Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-03-29
CHAPTER III.
sunset Hill.

than the mountain slope from which
arose the granite crests OF Give Tow
ers. Tie background of misty-blue up
lands: the silyery river. winding
through the messy vale; the dark for
est, tossing its whispering boughs 10
the mountain breeZes, ami the grand
old mansion. so broad. so stately, yet
so unpreteatiOus-almost seeming IL
self q part Of natures handiworR, so
well did the massive proportions and
simple architecture accord with the
landscape around it.
1t was evening, and a merry group
was gathered on the velyety lawn III
front Of the house.
Gay croquet mallets were welded by
pretty hands, and the musical click of
the balls was mingled with the muir
mur of sweet voices and the ripple Of
silvery laughter.
Fannie Give was there. n very Hebe,
I'm pale rose olored muslin and floating
ribbons; her friend. cousin and con
slant cavalier, Fenton Forest, a dash
Ing young navy officer. gorgeous In but
tons aud beard Laurence Grey. a tall,
slender. thoughtful young student
friend OF Herberts's. and his sister Ma
rian, a %liquid-eyed brunette; and last,
though by no means least Of all, with
her golden hair rippling over a robe
that seemed woven Of morning mistS.
Sybii Wraye. pale, slender and beauti-
full. with the heir Of Give Towers ever
beside her. hanging, entranced, on hef
slightest whisper, watching eagerly for
her faintest smile.
When the game was over, she would
have escaped with Marian and Fannie
to the rose garden. but Herbert was
quick 10 detain her.
"Have ycu forgotten your promise no
me, Miss Sybil? You were going with
me this evening to Sunset Hill. 1T is
just the hour TO see all its beauties"
Fannie will come with uss" said the
young girl. glancing toward her friend.
"She has seen it a hundred times: be-
sides, Fan pever had much Of an eye
for the beauties Of nature was the
brothers laughing reply. "She prefers
the beauties Of art. The hill Is not a
quarter OF a mile distant. Miss Sybii,
and there are no Ogres to be met with
on the way, although I could not have
promised you as much three years
ago"
'Ahl" she said. with a slight start.
81 had aSscutile about here with one
of the mCst notorious villains that ever
went unhung." continued the young
1 man. lightly, "and II came very near
saving the hangmal that trouble. But
such reptiles are hard to kill, and by
the time ( had recovered the senses
which he Ind pretty well Knocked out
Sss ;ne. he lad dragged himself Off to
the river, whore he may lie 10 this day,
for nught Iknow.n
"Dia he attack youf" asked Sybil. in
III $50 lAy "a 1syNfl l.-+ -.S 49, xAN
youf"
II don't know rs I should have re-
sented that so much" answered Her
bert. smiling. ia genuine Jack Shep-
pard might have appealed TO my Bo-
X hemian sympathies. No: this fellow
Il met me with mysterious threats and in
comprehensive menaces. | always had
the greatest objection to mystery; !
Fan stand omen, honest villainy very
well, but underhand business maddens
II me. Isloye the sunlight myself, Miss
Sybiig and can bear no darkness around
me. But enough of an uninterestin2
Il subject. Here we are at Sunset Hih.'
1t was less n hill than a ridge OF the
VI mountains which, crowned by n crest
II OF stately cedars, looking over n valley
" of gathering shadows to the COLDER
NJ west.
I Far beneath flowed the river. slowly
yelling itself in silvery mists; fal
ri beyond 1t were the realms of sunset
NJ pillared in purple, and stretching oui
in vistas too dazzling for mortal eye
ii to reach.
Sybil stood for a minute ON the sun
lit height, silent and b%reathleSs. theT
her gray eyes deepened; a faint rose
which might have been, only a reflec
G ton Of the glorionS skyFabeve, flushed
t her transparent cheek and. ~forEetfu
of her companion, unconscious of tn,
admiring gaze he fixed upon her lovely
face, n song. soft and low as the ever
ing twitter OF the birds, trembled from
her lips. n
III "Thou in the sunlight
And in the shade: 8
Yet, all. by the sunlight
The shadow is made!
sa Thine be the gladnesS
And mine be the gloom:
For love, through thy triumph,
Is only my DOOM"
"Sybil"-in the. sudden tenderness
which mastered him, Herbert forgo
the formal prefix he had hitherto givel
her name-"Sybil, you must sing thos
Sau notes no more. Poor little wal
bier! what thorn is piercing your ten
der breast. that draws forth from you
lips such plaintiye melody? Trust m
@ with your sorrow, Sybil; let me %
your brother, your f~riend-nay. wha
u words are those for me to utter?-I
who have learned. in three shor
weeks. TO love you with the love tina
surpasses all others-with a love tina
would shield you from every danger
every sorrow, every paln-with a Low
thai trembles al Its own height an
depth, at its own despairlng strength
Is perhaps its own wild folly. Sybil-"
Al Hush, Lush, hush!" she whispered
turning to him a face from which ever
ilT vestige OF life and color had faded
You must not speak so to meme
III am a stranger to you. You know
naught Of me-"
Il know that you are the l~oveliest
purest, most perfect OF women!" cor
\ tinued Herbert. ~imnetnously, II kno,
that sweet voice of yours awakened tn
w la Inat.aa& 1..N.l.M n 49, -..M -