The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-11-11
CHAPTER II.

Already VIZ have reached the afternoon.
In these warm June days, when all the
earth is dangerous ana glad with its own
beauty, time slips frS:; s.ss .a.aasnaaa
and che minutes from morn to eventidc, and
from the gioanlii.s To nightfall, met into
one another, until all seem but one sweet,
heightened hour.
Certain stray little sunbeams. half wild
with glee, gushing hitler and thither through
the roses. discover Miss Penelope Blake sit
ting in the drawing-room at Moyne. She is
Gressed,in hcr very best lavender silk, that
would stand alone. and be glad TO do it if it
was let, but anahaslied by her sple:idor
Apollo's saucy babies dance down upon her.
and, seizins OF her kpittinglseedlcs, play
h~ide-aad-seek among them. until the poor
lady's eyes are fairly dazzled.
Fortunately. at this instant Miss Priscilla,
entering the room, draws down the Blind
ana restores order. a..eI ...nN1 ~ ,->,,,s
herself almost directly opposite ler sister.
The Misses Blake are not pretty old ladies'
at all. don't want to deceive O in this
matter. They are, in fact. quite ugly old
ladies. Their noses are all wrong, their
chtu9s are as.wrinklcd as T%i,nothy's fore
head, and their mouths are cut of all draw
ing.
Miss Piiscilla's eyes are brown,-a deep
startling Crown, tina. seem to look you
through and through and compel the truth.
Her hair Is brown, too, and soft, and silky,
and pretty, though tiIieisiy sprinkied with
gray. She has u great deal of this hair, and
is secretly very proud of it.
Miss Penc1ope's eyes are pale blue.-with
very little blue.-and but for her long lsshes
(sole remnants of g~ootliier days. would be
oppressive. Her hair IS pale, too, and sandy,
and is braided back from her forehead in
severe lines.
s.All is ready now. says Miss Priscilla,
who is the Martha at Aiovne, while W. may
regard Miss Penelope as the Mary. "Tle
rool.s arc prepared, nothing %iswant;ng, and
HE flowers smell 50 sweet. | have sent the
carnage TO meet them, though l know the
train cannot be here for quite an hour yet;
but l think ii wise alwaysto be in time"
''Tllere is nothing like it, says Miss Fene
lope, plncidiy.
Now l shall rest here with you a little
While" goes on The elder maiden, compiac-
entity, and think of all that is likely to hap.
pen"
Really" says Miss Penelope. lowering
her work and glancing rcstlessly at her sis
ter, 4 feel more nervous than 1 can say,
when think of their coming. What on
earth should we do, my dear Priscilla, if
they took a dislike to us?"
II have thought of that myself" says
Miss Priscilla, in an awestruck tone. 'We
are not attractive, Penelope; beyond a few
"A gerH few-insigniticant touches" with
an inward glance ut her fine hair, '1we are
absolutely outside tile pale of beauty. /
wonderful Monica will be like her mother;
or if
Here something happens that puts n final
stop TO all conversation. The door, is opened,
quickly, impetuousIy: there is q sound as of
many footstepson the threshold without.
The old ladies' start in .lieir seats, and sit
upright, trembling excessively. What can
have happened: Has the sedate Ryan come
TO lpgseilleads with Mrs. Reilly the cook?9
"a state OF things often threatcned); and
are they now standing IN the mai outside
meditating further bioodshed?
a moment surcharged with thrilling sus-
pense goes by, and then, mot Ryan or the
cook, but a much more perpIexing vision
comes slowly into the room.
1t Is a very radiant vision, though it is
clothed !. mourning garments, full of grace
and bea.Hy. Very shy, with pa.ted lips,
and brilliant, frightened eyes, but perfect
as an opening flower.
Is it a child or a woman? is the first Ques-
tipH tudl SIIhtS MISS GILLESPIE. AS1Of MISS
Priscilla, she is too surprised for thought of
any kind, too lost in admiration of the little,
gracious, uncertain figure, with its deep blue
eyes giancing up at her with a half-territied
yet trusting expression, to give away to
speech of any kind.
Shells eight, and slim as a hazel wand.
Her hair is nnt-brown, with a red gold tinge
running through it. Her nose is adorable,
If slightly tilted; her mouth is a red, red
rose, sad but sweet, and full ct purpose.
Her eyes arelarge and expressive, but touch
ed, like her lips, with a suspicion of melan-
ciloly that rnnders them auly a degree more
sweet and earnest
There Is q spirituality about lor, a calm,
q peace that shines out of these dark Irish
eyes, and rests upon her perfect lips, Ms It
We're n lingering breath OF the heaven from
whence she came
She stands nov, hcsitating ia little, Will,
her hands loosely claspsd-brown little