The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-10-10


with passionate earnestness; there
should be no mistake about the mat
ter--he must thoroughly understand
"AlI this" he said, while / have
been sleeping here! Hildred, will
see for myself what is the truth.
will trust to no ones opinion--I will 60
over to Bromhfll. VIII you ride over
with me?"
She looked at the broad golden beams
of the sun.
cit is so warm" she said. "you will
not care to go out
Warm he repeated almost wrath
fully what matters little heat
when so much is at stalker
Then he looked quickly at her.
eff Ii is too warm for you" he said,
II will go alone
She sprang to her feet with a glad
light In her eyes.
NO." she replied, 1T is never too
warm for me. / love the sun. Let
me go with you, Lord Caraven."
"WiIl you ride or driver" he asked
81 will ride" she replied, having
heard him say that morning that he
would rather ride zen miles than drive
one
He looked pleased.
II will see for myself" he repeated.
"Do they think that am so blind as
TO be hoodwinked with false stories?"
mo, but they have believed you too
indoient even to care whether the
stories were true or not" said Hildred.
There was some little surprise even
amongst the servants at seeing the
young earl and countess ride off alone.
What did it mean? Were better times
really coming?
Sir Raoul watched them start; and
fhe said to himself. as he looked after
them:
THE greatest gift Of heaven to men
'is surely the noble influence of noble
woman"
The earl would see for himself-and
me did see. 1t seemed to him that he
must have been asleep for years.
Where were the smiles of welcome that
years ago used to greet him? Now
iaborers passed him with sullen face,
with touch of the cap and muttered
curse. He saw the wretched tenement
where disease reigned triumphant--he
saw mothers whose children had died
for want of nourishing food-he saw
strong men whose just condemnation
or him was written in their averted
eyes and closed lips. He saw that for
him there was no affection, little re-
spect. yet he was lord of the soil--fn
some fashion master of the destinies of
these people.
He rode in silence-silence that his
young wife did not care to break, for
she saw that he was aroused at last
They went to Bromhill, and there tn
earl saw matters for himself There
was little need for words to tell him
how the prestige Of the old name had
sunk. Those honest yeomen. the
Moores. whose forefathers had served
his ancestors so CALAMITY and we'll
had no smiles, no welcome for him:
they were sturdily respectful, they said
little old man who had pleaded so
passionately to Hildred, least of all.
But the young, indolent, pleasure-lov-
ing earl shrank before the calm. stern
faces: he knew that he was in the
wrong.
Nevertheless, If they were stern and
cold in their reception of the earl, they
mad warm welcome for his beautiful
young wife. She had not ignored CEN
turtles of service; she had not broken
the bounds between master and ser
want; she had not left the best inter
ests of their lives to Blantyre. They
crowded round her-even the little
children came to give her the flowers
they had gathered. and to look at tn.
pleasant shining face. There was a
court of inquiry held within the ols
farm walls; the earl listened attentive
ly to the old man and his sons, then
he looked gravely at them.
you have done well to speak out
boldly" he said. II could as soon
imagine Ravensmere without a Cara
ven as Bromhill without a Moore. You
need not go TO Blantyre again. | will
sign the lease--and it shall be done at
once"
He spoke only once on his way
home. and then it was to say to his
wife:
Il have done justice there; and If /
can, will do justice wherever 1t is
needed" And as they rode on through
the sunlight, she told him heaven