The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-03-26
(;IIAP'rER XII.

49, at.rfEa Vial u 4 .E
SIR OSWALD THINKS OF MARRIAGE.
Fortune favored Lady Hampton. Sir Os-
valid was SO delighted with his visitors that
he insisted upon their remaining for lunch
con.
1.-THE young ladies will have time to be-
come friends" he said; but it was as well
that he did not see how contemptunusly Pau
line turned away at tile words. Pauline"
he continued, Miss Rocllefolu will like to
see the grounds. This is l,er first visit to
Darrell Court. Show her the fountains and
the flowcr-gardens."
Elinor looked up with a we'll assumed ex-
preston of rapture; Pauline's look of annoy
ance indicated that she obeyed greatly
against her will.
Sir Oswald saw the captain looking visit
fully after the two girlish figures.
Co" he said, with q courtly smile.
"Young people like to be together. l will
entertain Lady Hampton."
Greatly relieved, the captain followed. He
was so deeply and so desperately III love that
he could not endure to STE Pauline Darrell
talking even to the girl by her side. lie
would fam have cngrosscd every word. every
glance Of hers himself; he was madly jcal-
Gus when such were bestowed upon others.
The three walked down the broad cedar
path together, the captain all gallant attcn-
ton, Miss Rocheforl all sweetness, Pauline
naughty as a young barbaric queen bound
by a conqueror's chains. She did not like
her companions, and did not make even q
feint OF being civil to them.
Meanwhile the opportunity so longcd for
by Lady Hampton had arrived; and the lady
seized it with alacrily. She turned to Sir
Oswald witt, q smile.
"Yon amnse me-" she said, 'by giving
yourself such an air of age. Why do you
consider yourself so old, Sir Oswald2 1t it
We're not that / feared to flatter you, | should
that there were few young men to COM
pare with you."
"My dear Lady Hampton" returned tho
baronet, in q voice that was not without
patllos, "lo0k at this"
He placed his thin white hand upon his
white hair. Lady Hampton laughed again.
what does tina: matter! Why, many mel
are gray even In their youth. lhave always
wondered why YOU seek to appear so old, Sir
Oswald. / feel sure, judging from many i'll
dications, that you cannot be sixty"
mo; but l am over tfty-and my idea is
that, at fifty, one is really old"
Nothing of the kindw she said with great
energy. 'Somc of the finest men / have
known were only in the prime of life then.
If you were seventy, you might think of
speaking as YOU do. Sir Oswald" she ask
ed, abruptly, looking kecnly at his face,
why have you never malTied|
He smiled, but a flush darkcncd the fine
old face.
II was in love once,'' he replied, simply,
''and only once. The lady was young and
fair. She loved INC in return. But a few
weeks before our marriage she was suddenly
taken III and died. ! have never even thought
of replacing hor."
"'Elow sad! What sort of a lady was she,
Sir Oswald-this fair young love of yours%?'
"Stnnge to say, in face, figure, and man.
ncr she somewhat resemblcd your lovely
young niece, Lady Hampton. She had the
same quiet, graceful manner, the same pol.
islied grace--so different from"
From Miss DARRELL" supplied the lady,
promptly. .'I1ow that unfortunate girl must
jar upon you'll"
"She does; but there are times when Ihave
hopes of her. We are talking like old friends
now, Lady Hampton. / may tell you that l
think there is one and only one thing that
can redeem my niece, and that is love. Love
works wonders sometimes, and l have hopes
that it may do so in her case. A grand mas
ter-passion such as controls the Darrells
when they love at all-that would redeem
her. 1t would soften that fierce pride and
hauteur, It would bring her to the ordinary
level OF womanhood; 1t would cure her Of
many OF the fantastic ideas that seem to have
taken possession of her; 1t would make her
what she certainly Is not nova gentlewo-
man,"
do You think SOP" queried Lady Hamp-
ton, doubtfully.
II am sure of 1t. When | look at that
grand face of hers, often SO defiant, l think
to myself that she may be redeemed by love-"
"4And II this grand lnaster-passion does not
come to hcr-if she cares for some ono only
after the ordinary fashion OF womcn-what
theny:'
He threw up his hand with q gesture indi-
cative OF despair.
Or" continued Lady lIampton-"pray
pardon me for suggesting such a thing, Sir
Oswald, but people Of the world, like you
and myself, know what odd things arc likely
at any time to happen-supposlng that sire
should marry some commonplace lover, after
a commonplace fashion, and that then the
master passion should find her out, what
would DO the fate of Darrell CourtY9'
II cannot tell" replied Sir Oswald, dc.
spalringly.
with a person, especially a young girl, of
her self-willed, original, independent nature,
one is never safe. How thankful nm that
my niece is so sweet and so w%omanlyW
Sir Oswald sat for some little time In ST.
lava, - H. to,tra1 49, tl,(n IS 4, Js, IS -, o.,c %,, l
home of his, with its noble woods and mag
nifccnt gardens. What indeed would be-
come OF it II 1t fell Into the ill-disclplined
hands OF an ill-dlscipllned g%irl-unless, In.
deed, she were subject to the control OF o
wise husbandP
Would Pauline ever submit to such con-
troll? Her pale, grand face rose before him,
the naughty lips, tho proud, cain eycs-thc
man who mastered her, who brought ller
mind into subsection, would indeed be a SUI
perior being. For the first time a doubt cross
ed Sir Oswald's mind as to whether she
would ever recognize the superior being in
Captain Langton. Ho knew that there were
depths in the girls nature beyond his own
reach: 1t was not all pride, all defiance
there were genius, poetry, originality. grand.
eur of intellect, and greatness of heart before
which the baronet knew that he stood In
hopeless, helpless awe.
Lady Hampton laid her llund on his arm.
"Do not despond, old fricnd,p she said. u
understand you. 1 should feel like you.
should dread to leave the Inheritance Of my
fathers in such dangerous hands. But, Sir
Oswald, why dcsponda Why not marryr,
The baronet started.
"MarryW he repeated. ",Yhy, l have new.
er thought of such a tlling.p
"Think of 1t now,n counscled the lady,
laughingly lyon will find the advice mos,
excellent Instead of tormcnting yourself
about an ill-conditioncd girl, who delights in
defying You, you can have nj, amiable, &c
compiishcd, elegant, and gentle wife to rule
your household and attend to your comfort
you might have a son OF your own to succeed
you, and Darrell Court might yet remain In
the hands of the Darrells."
But my dear Lady Hampton. where
should l find such a wife? / am no longer
youne-who would marry meir'