The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-12-30
II M'lI'ONICA
. ! LOVE STONY OF MODERN DAYS

Iefeice has disappeared, but rs he is mol
much on flowers, his presence is not in,lis-
pensable. and no ono takes any notice oil
his detection.
q g.ows chilly says Miss Penelope,
presently, let us all go in.s'
oh, not yet, aantie; 1t is quite lovely
yet says, Monica, earnestly. She caniat
goin yet. not yet; the EVENING" is still young,
and--and She would like so mucl. to 60 down
to tic river, If only for a moment AL this
s'le SAYS guilty to herself.
Wei, we old women will go in, at Least
says Miss Penelope. You two children car
coquet with the dew for q little while; but
ION t stay teo long, or sore tliroats will he
tho result"
Yes, yes says Miss Priscilla, following
ifr sister. As she passes Monica, she looks
anNic;,sly ut tie girls little slight fragil
figure and her 81 indcr throat and ha,f-Ea.ed
arlis.
That dress is thin. Do not stay out too
long. Taks care of yourself, my darling
sac kisses her pretty nice, and then hur-
r'es on, rs though asham. Il of this show of
affection.
a little troubled by the caress, Mon ca
moves mechanically down the path that
leafs toward the meadows AMI the river,
followed by Kit. BY .istim, the latter is
In full pjs session of all that happened yes
'erday,-at least so much OF it rs rcia.es to
!onsca's acquaintance with Mr.. Desmond
minus the tender passion, his uncle's en-
counter will, her aunts, and Brian's snbsa-
qnent dismissal. Indeed, so much has tram
sp'red III the telling of all this that Kit, who
$ q shrcwd c.iill, has come TO the just co1-
clusion that the young Nj. Desmond is in
love with l,cr Monica!
Strange to say, she is not annoyed a. his
presumption, bit rather pleased at it,--ha
being the first live lover she has ever come
i'll contact with, and therefore Interesting in
no small degree.
Now, as She follows her sister down tho
tiowcry pathway, her mind Is full of ro-
nance, pure and sweet and great with ch;v-
Ilry, as a child's would he. But Monica is
sad and tacst,rn. Her mind misy!ves her,
her conscience prirks ller, her soul is dis
quoted within her.
What was 1t she had promised Aun. Pris-
ella yesterday? Aunt Priscilla had said,
For the future you must forget you ever
spoke to Mr.. Desmond. You vii. remembe
th;s?.' and she had answered, Yes"
But how can she forget? 1t was II foolish
promise, for WHO has got a memory under
control?
Yf course, Aunt Priscilla had meant her
to understand that she was never to speak
to Mr.. Desmond again. and she had given
her promise i'll the spirit. And of course
she would be obcdient; she would ut least
so far obey that she would not be the first
to speak to him, nor wou.a She seek him
nor But why, then, is she going to the
river?? Is it because the evening is so fine,
or is there no lurking hope Of
And, after all, what certainty is there
tliat-that-any one VIII BIZ at the river ut
this hour. And even If there should be,
why need she speak to HIM! she can be 81
lent; but If he speaks to her, what then?
Can She refuse to answer?
Her mind is rs Il boat Np.n n troubled sea,
tossed here and there; but by and by the
wintl goes down, and the stanch boat is
riglted. and turns its bow toward home.
Kit, do not let us go to III. river tonight"
ssie says, turning to face her sister in the
harrow path.
"But why? 1t is so warm and light, and
such a li,tlo way!'
You have been often there. Let us turn
down this side of the meadow, AMI s.e
where it will lead to-"
That = leads directly away from Coolc
there cannot be the least doubt: and tho lit.
lie martyr treaas.ng the ground she would
not, feels with an additional pan! of dislp-
continent that the fultiilment Of her duty
1ocs not carry with it the thrill of rapture
that ought to suffuse her soul.
Monica, who is that. cxclaims Kit, sud.
ienly, s:arin. over the high bank, beside
which they are walking, into the field be.
Yond. Following her glance, Monica sees n
srouching figure on tho other side of this
bank, but Tower down, stealing cautiously,
no.selessly, toward them, as though bent on
secret murder. A second glance betrays the
fact that it is Terence, with-ycs, most posi-
lively with a DMn!
Where on earth did he get I'll" says Kit;
and. unable TO contain her curiosity any
:onger, she scrambles UP the bank, and calls
ait, Terry, here We are! Come here!
Were did YOU get it?' at the top OF lie,
fresh young lungs.
As she did so, a little gray object, hither-
70 unseen by her, springs from among some
green stutfs, and scudding across the fields
into the woods of Coole beyond, is in a mo.
ment lost to view. q
"Oh, bsthcr!!' cries Terry. literally dane
ing with rage" II wouldn't doubt you to
make that row Just whenI was going to fire,
! wish TO goodness YOU girls would stay at
home, ard not come interfering with a fei.
lows sport.
Terry, where did You get tiisgun?" asks
Monica, as breatllless with surprise as Kit.
rs Observation-Disclosures? Oil don't!-
don't point it this wayl 1t will surely &c
off and kill somebody
What q lovely gun!" says Kit, admiring-
Isn't it29' says Terence, forgetting his
bad temper iii his anxiety to exhibit his
treasure. Its a breech-loadel, too: zone
of Your old-fashioned things; mind YOU, but
a reg'lar good one. I'll tell you who lent il
to me, if You'll promise not to Preach
we won't,'' says Kit,who is burning with
curiosity.
Guess, then"
sBob Warren" says Monica. Dob War
rem is the %rector's son, and is much at
Moyne.
Not likelyl Pegs above him. Well, I'll
tell you. It's that fellow that's spoons on
~you,'-with all n brothers perspicacity,-
this fellow who saw us on the sllay-cart,'3-
Monica Writhes inwartlly, -s.Desmond, YOU
known,
THE enemy's nepllew??' asks Kit, in a
thrilling tone, that bespeaks delight and q
malicious expectation of breakers ahead.
Yes. | was talking TO him yesterday,
early in the day, at Nadine O'Connor's;
and he asked me was 1 your brother, Moni-
ca, 10 winch pleaded guilty, though with
agrin, "I,d3have got out of it II l could; and
then he began to talk about shooting, and
said l might knock over any rabbits liked
In Coote. l told him l had no gun, SO lie
offered tn leil me one. / thought it was
aWfnlly jolly of him, considering ]. was an
utter stranger, and that; hut he looks a real
good sort. lie sent over the gun this morn
Ing by q boy, and / have had 1t hidden intiie
stable until now. 4 thought I'd never get
out of that bcastly garden this evening"
''Oh. Terence, YOU shouldn't have taken
the gun from him. says Monica, flushing.
Just think what Aunt Priscilla would say
if she heard OF 1t. You know how deter
mined she is that we shall have no inter-
course with the Desmonds.'
STUFF and nonsense ! says Mr.. Beresforl.
Il never heard such Il row as tll1,- afe for
ever making about simply nothing. Why,
it's quite a common thing to jilt a girl, now
a-days. I'D 10 it myself III a miitlte.n
"You won't have time" says Kit, con-
te%mntuously. 's~She-whoever She may be
will be sure to tilt Uo,t tirst.'
"Look here" says Terence, eying his
younger sister With much disfavor; .syou.rc
SO precious sharp, you know, that l shonld
think therall be q confagratio1 Oh the I.it-
f.::. before long; and I Should think, too,