The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-02-08
! She'll I i KoMzzszl +;
!: Widen.

1 some patterns, and then make an os-
| tentatious show of cutting it out in
| Shells presence. She won't be able
to withstand that, l know, for she
hates to see good stuff wasted"
And Violets ruse proves successful.
For when. a few days later, having
obtained some patterns from London,
Ruby deliberately begins to arrange
them the wrong way of the stuff,
Shell impatiently comes to the rescue,
and, having once taken possession of
the scissors, Yields them to the end.
Having cut out the dress, she soon de-
cides to make it; she is good work
woman, and never before has such
dainty, enticing bit of work come in
her way. She feels perfectly safe in
her undertaking. Ruby is scarcely
likely to blazon forth her own incom-
petence.
One afternoon, as she sits at the
open window smiling over her work,
Robert Champley comes sauntering
thoughtfully up the short avenue Of
the Wilderness. Suddenly Shell, all
unconscious of his close proximity,
breaks into song. 1t is a bright,
CHEEKY little ditty that bursts from her
lips, and her unseen listener pauses
amidst the shrubs and waits for the
end. Leaning idly against strong
young lilac, he not only listens to the
words with an amused smile, but
watches the busy needle flashing in
and out of her work. She makes a
vivid picture seen between the breaks
Of greenery, with her brilliant hair,
snow-white skin, and the patch of
blue on her lap This Is the second
time he has come upon Shell unawares.
and somehow he takes keen delight in
so surprising her-her quick change
OF manner when she Is discovered, al
though he cannot understand 1t,
amuses him.
"A very good song, and very we'll
sung! Bravo, Miss Shetland please
| forgive me for listening!" he says,
| stepping up to the window hat in
hand, when the last note has died
away.
OH" cries Shell, becoming furious
| ly red; and then she throws her work
upon the floor and conceals it with her
| dress.
The sudden disappearance of the
| patch of blue attracts his attention far
more than if she had left it on her
| knee, and a somewhat contemptuous
| look steals into his eyes as he comes to
the conclusion that Shell is ashamed
of being caught dressmaking. 1t sets
him into a teasing mood.
Miss Shell, if you ever get an offer
of jewelry, / advise you to choose tur-
quois," he says, with his keen eyes
fixed steadily upon the girls burning
| cheeks.
"Turquois-why? am not going to
get any jewelry," stammers Shell, too
confused and surprised to find ready
answer.
Because pale blue suits you to per-
fection," answers Mr.. Champley with
a meaning nod; and then, intensely
amused at her bewidered look, he
| proceeds on his way.
| Gould he have seen my work."
muses. Shell, as she withdraws it from
its hiding place and carefully shakes
out the delicate lace trimming, which
has become little crushed from her
summary treatment. II don't imagine
he ,could-and yet what made him talk
about pale blue?'
In the meantime Mr.. Champley has
proceeded round to the hall door, and
been shown by the trim housemaid
into the cool and airy drawing-room,
where he finds Violet Flower buried in
the depths of low, coy chair and
engrossed with a novel,
Tell Miss Widen that Mr.. Champ
ley is here" she says to the maid, as
she half rises from her chair and
stretches out lazy white hand in
| greeting.
Pray don't trouble to RISE" laughs
Robert, as he hastens to her side.
you looked so exquisitely happy when
/ came in that l should be sorry to
disturb YOU"
II am always happy when I am do
ing nothing" answers Violet naively.
This hot weather is so frightfully
enervating that no one in the house
has spark of energy left excepting
/ She'll"
"You are not altogether lazy-you
were reading" says Mr.. Champley po-
litely.
"Yes-I have just life enough left to
take in ideas as they are put before
me-" responds Wi, with lazy little
yawn, though / find 1t great ex-
ertion holding up a book"
| You should get one of those won
derful literary machines which one