The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-08-03

his heart ached at thought OF the woe
in store for her nominal possessor. ia
II have startled you by my vehe-
mence," he continued, taking the hand
that lay upon her lap. II feared lest
this announcement might seem abrupt,
but the steamer sails at Ave O'clock,
and last night obtained Evelyn's per-
mission to bring you to see her off.
She owes you debt of gratitude for
your sisterly care Of my lonely and
graceless self. She loves you dearly
already, as you will her when you have
had one glimpse of her face. You re-
minded me of her the first day of our
meeting. have travelled with her and
her sick father for three months, and
at parting more than limited at my at
tachment. With candor that would
have driven me to desperation had It
been less mournful, she declared her
intention not to marry while her father
lived. He needs my constant care
she said. Without it he would die in
a week. He will never be better. The
kindest service you can do me, as the
wisest you can do yourself, is to forget
me- I have been steadily disobedient
to her advice. told her as much when
1 found out by chance two months ago
that she was in the city. She was very
resolute for time, often refusing to
see me when called, and again begging
me, even with tears, to dismiss all idea
of making her my wife. 1t is now a
fortnight since her father unexpectedly
announced his determination to return
to Europe, and, in the anticipation Of
our second parting, acknowledged that
my love was returned. Our engagement
would be an unsatisfactory one to most
people, but she is the earthly imperson-
alton of the angel Of patience. and
can surely wait few months, or even
years, for gift so precious. Her father
is afflicted by a complication of disor-
ders, the most serious being an organic
affection of the heart. She is the only
living child. 1t would be sheer barbar-
ity to separate them, and with an in
valid's obstinacy he will not hear of
taking up his abode in his daughters
house should she marry. My poor
Evelyn, my gentle love; she is martyr
and I can do so little to tighten her
burden!''
cit is very hard" He had paused and
Constance must speak.
Too pre-occupied by his own reflec-
lions to note her thick articulation and
studiously averted face, Edward took
up the word warmly. Hard! What
could be harder for both of us?"
She interrupted him by an impet-
uous gesture. "You are talking Wild
ly-wickedly! Think what you would
suffer if you loved without hope of re-
quital."
He absolutely laughed. Gas If that
could be. Affection, full and fervent as
mine, holds witch-hazel that never
errs in pointing to the fount Of answer
ing love. Why, Connie, we were made
for one another-Eva and T."
Was no scalding drop of bitterness to
be spared from her cup? Whose, then,
was the fatal mistake which had opened
the sluices of that other fountain that
was drowning her soul with cruel hui
initiation and anguish?
"Drive us near to the steamer as you
can, John" called Edward from his
window, and in the appreciation of the
truth that the sharpest ordeal was yet
before her and fearfully near at hand,
Constance submitted to be handed from
the carriage to the wharf.
Through bewildering haze she saw
the noisy crowd, the smoke stack of
the monstrous vessel, stumbled along
the gangway connecting it with the
shore yielding "a ssively IL the MP. Us
of Edwards arm and rcgained sight,
hearing and consciousness of brain
when she stood in handsome saloon.
a small hand, warm as hers was icy,
f1uttering in her grasp, and pair of
dark; thoughtful eyes fixed upon her
face. aE "
"You were very good to come," said
low voice, fraught with emotion, yet
steady. "Allow me to present my
father, Mr.. Pynsent. Mrs. Withers,
father n
She looked up and spoke the lady, and
her father arose from his divan, sup
porting himself upon cane, and sa-
luted Mrs. Withers with stately polite
ness. Both were high bred, but it was
not Eyelyn's beauty that had won her
lover. Her eyes and mouth were her
only really good features. Constance
knew herself to be the handsomer OF
the two, but the persuasion added to
the hopelessness of her Inflated love.
The qualities that had knit to this
girls heart that of the man who had
seen the beauties OF two hemispheres
which had kept him true to her and her
alone, although opposed by absence, dis.
enlargement and the wiles of scores
Of other women, lay beyond her power
of analysis and counter-charms. She
began to understand how 1t had come
to pass when she had commanded hel
wits SO far as to talk five minutes with
Edwards betrothed; owned reluctantly
that had she met her as new acquaint.
ances generally meet she would have
been irresistibly attracted by her win.
| ming ladyhood and the countenanct
that united so much sweetness with
sense and spirit. III,
There was time now for little beyond