The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-01-20

~ before southern
window, where the
late October sun
poured in its gold, his head ly-
ing in her lap. her white fingers
hidden among his chestnut curls. He
looked up into her eyes, took her hand,
and pressed it slowly TO his lips.
II think, dear mother, that she is the
most beautiful being | ever saw. |
have seen the brunettes of Italy, the
fair-faced women of Circassia, the
languid Spaniards, with their eyes Of
fire, and the oriental seraphs of the
Turks harem, but none like Marina"
Something like a shadow fell over
the face of Mrs. Trenholme. He felt
the change in her voice, slight though
it was.
Yes" she said, Marina is beautiful.
1t were pity that she has no family
no name, even, save what we have
given her. Her parentage must ever. l
suppose, remain a secret. Indeed, my
son, | blush sometimes to think of it,
but perhaps she was the offspring of
shame. and thus abandoned You will
remember, perhaps, that no female
bodies were ever washed up from the
wreck of the vessel And it is not GUS
tomary for children like her TO be put
on shipboard without a woman's care"
An angry flush rose to Ralph's cheek.
He sprang up quickly.
Never. mother. you wrong her. l
would stake my life that Marina is
nobly born. We may never, in all
probability we never shall, know the
secret of her birth but if we do. mark
me, we shall find her fully our equal"'
Mrs. Trenholme smiled at his earnest
ness, as she replied:
To change the conversation, Imo-
gene Ireton is coming here tomorrow,
for a visit of indefinite length. | think
lmogene will surprise you. You have
not seen her since you left home,
Think"
Il have not, but have no doubt she
has developed wonderfully. Imogene
was always magnificent
Ehiu no" sIle lids no peer. L nave
never seen one who would compare with
her. But tomorrow you shall Judge for
yourself"
The conversation closed, and Ralph
thought no more of it, until Imogene
Ireton burst upon him. He was amazed.
He had expected to see a very beautiful
woman, but. instead, he touched the
hand OF princess. Three years olde.
than Marina, at nineteen she was fully
developed, with form that would have
driven sculptor mad with ambition
to rival IL. She was rather tall, with
that graceful. high-bred ease of man
ner that came to her so naturally. and
the voice that in her young girlhood had
been so sweet. was now breath OF
musical intoxication. Her complexion
was still rarely clear, the cheeks little
flushed, the mouth a line of scarlet, the
hair dark and lustrously splendid, and
the eyes,-such eyes are never seen
twice in the world at the same time.
Ralph gazed into their depths, with a
strange feeling of bewilderment. She
fascinated him powerfully, and yet he
felt sort of coldness creeping round
his heart-an almost incipient shudder
shook him. as her soft hand fell like a
snowflake into his.
In the daily intercourse which fol-
lowed, the feeling somewhat wore away.
and though Miss Ireton, at the end of
a fortnight, had not succeeded in cap
turing the heir of Trenholme. il must
be admitted that she had interested
him. Toward Lynde Graham, who was
at the Rock almost daily, she was cold
and reserved; she never forgot the dis
lance between Judge Ireton's heiress
and the son of poor fisherman. And
yet. despite her GOODNESS. which at
times was almost scorn, before she re-
turned home Lynde Graham had
learned to love her. He kept his UNI
fortunate secret to himself: he felt that
Il would cause him nothing but pain
and sorrow, should it escape him by
word or deed
The winter passed quietly. There was
an occasional pleasure party. but they
were by no means frequent. and it was
not until summer came that the real
round OF pleasuring. which was des-
tined TO break the calm of the Rock for
the season, began.
la