The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-02-17
MONICA
STONY OF MODERN DAYS

A@-
When next you mediate forming a brill
liant plot such as this" she says to Kit, y
think l should look out a more trustwor,h,
assA4eo.ice il / were you
SAtcli INC i1.s-a ;. secret with htu
again," says Kit, now her fears are appeas
ed. turning wrathfnlly upon Desmond.
u quite forgot all about it, I did, indeed
exclaims he pen!tently. Forgive me this
time, and I'll promise never to do 1t again.
Aud I'll promise you you sla'n't have
the chance,i' says Kit, with fcrvor.
"lplhy was l to be deceived?!' says Monica,
Think l have been very basely treated. II
you, Kit, desired a clandestine meeting with
Mr.. Desmond, l don't see why l was to be
drawn into IT. And it was astupid arrange.
ment, too: two is company, three trumpcry.
know, II Iaad a lover, should prefer
"Monica!n says Kit, Indignantly; but
Monica only laughs the more.
IT IS my turn now, you Know" she says.
Kit had nothing to do with it; it was all
my fault" says Desmond, laughing too. sIt
you must pour out the walls of your wrath
on solne one, let it be OH me-"
Yes, give him a good scolding, Monica
says Kit, yicIously, but with a lovely smile.
II I'M going to pick some ferns for Aunt
Pen; when l return ! hope l shall find that
recreant knight of yours-I mean mtnc-at
the point Of deathl T.
At this she fits away from them, like the
good little thing she is, up q sloping bank,
and so into the fields beyond, until Desmond
and Monica are as much alone as if a whole
sphere divided themfrom their kind. Dearlit-
tie Kit! When her own time comes may she
be as kindly dealt with!
You are angry with me, still.-about last
l rIrINE " On trr rs, ~ -
with cause. Butt was miserable when
called you a coquettc, and misery makes a
man unjust. l wrote TO Kit this morning,
IL was afraid to write to you, and she was
very good to me.'
How goodY' plucking a leaffrom abrier,
rs she goes siowly-acrU s!owly-down the
road.
She brought me you. Do you know,
Monica, have been as unhappy as a man
can be since last / saw yOu,-a whole night
and part of a day? Is it not punishment
enough?."
TOO much for your crime,' whispers she,
softly, turning suddenly toward him and
letting her great luminous eyes rest with
forgiveness upon his. She smiles sweetly,
but with some timidity, because of the ardo1
of the glance that answers hers. Taking
her hand with. an impulsive movement i'm.
possible TO restrain, Desmond presses |,
rapturously to his lips. Drawing it away
from him with shy haste, Monica walks on
in silence.
IF had written to you, and not to her,
would you still have been here to-day?" asks
he, presently.
Il think not"
THAT is a cruel answer, is it nos"
"Weuld You have me belle my nature?!H
II q c IL G chn urtkl,. p,,inI, ..I-- -, H
have ME grow false, secret, deceitful? MY
worthy of their conidenceY'
81 an less to you, then, than your aunts'
| displeas,re!"
You are less to me than my conscience
and yet
With a violent effort, that betrays how ia,
her thoughts have been travelling in com
pany with his, she brings herself back tC
the present moment, and Il recollection of the
many reasons why she must not listen tc
his wooing. "NNhy should you believe your
self anything to lneT in a voice that auiyers
audibly.
"Ah, why, indeed?" returns he, bitterly.
There is such pain in his voice and face thai
her soul yearns toward him, and she repents
her last words.
Il am wrong. You are somethingto me-
she says, In a tone solow that he can scarce
ly hear it. But lovers ears are sharp.
You mean that, Monica?!'
eyes" still lower.
Then why cannot / be more to you? WHY
am l to be denied a chance of forwarding
the cause in which all my hopes are center
ed? Monica, say you will meet me some
~where-SOOn.o
How can II" she says, TREMENDOUSLY. He,
voioa 10 Full Df {aare Che &, I4n-.tt-- /, F..
ferent from the coquettish, provoking child
of last night. You forget all l have jus
now said"
AT least tell Inc. them" says he, sadly
shat if you could you would.'
There is a pathetic ring in his tone, anc
tears rise to her eyes. Can anything be &
hopeless as this love-affair of hers?
YES, l would" she says, almost desper
ately.
"Ol, darling-darling!" says the youns
man with passion. He holds her hand.
closely, and looks into her troubled ewes
and wishes he might dare take her into hi.
arms and, pressing her to his heart, ask he,
to repeat her words again. But there 1!
| something in the calm purity of her bcauti
| full face that repels vehemence of any sort
and as yet although the dawn is near-he,
love has not declared itself to her W sou
IN all its strength.
Il have at least ono consolation" The a V
MT last, calling to mind the quietude that
surrounds Moyne and its inhabitants, anf
the withdrawal from society that has OBJ
tanned there for many years. las you arc
not allowed to see mc,-eNcept OIL such rart
occasions as the present when the Fates arr
kind,-you cannot at least see any one else,
often, that is"
Meaning"
'.Ilyde."
She laughs a little, and then colors.
Aunt Priscilla has asked him to come to
Moyne next Friday" she says. looking at
the ground; 'sshe is giving All AT Home on
that day, for him and Captain Goblet. She
says she feels it is duty TO her queen to
4 show some attention to her servants
In her tone, as she says this, there is a
( spice of that mischief that is never very far
from any pretty woman.
"He is to be invited to Moyne,-to spend
an entire day with yon!' says Desmond,
thtlnderstruck by this last piece of news.
"Oh, no. only part of it, says Monica,
meekly.
ut is just as bad. 1t is disgraccfuli Your
annts are purpOsely encouraging him 10
keep you away from me. Oh, 1chu," wretch
eddy, SHOULD this mlucky quarrel have
arisen between our house and yours%''
"Well, that's your fault, +" says Monica.
"MineT!'
"Your uncle's then. 1t is all the same
unjustIy.
II really can't see hat says Mr.. Des-
mond, very righteously aggrieyed; that is
visiting the sins of the uncles upon the nepil-
ews with a vengeance! Monica, at least
promise me you won't be civil to him."
II can't be ride to him.
"You can. Why not? 1t will keep him
from calling again. But | dare say You
uant him to call again. says Desmond,
angrily.
AT this moment, the gates of Moyne being
in sight. and those of Coole long passed. Kit,
suddenly appears on the top Of a high stone
wall, and calls gayly to Desmond to como
and help her to alight.
"And now go away too" she says; ''you
are forbidden goods, you know, and we
must not be seen talking to you, under pain
of DEATH"
.Good-by," says Desmond, with alacrity,
who is, in truth, sulky, and undesirous OF
r.,+1>o, .,oriox, ,r;fh his boln,,aJ & tI(,nnd- h,