The Red Cloud chief., 1898-11-18
CHAPTER VI,

stayed On In Donegal. aud durlnS
fourteen golden days caricatured the
royal walls Of the Atlantic while
Helen sat at my feet and did the hon
ors Of her native soil. her brown hands
dy Grifin's tattered fish nets, bleach
Ing for miles along the parchcd turf
that covered the brow OF the cliff.
We'll, yes. II Is n bit OF q Job. sir"
she admitted deprecatlngly; but, sure,
II ] did not do II for him, who would?
His sons arc away at sea, and Milly,
his wife-she was my nurse when |
was a baby-has gone to sec hor
daughter ut DroOmleague; and he's
so old and blind--the creature! Who
wouldn't give him q hand?"
She netted busily, while I daubed
this impulsive child OF nature, to
whom all the artificial beauties and
wonders OF the great world beyond
that lonely wall OF rock were as I'M
known as to an inhabitant OF the Chr
ibbean islands In the last century.
IL bdptih'N p'eoh ~ hloW tBpb
me; / felt a daily Increasing interest
in watching her dark face glowing
and Frightening, her strange eyes
sparkling. ~distendlng with wonder.
horror or delight In obedience to my
sybaritic fancy. Then, becoming
more interested in my companion.
telegraphed up to town for specimens
OF magical modern art, then for books,
pictures, photographs, dollhouse flow
ers, bon-bons. all OF which she be-
lieved I daily unearthed from my In
cxhaustible pOrtmanteau ut Muir.
phys farm. ! stayed on, needless Of
ought beyond the fact that I was
clearly giving pleasure-to q savage
interesting waif, who seemed no
to be worth any ones while to lool
after, much less amuse. and Mt the
same time improving my own despair
ing condition, for the air of Donega
was certainly healing my wounds,
heart. Day after day tho hauntiu,
image OF my fair false love becam'
fainter and less painful to my sight
l was gleefnlly looking forward to tn,
time when / could cast her from m
altogether and return free and Who'll
in heart TO the ancestral acres, whel
one morning a letter from a friend a
Colworth, which commented casual
on the apparently successful inning
Lord Sandmouth's son was maxim
with the beiress." awoke my slumbeI
ing love and Jealousy to life again.
Helen nj once noticed my woe-b,
gone appearance, and. accepting pit
fully. my explanation OF q "beastl
headache" begged me to lay asid
my work and lie down quietly In tn
shade. ] complied; but, soon trim
Of inaction. began to read first /,
myself and then aloud a rhymetic tai
OF love, despair. and death told i
a master-hand. The sea-stalned ne,
soon dropped from Helen's finger
the color dyed her clear cheek. hs
eyes fl'ed, then dropped, and l ms
the selfish satisfaction OF reducln
!, her 10 the same dismal. unhappy stat
|, as myself.
Neither OF us rallied again; AM
when We parted that night, / stood q
the hill c~arelessly watching her T,
treating figure. and saw her dog
a painfully sensitive little terrier; III
only living thing she loved--appsi
emily begging TO be told tho caus
OF her unusual preoccupation. crouct
ing. ~wriggling at her feet. jumpin
up against her. challenging her attei
! ton by every art Of dog, but In vail
She walked along with downcast hea'
her arms dropping by her sides.
was moving after her unconsciousl.
to say, TO do. for the life OF me I dl
not know what. Perhaps to tell he
. net TO mourn over imaginary woe
but to keep her real signs or re-
sorrow. for the pain perhaps OF Low
betrayed - wantonly betrayed - lk
mine. when a yellow hand clutchs
! my shoulder, and q coarse voioo o.
} claimed breatblessly--
stop. ye thief o. the w~urrid-stoD
What are ye after-ehf"
turned ~ndioDankiv arA s~a.-