The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-02-21

! about the same tone. and she carried
a large white cotton parasoi TO shield
her from the sun.
It was a very simple and cheap tot
lette, but it was fresh and d~ainty-look-
ing. and Dorothy looked bright and
lovabic and a little lady from the
crown of her bonnet to the tips of her
shoes: indeed, more than one person
thought so as she passed up the street;
and the old General. who was out for
his usual morning trot, stopped in his
walk, and, wheeling round, stood to
look after her till she had turned the
corner and was out OF sight, when he
went on with his self imposed sentry
go. wishing with all his heart he was
forty years younger.
Meantime Dorothy went serenely on
her way reached the shop for which
she was bound, and there made her
purchases, all small enough for her to
bring hem away in a neat little parcel
IN her unoccupied hand. And then,
JUS. as she stepped off the doorstep Of
the shop on to the pavement, she sud-
denly found herself face to face with
David.
III 1t had been possible she would
have ~retreated back into the shop; but
1t was too late for that. David Stew
enson had already uttered an exclama-
0 OF surprise, and was standing
close in front Of her, holding. out both
his hands to her.
Now, If there was one person In all
the wide world whom Dorothy would
rather not have seen just then, that
person was David Stevenson. l think
she looked all the dismay which she
felt. and that she felt all and perhaps
more than the dismay which she look
ed.
oh! is that you?" she gasped.
David let his hands, with their glad
Welcome. drop instantly.
You're not very glad to see me, Do
rothy.' he said, in quiet. but bitter re-
proach.
THAT is, you startled me-" she re-
Piled, in a wild endeavor to put off n
questions he might think proper to
ask her.
Evidently" he said, dryly, "and you
wan to get rid of me, eh?"
oh, not at ALL" biting her lip and
wishing hat she could sink into the
ground, or dissolve into thin air. any
where out of the way of his hard and
steely-blue eyes, which seemed to look
her through, and to know in a moment
all the secrets of her life.
No? All, that is better. Then.
since you don't want to get rid Of me
all in a hurry, perhaps you will let me
walk a little way with you. May IL"
oh, yes. certainly" said Dorothy,
giving herself up for lost at once.
ID you live near here?" he asked.
AT that moment there was a slight
block on the pavement of the always
busy street, and just as David spoke
Dorothy perceived that the sweet
faced lady who lived on the floor above
her was also blocked, and stood for a
moment or so face to face with her.
Undoubtedly she had heard Dayid's
question just al Dorothy had done,
and undoubtedly Dorothy had never
seen her eyes so cold or her lips so
austerely shut before. In her distress
and annoyance at being thus appar-
emily caught, Dorothy blushed a vivid.
guilty crimson-a fact upon which the
sweet-faced lady put the usual con-
struction to which all highly moral per-
sons seem to jump at once in a mo-
ment of doubt-that is. the very worst
possible one.
Can o give me no news from
home, them" Dorothy asked, in a des-
perate voice, raised far above her usu-
al tones.
David looked down at Ter in sur
prlse-an Involuntary action which
was not lost upon the lady, who was
still unable to pass on.
News he repeated. why, OF
course | can. ! have so much news to
tell you that I hardly know where TO
begin. Let me see-Lady Jane is
back, Of course"
Dorothy turned her head in time to
see that the lady had passed on and
was out OF ear shot before David had
begun his news.
There, just like David's stupidity, to
be too late. Why, she wondered, ir-
ritably, could he not have happened to
say something which would have let
that m upstairs know that they
had known each other all their lives?
But no, David had always Numbered
whenever and wherever she was con-
cerned. and she supposed that he al
ways would Her interest in the home