The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-03-26
CHAPTER n.
EL1Non

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were great; the air was laden with perfume,
and tho birds were all singing as though they
knew that the sun would soon reappear.
One glance at her pupils face showed Miss
Hastings there was not much to be done in
the way Of study. Pauline wanted to watch
the mist rise from the hills and trees. She
wanted to see the sunbeams grow bright and
golden.
LET us read under the lime trees, Miss
Hastings" she said. and Captain Langton
smiled approval. For the time was come
wien lie followed her like her shadow;
when he could not exist out of her presence;
when his passionate love mastered linn, and
brought him, q very slave, 10 her feet; when
the hope OF winning her was dearer to hill
than life itself; when lie would have sacri.
feed even Darrell Court for the hope of call
ing her his wife.
Il she knew of his passion, she made no
sign; she never relaxed from her naughty,
careless indifference; she never tried in the
least to make herself agreeable to him.
Sir Oswald watched her with keen eyes,
anu iiiss Hastings trcmbled lc.s misfortune
should come upon the girl she was learning
to love so dearly. She saw and understood
that the baronct was slowly but surely maxi
ing up his mind; If Pauline married the cap
tain, he would make her his ~teircss; if not,
she would never inherit Darrell Court.
On this August morning they formed a
pretty group under the shadowy, graceful
lines. Miss Hastings held in her hands
some of the fine fancy work which delights
ladies; the captain recIined N a tigcr-skin
rug on the grass, looking very handsome,
for, whatever might be his faults of mind, he
was nj of the handsomest men in England.
Pauline, as usual, was beautiful, graceful,
and piquant, wearing a plain morning dress
of some gray material-a dress which on any
one elsewould have looked plain, but which
she had made picturesque and artistic by a
clash OF scarlet-and II polneglInate blossom
in her hair. Her lovely face looked more
than usually noble under the influence of
the words she was reading.
''rennyson again!' said the captain, as she
opened the book. ut is to be regretted that
the poet cannot sec you, Miss Darrell, and
know how highly you appreciate his works.
She never smiled nor blushed at his COM
piiments, as she had seen other girls do. She
had q fashion of fixing her bright eyes IN
him, and after one glance he generally was
overcome with confusion before his compli-
mcnt was ended.
Il should not imagine that anything I could
say would iattera poet, !" she replied thought
fully. "Intleed he is, l should say, as far
above blame as praise
Then, without noticing him further, she
went on reading. Captain Langton's eyes
never left her face; its pale, grand beauty
glowed and changed, the dark eyes grew RAJ
d;ant, the beautiful lips quivered with mo
ton. He thought to himself that a man
might lay down his life and every hope in it
to win CHI love as hers.
Suddenly sho heard the sound of voices,
and looking UP saw Sir Oswald cscorting two
ladies.
What a tircsome thinc!'' grumbled the
captain. 1--WE can never bc alone a single
hour"
II thought you enjoyed society so much!'
she said.
81 am beginning to care for no society on
earth but yours" lie whispered, his face
flushing, while she turned haughtily away.
you are proud" mur1nurcd the captain
to himself, you are as naughty as you are
beautiful; but l will win you yet"
Then Sir Oswald, with his visitors. adj
yanced. 1t was Pauline's aversion, Lady
Hampton, with her niece, Miss Roclleford.
Lady Hampton advanced in her usual
grave, artificial manner.
"SirO Oswald wanted to send for you, but I
said no. What can be more charming than
ouSu u SlOup ulhSl llO tlSGos 4 NIL 81 hIlA
ious to Introduce my niece to you, Miss OAR
rell-she arrived only yesterday. Elinor, let
me Introduce YOU to Miss Darrell, Miss Hast
ings, and Captain Langton."
P%auline's dark eyes glanced at the blush
ing, sweet face, and the shrinking, graceful
figure. Miss Hastings made her welcome;
and the captain, stroking his mustache,
thought himself in luck for knowing two
such pretty girls.
There could not have been a greater con-
trast than Pauline Darrell and ElinorR Roche
ford. Pauline was dark, proud, beautiful,
passionate, naughty, and willful, yet with a
poets soul and a grand inipd above all
worldliness, all meanness, all arttfce. Elinor
was timid, shrinking, graceful, lovely, with
q delicate, fairy-likc beauty, yet withal keen
ly alive to the main chance, and never for
getting her aunt's great maxlm-to make tho
best of everything for herself.
On this warm August morning Miss Roche.
ford wore a charming gossamer costume Of
lilac and white, with the daintiest of Partisan
hats on her golden head. Her gloves, shoes,
laces, parasol, were perfectlon-not a fold
was out Of place, not ribbon awry-con-
trasting most forcibly with the grand, pict-
uresque girl near her.
Lady Hampton seated herself, and Miss
Rocheford did the same. Sir Oswald sug-
gesting how very refreshing grapes and
peaches would be OIL so warm n morning,
Captain I,angton volunteered TO go and order
some. Lady Hampton watched him as lie
walked away.
what y magnificent man. Sir OSWALD
What a fine clever facel 1t is easy to SEQ
that he Is a military mamie Is SO upright,
SO easy there is nothing like a military train
ing for giving a man an easy, dignihed car
rage. 1 think | understood that he was the
son of a very old friend of yours2'
1.-THE son of TIE dearest friend l ever had
in the world" was the reply; 'and / love
him as though he were my own-indeed l
wish he were.o
Lady Hampton sighed and looked sympa-
thstlc.
tonc-"is he one of the Langtons of Orde?'
"No," replied Sir Oswald; my dear old
friend was of a good family, but not greatly
blessed by fortunc.n
1t was wonderful to see how Lady Hamp-
toms interest In the captain at once died out;
there was no more praise, no more admirar
ton for him. II she had discovered that he
was heir to IN earldom, how different II
would have been! Before long the captain
returned, and then a rustic table was spread
under the lime trees, with purple grapes,
peaches, crimson and gold apricots, and rld-
dy plums.
tits quite picturesque" Lady Hampton
declared. with asmile;,sand Elinor. dear child.
enjoys fruit 80 much.D
In spite of Lady Ilamnton's wish. there
did not appear to DO mucil cordially between
the two girls. Occasionally Eiinor would
look at the captain, who was not slow to re-
turn her glances with interest. His eyes
said plainly that he thought her very lovely.
Miss Rocheford was in every respect the
model OF a well brought up young lady. She
knew that the grand end and aimof her ex-
istence was to marry wcll-she never forgot
that. Sho was well-born, welI-bred, beautl-
full, accomplished, but without fortune.
From her earliest girlhood Lady Hampton
had impressed upon her the duty of marry
Ing money.
you have everything else, Elinor," she
was accustomed to say. You must marry