Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-07-19

CHAPTER xxxv.n. Contained.

Or Under a Spell.
.

"Oh, dear, no." answered Miss Mari
an, quickly. Il couldn't call, under
the circumstances: il would be so EN-
barrassing. What could one say"
very trie,'' said Fenton, throwing
the fire. gments of Fannie's little note,
one by one. into the fire. What could
one say? Ii would be embarrassing.
And-and you say they have left the
Towers? | would not have time TO
call; but mere is a little packet l
would Ike to-ahem!-to send TO Fan
nie-to Miss Give, / mean--if you
would take charge Of It."
And Lieut.. Fenton Forest, as he
spoke, stammered and hesitated in a
way very foreign 10 his usual brazen
self possession. and looked as a man
might look who felt himself a u OF
the lowest degree.
Indeed, you will have TO excuse
me. Lieuetnant!' said Miss Marian,
with a malicious little laugh. 1T
wouldn't do at all for me to interfere
In such a delicate matter. Send the
packet to DR.. Bond; he appears to
have constituted himself a champion
OF these unhappy Gives. For my part.
| think the greatest kindness we can
do them Is to let them drop entirely.
Laurence has some quixotic views up
on holding on TO friends in distress;
but. as l told him last night, distress
and disgrace are vastly different In
their meaning"
Perhaps the unhappy Gives felt the
truth OF their words, as, that same
evening, they turned away from the
proud home that had sheltered their
childhood, and ~journeyed TO the hum
BILE little cottage that Herbert had
procured in n tarlving little village a
few miles 10 the north.
DIR. Bond had encouraged the young
man In his proud determination TO ac-
cept nothing from the wealthy kins-
man who was coming now as master
of the Towers; and through this same
true friends influence Herbert had
obtained q position in a large manu-
featuring house in the village of P.
He seemed 10 have but one thought.
Self was lost sight of completely in
his careful solicitude for the gentle sis
ter now dependent upon his exertions
1.-The sister whose tender heart was
bleeding from so many wounds, and
who, like some tenderly-nourished
plant suddenly bereft of every other
prop. clung to him for support and
protection.
But there was one other watching
Dver her MISUNDERSTANDING from 1t
each thorn that he could reach,
smoothing il as far as was In his pow
er. Frightening 1t by friendly words
and cheering smiles-another, whose
kindly interest In her welfare Fannie
had learned to look upon as almost a
right. so ~unccasing had been Laurence
Grey's efforts TO aid his friends in
their hour of adversely.
He 1t was who had sought out and
selected their future home; had beau
titled ii with n thousand little trifics OF
which Herbert, absorbed in care and
sorrow, would have never dreamed;
had twlned the ivy over the little win
dow; chosen the pretty pictures to
hang on the whitewashed walls;
brought Fannie's pet bird from the de-
serted conservatory at Give Towers,
aud Herbert's cherished books from
his own corner in the library. 1t was
Laurence who had been here. there
and eyerywhere-the patient, cheerful.
never-tiring, faithful friend, always
tender with a word of hope, a deed OF
help or a smile of cheer.
1t was Laurence who, in his favorite
sailor costume Che had come up the
river In his yacht. met the brother
and sister at the door of the quaint
little cne-storied cottage, and was the
drst to welcome them to their humble
home.
No one could tell how his strong.
brave heart was aching with tender
ness and sympathy for the graceful
girl, who, pale and sorrowful in her
deep mourning robes, had never TO his
eyes looked so beautiful and womanly.
1T is very poor, darling" said Her
bert, leading her into the little parlor.
where the bright sunlight streamed
through curtains of Laurence's choos-
ing upon n dainty supper table that
Laurence himself had spread; ''but
Laurence and l have done our best.
Won't you try to be happy even here?
We have only each other to live for
now-only each other and the kind
friends whose fidelity adversely could
not shake. Let us be happy in each
other"
Fannie looked around her at the
snowy walls hung with her favorite
pictures; at the little book case filled
Will HeT ldNOTlte DOOhS, at NeT DlTu
singing in its gilded cage; on the ivy
yelled windows and the flower stand,
glowing with the beautiful blossoms
that erst had been her especial pride.
Then her eyes filled with tears, not
of sorrow, but Of gladness, and hiding
her face on Herbert's breast, she held
out her hand to the faithful friend at
his side.
"You have been so kind, so good to
me- she whispered, "dear brother and
dear friend! l feel as II l could be
happy here"
That evening. when Laurence had
left them, and the brother and sister
stood together by their cheerful little
fireside. Herbert handed her the pack
ct that Fenton had sent.
Her face flushed as she broke the
seal, then suddenly grew bard and
scornful as she saw the contents. Her
wi letters. full OF girlhood's trem-
bling hopes and fears, bright with the
play OF happy fancy, tender with the
balf.awakened sentiments OF the wo-
man h~eart--ber own letters. written
80 Fenton Forest In her hours Of joy
and sorrow, gIadness and grief; q long,
SILKY lock of brown hair and a poldan