as a sudden thought
came to him.
''Let us decide it by throw of tn,
dice. Clayton gave me set to-day
he said.
Anything, so long as it is mattel
of chance" said Ralph; and still red
his brother felt in his pocket for the
cubes which were to decide which oi
the two was to have the field to him
self in trying to change Viola Gray's
liking into love.
"Do you want to throw at once?''
"Why not? The one who has to 90
will have to start as soon as it is light.
If am unlucky l shall turn in as soon
as have had my supper. Hand me
the dice"
"You will decide it on a single
throw ?"
"All right"
Ralph shook them up in his hand as
he spoke and threw them on the table,
bending over it anxiously to see the re-
suit. His face had turned pale again
under its bronze as he thought how
much depended upon the result.
He breath ed sigh of relief when he
looked at the dice. He had thrown
fifteen. 1t was scarcely likely that his
brother could be more successful.
Toms face had grown whittier than
his when he took up the dice, and tried
his luck.
Eighteen" he said sharply, and
there was no exultation in his voice, al
though he had won. Eighteen. You
will have to go, Ralph"
81 suppose So" said Ralph. huskily.
''Well! goodnight. / shall turn in
now, and start before you are up"
Aren't you going to have supper"
"No, thanks, i am not hungry.
He turned into the small white-wash-
ed room at the back of the building
where he slept, feeling that the dream
Of his life was ended.
At the very shortest, the journey to
Natal would occupy him ten days: ten
days in which his brother would seize
every opportunity Of seeing the woman
he loved and making her care for him.
His brother rose later, in the best of
spirits, and as Ralph had expected,
started rs soon As he had breakfasted
and walked round the farm, to ride to
he Marsden's.
a lady's figure had appeared on the
pretty veranda, and was coming to
meet him, and Tom Vincent's face
frightened at the sight.
The brightness disappeared as the
igure came nearer, and he saw that it
vas only Mrs. Marsden; but Viola
,ould not be far away, and he had no
.ival now.
"Here / am again." he said. "Ralph
las gone to Natal, and left me all alone.
thought you would take pity on my
She smiled welcome.
"We are always glad to see you; it is
luller for us now that Viola has left
Is"
"Miss Gray gone?' he said, staring
It her.
Mrs. Marsden nodded.
"Of course you have not heard. The
nail last night brought letter from
Ter brother in Natal. He is ill, poor
elbow, and she wanted to start at once
o nurse him. George was going to
axe her as far as Ochefsdroom, but
luckily they met Ralph at Gayler's
Drift, and George put her in his charge.
t was lucky for us that your brother
vas going to Natal, wasn't it? George
3 just back"
She ran on chatting without noticing
he change that had come into the
'oung mans expression as he rode
lowly by her side to the house. But
he noticed that he was unusually
ilent.
He scarcely spoke until they had
cached the house, and she ran indoors
While he was attending to his horse.
Tom waited until she was out ofsight
md then taking the three loaded dice
which Mr. Marsden's overseer had
,iven him as curiosity on the pre-
'ious day. from his pocket, he threw
hem down aud ground them under
lis heel.
"This is all you have done for me-"
le said, and ground them again, as he
hought ofthe journey that Viola and
Ralph would have together. He knew
o well what the end would be.