The Red Cloud chief., 1898-11-25
eyes were cleaning. her cheeks burn

ing.
you heard her. you saw herf" she
cried bitterly. "She was so glad to
get rid Of me. she could not bear tho
idea of looking upon me again-sho,
my mothers mother. with whom I
have lived all my life. What 10 there
in me, I wonder, that makes me such
an unbearable burden to every onef
when l had the fever years ago, she
she prayed that I might die. wish
I had--I wish I had. Now. they are
all relieved. overjoyed. that you-you
have been tricked into marrying mo
every one Of them. Blddy, Mike, even
Molly. who-who I thought cared o
little for me. oh. l."
"She does care for you" I broke IN
soothingly. And SO do !. Helen
you know that well. Why else should
| have married your"
II don't know--I don't know" sho
answered wildly. "You had some good
reason, I feel; and, though you fancy
you care n little for me now. It will
wear away. and you will long to get
rid of me like tho rest. l wish l.
had never met you. I wish I had
never been ~born-there's no one cares
for me In the world but little Jim and
no has no sense-my little Jim. whom
II am never to see again, though
you promised, Mr.. Dennys. that he and
I were never to be parted-you-did-
you know you did!'
"My dear, why did you not bring
him with you? You know l would
not have objected. Let us turn back
and get him at once"
I leaned out to tell tho driver to
turn, when I saw the poor little dog,
with his tongue hanging out, covered
with dust, ambling feebly after us.
l picked him up and laid him In his
mistress arms. and left them for q
time to whisper their grievances
to one another. Presently Helen
touched me gently, and l saw the
storm had gone out of her face. She
said wistfully-
I'm sorry I said what I did. Mr..
Dennys. Will you forgive me. please.
and-and try to be kind to poor little
Jim and me?" When I had made the
most suitable answer / could think of
she added: "When-when-you are
really tired of us you will let us
know, and we'll go away quietly and
never trouble you again."
We remained abroad for FIVE months.
for I was anxious to rub off the sur
face-coat of my wife's rusticity before
bringing her under the critical eyes
of my friends.
I must say tho undertaking was not
a painful or tedious n by any
means. Somehow the lace rufles and
bangles fitted her little brown wrists
more naturally than / imagined. She
learned quickly and aptly, and, much
to my surprise. showed an innate
c~apability Of discerning worth and
beauty In the higher branches OF art
which culture had failed to awaken
in me. In a picture gallery she would
instinctiyely go to the best picture.
stand ~entranced before from
which my eye and, indeed, the average
eye Of our fellow-travelers would
turn away in dull WEAKNESS.
She was very observant ana inteil-
gent, never required to be told a thing
twice, and In q very short time OF
welded intimacy learned to read the
meaning of every light and shade that
crossed my commonplace counte-
nance, the very thoughts Of my heart
in O manner that startled me Al
first, until I came to accept 1t as an
ordinary accomplishment. not without
It's advantages to one of my torpid
temperament. The thing I had been
longing lazily for I would find soma.
how ut my elbow as soon as she
entered the room, the words I would
wish said would drop naturally from
her lips. the people I liked would b
her friends at the end Of the week.
Ito be Continued.)