Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-08-26

We'll, I've been pretty quick, haven't
L: But 1 am veXed he was out. He had
gone down to some place down the Great
Northern line, and won't be home till to-
morrow evening""
Dorothy uttered :, faint cry and sank
into IL chair.
Don't take on SO. my dear! 1 just got
his address and sent on your note"
"Ihank Won. Nurse. but he will not get
it till midday in the country. must
telegraph the first thing in the morning.
That is all l can do"
IL suppose so! Write the telegram then.
Miss Dorothy. I'll see it goes as soon rs
the office is open. Hasn't Collins come
hack.'
Dorothy shook her head.
"Dcar. dear. that's bad"
"Ycs. very bad, l fear"
I'll go down and watch for him, and
send Peggy up. It's time she went to
bed"
II think l will go and wait for him in
the drawing room," said Dorothy, faint
ly. II do hope he will come in before
Henrietta"
This seemed a little strange to Nurse,
but she made no remark upon it.
Dorothy went to get IL telegraph form.
ana wrote an entreaty to Standish to re-
turn at once.
Don't go to bed till I COM and tell YOU
what news Collins brings" she said To
Mrs. Ntzhugh,.
You may be sure I will not"
Then she went away to wait" again.
inns lme she was not long left alone
u little before eleven Miss Oakeley re-
turned.
Why, where in the world is Collins? ?"
were her first words, "and, Dorothy. what
is the matter with you? You look ghast-
ly!."
Dorothy W. the same explanation she
had offered to Nurse.
What n dreadful business! My dear
child. he is as likely to throw himself
into the river as to go to his hotel! What
i'll the world did you say to him to drive
him into such IL state?"
"Oh. it was talking and thinking Of the
past that upset him. Henrietta, you ter
rify me-"
II am afraid you were not very pru-
dent, but don't tremble so. I did not
mean to frighten you. You had better go
to bed, You poor little SOUL"
"Ah, no, Henrietta, not till I see Col
lins."
Il will go and put on my dressing gown
Il wonder when that man will come
back"
Dorothy sat with her head on her hand.
her lips moving III silent prayer: she had
! stirred and risen up to seek Heurietta,
unable to endure the solitude, when, to
her relief. Collins presented himself.
A glance at his face showed her that he
had no evil tidings.
1--WE had IL rare hunt, Miss Dorothy"
were HIS first words. when I got out
of the door,.
'tOh, good gracious, Collins, is he safe?"
cried Miss Oakeley, coming in as he
/, spoke.
"Yes'm. he's all right. 1 was a-sayin',
us l got out of the door I felt l was too
late. l couldn't see II sign of him. May
be he's gone to Kensington Gardens,
thinks I, so I went there rs fast as my
legs could carry me, but as l saw moth
ing on the way Il bit like him, 1 thought
there'd he no end Of looking for him UNI
der those dark trees. so l returned the
other way towards town and got to the
hotel. No sign OF him! So l went back
and up and down, and to and fro, all to no
gool. At last l went to the hotel once
more. and there he was all right, just
come in, and the waiter was going to take
him a brandy I made bold
to go up, and ask if he had any commands
for me tomorrow. He was lying back,
dead beat like, in his chair, and us the
man picked up his boots to take them
away, l saw there was some mould and
grass sticking to the so!es. He didn't
take much notice Of me, but presently he
rose up and bid me give him his dressing
gown. and ns l helped him off with his
coat l saw that the back and one side
was all marked with grass and mould. as
if he had lain on the ground, yet he didn't
look as if he had had n fit"
IA fit! What IL notion, Collins!" cried
Miss Oakeley. did he say he would 90
to bei?"
HE didn't say nothing, ma'am; except
when I asked, he said l might come
round in the morning. and I'm going early
and. IL you please. l met Mr.. Dillon
coming out. and he had been down al
FOrdsea. He heard something as took
him there, and he saw the colonel once
or twice. He says. miss. as the colonel
would kill himself if he were let go OH
the way he did. Hc used to go ont bath.
ing in this sharp. cold weather!-out in q
boat. so far as l can make out, with the
odd boatman rs used to row Mrs. Nc.
Hugh and the children last
sometimes lie Went with him and some.
times without; but he was always saying
it was hot, and how it set him up to have
a dip"
will he ever Ike himself againy' asked
Dorothy, with a deep sigh.
"Yes! 1 think he WILL" returned Hen
rietta %thoughtfully. MEN always rccov.
or. Now that we know he is safe, let IL.
so to bed; l nm most dreudfuily tired
. How l wish Paul Standish was no
away"
$50 do l. In fact, he must come back
I shall telegraph for him the first thin,
tomorrow morning." said Dorothy de
cidedly.
; II am sure You are right. I shall be 8.
: glad to see him."
But Hearietta!" began Dorothy hest
: tatingly, and nerving herself to secure
~tete-a-tete with Standish, which she fcl