The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-10-13

| Ton, Twill w lHc Cilllu SOou, ana she
shall CO." he said, as he rose to take
his leave.
But the lady called him back
Mr. Lorraine" she said, send Mar
| jorie up to me to say good bye" and
! having again promised to obey her, Mr.
| Lorraine retired.
When he reached home he was rather
| relieved to find that his foster child was
| out; when she returned, he was busily
! engaged with Solomon, and IL was not
| indeed until after evening prayers that
| the two found themselves alone. Then
| Mr.. Lorraine informed Marjorie that
| she was TO go to her sisters house in
Edinburgh for time. The young girl
was reluctant to leave her home, but
| did not dream of disobeying any wish
| of her foster-father.
By early the next afternoon all was
| done, and as Marjorie was to start ear
! ly on the morrow, she, in obedience TO
Mr.. Lorraine's wish, put on her bonnet
and went up to the Castle to wish Miss
! Hetherington goodbye.
| She had heard from Mr. Lorraine
| that the lady was indisposed, but he
had not spoken of the malady as ser-
Gus, and she was therefore utterly I'M
prepared for what she saw.
She was admitted by Mysie, conduct
ed along the dreary passage, and led at
once toward Miss Hetherington's bed
| room.
She's waitin' on ye." said Mysie
she's been waitin on We all day"
Marjorie stepped into the room,
looked around, and theen shrank fear
| fully back toward the door. Could this
be Miss Hetherington-this little shriy-
eled old woman, with the dim eyes
| and thin silvery hair? She glanced
keenly at Marjorie; then. seeing the
girl shrink away, she held forth her
hand and said:
Come ava ben, Marjorie my bair-
| ME; come ben
"You-you are not well, Miss Heth-
erington," said Marjorie. Il am so
sorry"
| She came forward and stretched forth
| her hand. Miss Hetherington took it,
| held it, and gazed up into the girls
| face.
I'm no just myself. Marjorie" she
said, but whites the best of us come to
this pass. Did We think | was immOr-
| tai. Marjorie Amman, and that the pal
| sled finger o death couldn't be pointed
at me as weel as at another"
"Of death?" said Marjorie, instinc-
| lively withdrawing her hand from the
old lady's tremulous grasp. "Oh, Miss
Hetherington, you surely will not
| die.''
"Wha can tell? Surely / shall die
when my time comes. and wha will
| there be to shed a tear?"
For a time there was silence; then
Miss Hetherington spoke:
What more have you got to say to
me, Marjorie AMMAN
The girl started as if from dream.
and rose hurriedly from her seat.
Nothing more" she said. Mr.. Lor-
raine thought | had better come and
wish you goodbye. am going away"
"Mr. Lorraine,-you didna wish it
yerser?"
Yes, II wished it.
"Aweel, goodbye
She held forth her trembling hands
again, and Marjorie placed her warm
fingers between them.
| Good bye, Miss Hetherington.
She withdrew her hand and turned
away, feeling that the goodbye had
been spoken, and that her presence was
no longer desired by the proud mistress
of Annandale. She had got half way
to the door when her steps were arrest
! ed-a voice called her back.
Marjorie, Marjorie AMMAN"
She turned, started, then running
back, fell on her knees beside Miss
Hetherington's chair. For the first
time in her life Marjorie saw her cry
| ing.
Dear Miss Hetherington, what is
| it," she said.
Its the old tale, the old tale" re-
piled the lady. drying her eyes. Wont
you kiss me, Marjorie, and say only
once that you're sorry to leave me sick
ening here?"
az am very sorry" said Marjorie;
| then she timidly bent forward and
| touched the lady's cheek with her
| lips.
Curiously enough. after having soil
cited the embrace, Miss Hetherington
shrank away.
cold and loveless," she murmured.
But, Marjorie, my BARN, I'm no blam-
ing we for the sins of your forefathers.
Goodbye lassie. goodbye"