The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-06-10
BY CHARLOTTE NJ. BRAEME.

AS VA "a iNpiS INV '->
saw that his face had grow very pale
and that his lips trembled. She spoke
with passionate ear%ncstnesS: there
should be no mistake about the mat
ta:-he mast thoroughly understand.
"All this" he said, while l have
been sleeping here! Hildred, l will
see for myself what is the truth. l
will trust to no ones opinion-l will go
over to Bromhill. Will O ride over
with me?'
She looked at the broad golden beams
OF the Il n
not care to go out.
"Warm!' he repeated, almost wrath
fully. What matters a little heat
when SO much is at stake?'
Then he looked quickly at her.
IF it is too warm for you,' he said,
Il will go alone
She sprang to her feet with a glad
light in her eyes.
NO. she replied, lit is never too
warm for me. I love the sun. Let
me go with you, Lord C~araven.'
will o ride Or driver" he asked.
81 will ride" she replied, having
heard him say that morning hat he
would rather ride cen miles than drive
one.
He looked pleased.
II will see for myself he repeated.
d they think that l am so blind as
to be hoodwinked with false stories?"
mo, but they nave believed you too
indolent even to care whether the
stories were true or not said Hildred.
There was some little surprise even
amongst the servants at seeing the
What did it mean? We're better times
really coming?
Sir Raoul watched them start; and
he said to himself, as he looked after
them:
1.-The greatest gift of heaven to men
is surely the noble influence of a noble
woman"
The earl would see for himself-and
he did see. 1t seemed to him that he
must have been asleep for years.
Where were the smiles of welcome that
years ago used to greet him? Now
laborers passed him with a sullen face,
with a touch of the cap and a muttered
curse. He saw the Wretched tenements
where disease reigned triumphant-he
saw mothers whose children had died
for want of nourishing food-he saw
strong men whose just condemnation
eyes and closed lips. He saw that for
him there was no affection, little re-
spect; yet he was lord Of the soil-in
some fashion master Of the destinies of
these people.
He rode in silence-silence that his
young wife did not care to break. for
she saw that he was aroused at last.
They went to Bromhill, and there the
earl saw matters for himself. There
was little need for words to tell him
how the prestige Of the old name had
sunk. Those honest yeomen, the
Moores, whose forefathers had served
his ancestors SO CALAMITY and we'll,
AAuN IN oAAAAISo, Inv "S1to1A1C ~ I'LL ,
they were sturdily respectful, they said
1ittle-the old mar who had pleaded so
p~assionately to Hildred, least of all.
But the young, indolent, pleasure-lov-
ing earl shrank before the calm, stern
faces; he knew that he was in the
wrong.
Nevertheless. if they were stern and
cold in their reception of the earl, they
had a warm welcome for his beautiful
young wife. She had not ignored CEN
turtles of service; she had not broken
the bounds between master and SER
want; she had not left the best inter-
ests of their lives to Blantyre. They
crowded round her-even the little
children came to give her the flowers
they had gathered. and to look at the
pleasant shining face. There was 2.
court of inquiry held within the old
farm walls; the earl listened attentive
ly to the old man and his sons, then
he looked gravely at them.
you have done we'll to speak out
boldly" he said. II could as soon
imagine Ravensmere without a Cara
ven as Bromhill without a Moore. You
need not go to B]antyre again. I will
sign the lease-and it shall be done at
once"
He spoke only once on his way
home, and then it was to say to his
wife:
Z have done justice there; and if l
Il will do justice wherever it is