Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-05-04

the militia band playing Strauss waltses
a' 'nr other. the scarlet and white flags
ioatlng bravcly Over everybody in the
Greece. ana Il hum of many voices mud IL
sound of merry laughter in every dircc.
tiOn.
y" one in all the gay crowd was more
admired or more noticed than ''thc BRIDE
as she WAS still called. young Mrs. Ky
naston. Helen had surpassed herself in
the elaboration of her toilet. No one had
ever seen her look better: there was an
unusual color in her cheeks. an unusual
glitter i'll her blue eyes. that always
seemed to bc rowing rcstlessly about hcr
as though i'll search of something in an
swer 4" the pleasant and pretty speeches
mat SHE received on all sides from men
aud women alike.
i'ut through it all she never lot Vera
.Nrvill out of hcr sight: where Vera NOV
"d. she moved also. When she walked
across the lawn. Mrs. Kynaston made
some excuse to go in the same directions;
when she entered either of the tents.
ftrlcn also found it necessary to go into
thr'n. But the crowd was too great for
anyone tn remark this: no one saw it
save Denis Wilde. whose eyes We're
sharpencd by his love.
Once Helen SAW that Maurice and Vera
were speaking TO each other. She could
not get near enough to hear what they
SAID. hut she saw him bend down and
speak To her earnestly. and there was a
sad. wistful look in Ncra's upturncd eyes
as She answered him. iIclcn's heart beat
with II wild. mad jealousy as she watch
ed them; and yet it was but a few words
thai had passed between them.
Vera. Young Wilde says you are go
ing 10 marry him: is it true:"
He wants nc to do so. but l don't
think L cam"
why not? 1t would he happier for
you. child; forget the past and begin
afrcsh. He is ii good boy, and by and by
he will be well off"
"lou, too-you advise me to do this:''
she answered with unwontcd bitterness.
on, how wise and calculating one ought
to he to live happily in this miserable
world!.''
He looked panied.
II cannot do you any good" he said.
rather brokenly. Heaven knows | would
II L could. Il can only be Il curse to YOU.
Give me ut least the credit of unsellish-
ly wishing you to be less unhappy than
Won are
And then the crowd, moving onward,
parted them from each other.
DO not forget TO meet me ut the
Bath. she called out to him as he went.
on, to he sure! L had forgotten. L
will be there just before the dancing be-
gins"
And then Denis Wilde took his place
by her side.
If Mrs. kynaston surpassed herself in
looks and o1,in,nti,, t1,+ .1.,, W.. -.
the contrary, had never looked less we'll.
Her eyes We're heavy with sleepless
nights and many tears; her movements
were slower and more languid than of
wont and her face was pale and thin.
The day wore AWAY, and the polo match
was over, and the v~otnrics of lawn ten
MS We're Worn out with running up and
down, and the flowers and the fruits in
the show tent began to look limp and
dusty. The farmers and those people of
small inheritance who had only been in
vlted from two TO five" began now to
take their departure, and their carriage
wheels were To Je heard driving away
IN rapid succession from the front door,
There was a general move toward the
house, and the band began TO transfer
Itself from the garden into the hall.
where Its laborS were 10 begin afresh.
Then 1T was that Vera crept forth out
OIL a sheltered corner, and. unseen and
lnnotlced save by one Watchful pair of
eyes, weneed her way through the shrub
berry walks in the direction of the Bath.
CHAPTER NNIII.
Calm and still, like the magic mirror
of the legend, S%hadonake Bath lay among
its everlasting shadows. The great belt
of fir trees beyond it. the shclterins ever
green's oil the nearer side, the tiers of
gray. moss-srown steps that encompass
cd it about, all found their image again
upon its smooth and n%ntroubled surface.
There was a golden light from the set
ting sun TO the west, and the pale mist
OF u shadowy crescent moon had risen in
the east.
Vera sat down upon the steps and rest
ed her chin in her hands, and waited. The
house and the gardens behind her were
shut out by the thick screen of laurels
and rhododendrons. Before her, on the
other side, We're the fir trees, with their
rcd. bronzed trunks, and the soft, dark
brown carpet that lay at their feet.
To Maurice. and Maurice alone, be-
longcd her life and her soul. and Vera
felt that it would be easier for her to be
true to the sad, dim memory of his love
than to give her heart and her allegiance
to any other upon earth.
Suddenly there came II sharp footstep
and the rustic of a woman's silken skirts
across the stone flags behind her. She
looked up quickly; Helen stood beside
her. Helen. in all the sheen of her gay
Paris garments, with the evening light
upon her uncovered head. and the glow
of n passion. ficrccr than madness, in her
glittering eyes. Some prcscicnce of evil
she knew not of what-made Vera
spring to her feet.
Helen spoke to her shortly and def
antly.
Miss Nevill. you are waiting here for
my husband, are you notY'
a faint flush rose in Vera's face.
Yes" she answered very quietly. 81
am waiting to speak a few words to him."
"You have something to give him, have
you not? Some letters that are mine, and
which you have probably read"
Helen said the words quickly and few
erishly; her voice shook md trembled.