Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-04-07

II ANIL must" laughs the young gov.
erness mcrrily. II promised Mrs. Davies
10 get out the preserves for tca.'
Inc long school room Mt I.lewcllyn
House is later filled by n crowd of hun
CRY, merry girls, US Miss Merton takes
her place at the end Of the we'll spread
board.
"A pleasant-faccd, whitc-haircd old lady
nsesldes ut The head of the table; the Eng
llsh and French govcrnesscs sit one ON
each side of her: the junior govcrncss is
at the bottom, facing Mrs. Davies. 1t
is by no means an unattractive sight.
this bcvy of damscls of all ages and sizes;
and Mrs. Davies is apt to look compla-
Gently on the many happy faces around
that long table, and take credit to her
kind, womanly heart for the content and
unrcstraint which make their school life
so pleasant.
n lessons tonight, thank goodness"
calculates Rose Bcrtram. Miss Merton,
you'll stop in the school room and tell us
Il story, won't YOU"
Sorry to refuse such an inviting pros
pect. Rose" laughs the pretty governcss;
but 1 am going out this evening to the
rectory; so 1 can't accept it. There is to
he Il small party there tonight" she adds.
u am going to sing"
II wish l could go with you." uttcrs
Rose. in an intense whisper. mir. Eward
might have asked me-"
Suppose he has?" answers Miss Nor
ton. with IL merry glance.
Oh" eNclaims Rose, you cruel little
thing! And you've kept it n secret all this
timc.."
MY lear Miss Merton,'' interrupts the
voice of the principal at this juncturc,
"and YOU, my dear Rose, as you are both
TO go to the rcctory Mt eight o'clock, 1
tMnk YOU may as we'll retire. l dare say
You will require Il little time for YOUR
toilcttcs."
An hour later the two girls leave the
house. The rcctory is not far off; and
they soon reach the gate and so through
the old-fashioncd, understanding garden,
where the rain has made all moist. and
fresh and green.
1t is n very pleasant room into which
they are ushered, a room where the white
haired clcrgyman's face beams kindly well
come. Their hostess glides up, bringing
a suitable young man in tow, whom she
introduces to the girls as Sir Edward
l.lcwellyn, a near neighbor of theirs, who
owns Llcwcllyn Park. the next estate to
Iwyn Dyas, Rose Bcrtram's place of
abode.
The young mamie is five-and-thirty
at icast-has but little to say for himself.
lie is too occupied in staring Mt Yolande,
whom he thinks the loveliest being ever
robcd in feminine garb, and sent among
men as their destroyer. For she utterly
destroys him; sense, comfort, peace, all go
down like a pack OF cards before one care
less glance OF the exquisite eyes. one faint
quivcring smile of the perfect lips.
Yolande takes his arm and suffers him
to lead her to the piano. unknowing that
even the light touch of her little hand
sends thrills of curious pain md perplex-
ity TO this foolish fellows heart.
She sings that lovelicst of Gounod's
sonss-'Oh. that we two were maying.."
sings. just as she does most things, with
no apparent effort, with no music set be-
fore her, with her pretty fingers bringing
out the beautiful chords in exactly suita-
Die shades to her sweet, pathetic voice.
\ sudden sob breaks through the sad,
sweet voice, then it ceases, and the singer
starts to her feet, one hand clutching the
side of the instrument, the other pressed
to her heart as if to still its agonized
beats.
No IL notices her but Sir Edward
Llewcllyn. for the little crowd arc parting
and gathering around Il newcomcr-a man
who stands in the center of the room tow.
crins in stately height over those present;
n man with a sad. grave face, md heavy
lines about the brow and mouth; a man
whom the white, trembling girl gazing al
him now with such terrible ycarning az
ony, had thought laid at rest forever il
n %I,,A s,,,:oA ~~.t1s, 1.-r-As - -l..N n
had just II
No word, no cry does she utter; she
only stretches out her hand blindly to Sn
Edward. whose anxious gaze has taken ii
every vestige of the terror, amazemenr
and relief that havc swept in sudde1
changes over her expressive face. III,
takes it. md assists her to the neares
seat, placing his own broad. stalwar
seems to rock and sway before her dig,
eyes.
'You are ill-faint!" lie says eagerly
"Can I get you %anythingy"
:, "Thank you," she says simply. ID,
you think it is possible to get out from
here into the garden without all thes
people seeing usw
Nothing easier" he 9TH
conservatory is just behind.
For some moments no one observes he
!, departure, and then it is her hostess VIII,
notices it. Before she has time to in
quirc of Rose whittier her friend has gone
Sir Edward Llewellyn whispers quietly
, Miss Merton has n slight headache
and is resting in the conservatory. Pleas,
/, don't notice her absence for q few mo
Ments."
Then. ere she can recover from her sur
prise, the young man moves off, and Il
another instant is standing beside tn
new arrival.
Il am pleased to renew our acquaint
g ancc, Chartcris," he says. drawing hin
aside in a momcntary cessation Of tn
conversation in which he has been oblis
cd to share.
e The group dispcrse; a few more lat
g arrivals enter. Charters finds himscl
y led skillfully into the cosy little retreat
= where colored lamps shine soft and din
8 among the dark-leaved plants. and flow
cry creepers.