The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-11-12

a neutrality-suspicious., is it not? Are YOU
in mourning, childo"
"Yes.'
For u near and dear friend"
For the nearest and dearest friend one
can possess. | can't talk about it now-it
hurts
Forgive me, child, and let me have your
letter Of instructions soon. My train starts
at noon, and I have business III Cardiff.
Wait a moment, Miss Snow. Send the child
away. l wish to speak to you"
Dorothy rose and said:
ALLY, run into my room and bring down
a big bunch of holly-berries you will see on
the table. 1 want to make a holly-berry
basket"
The child ran away, and Mr.. Penfold put
his hands on Dorothy'S shoulders and said
earnestly:
Miss Snow, whatever YOU may have to
tell will make no difference. You may count
me your friend always. But that is not
what | want to tell YOU"
You know that when | brought you here
it was very late, or early, which YOU like to
call it, and only old Agnes and James wer'
sitting up for me-0ne to get me some sup
per, if l needed it, the other to put away my
horse. All the maids were fast asleep.
"Well, thinking you might not wish to be
followed, and knowing how gossip gets
ailoat, made Agnes and Jem promise to
keep silent about the manner in which YOU
came here, to avoid chatter.
1T is known amOng the servants that I
am looking for Il govcrnesS. Now, l wish
YOU to let me tell them YOU came here as
governess. Let them think | went to meet
YOU at Cardiff, and when the things YOU re-
Quire are sent from London, let them sup
pose that your luggage has arrived.
II will get Il tr~aveling-boX for you, and il
O will write Il liSl, it can come Jack full.
When we come TO an understanding, if you
decide to stop as Ally's teacher, all will be
plaik sailing.'
"How good you are to me, Mr.. Penfold!"
mot better than you deserve, | am sure,
Miss Snow. BY the look of trouble in your
eyes, it is time some one was good to you"
Mr.. PenfOld went into the hall and said
to the housemaiil:
'Jane, if Mis-, Shows luggage arrives
while she is from home, ask Mrs. Garth to
pay the carriage. Miss Snow did not know
l should meet her, or how she would man
age, so she left them to follow, and being
ChrStmas-time, | suppose they have been
delayed.'
The girl curtsied and went to tell the
house-keeper, Agnes Garth.
And Agnes smiled to herself and mutter-
ed:
"Oh, the power Of a pretty face! The
master would not be so cunning on her ac-
count if he did not admire her.
agnes" said Mr.. Penfold, appearing
suddenly before the old dame, 81 am oblig-
ed to 60 to r don on business. l shall be
back on N, Years Eve.
while An away, guard my child jea!-
Onsly. None know better than you do the
danger that besets her. If l were to lose
her | should go mad. would rather see
her in her coffin than in the power Of that
bad woman, her mother.
Are you sure the child did dream on
Christmas night. Are you sure the dream
if dream it were-had moi q ~SIbstance":
Old Agnes looked bothered, but answer
ed boldly:
''Of course it was only a dream, sir; don't
worry about it. III take care of the child
no one shall harm a hair of her head. Be-
sides, she has Miss Snow now, which makes
it impossible for anNOn to approach her
unknown. | watch her by day, Miss Snow
watches her by night.
"A child could not be better cared for,
bless her pretty face! l would be the Last
to wish her away; why, she is the sunshine
of the house.
'Mind you take plenty of wraps and your
flannel night-shirt; you should never sleep
in a strange bed without flannel, it prevents
damp. Shall put up some whisky and
sandwiches"
mo, | prefer to get out for what | want.
We wait ten minutes at Gloucester, YOU
know. Goodbye
He was buttoning his gloves as he spoke,
and Ally came running after him for a last
kiss. He lifted the child in his arms fond
ly, and said:
BE good, darling, and do what Miss
Snow wishes. will bring you home a big
picture-book.'
You dear papaw
you dear Ally he said as he gave her
hug and stood her down Oh the doormat.
The snow vas falling outside, and the
scenery seemed desola.a in the extreme.
From an upper window Do-tlly watched
him away with a strange hrariSirki"~ W.
he was to return soon, and she knew nj
carSe for fear.
When he had gone she called Ally, ant
they busted themselves over the Christina
tree, which was to be sent to the sick chill
dren at the intirmary, and Dorothy man
aged to tell a lot of pretty anecdotes of sicl
children she had seen.
The day passed pleasantly enough, AM
Ally was put to bed by Dorothy's own whit
hands. When she had said her prayers sh
asked Dorothy to put her head down besid
her till she was asleep.
Dorothy did so, and fell asleep herself, t
find, when she awoke, that she had a still
neck, and that the light had gone out, an
that there was someone besides herself an
Ally in the room.