Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-10-04

His DEAR LITTLE Girl


~>~~~~~>~~
[1To HAT was what Terence Dawnay
had always called her ever since
~ they had met and loved each 9th
er. He was in Ireland nov with his
regiment, but he wrote very regularly
to mis- dear little girl, and, though there
was no question of any formal engage
ment between them, he had assured
her that their understanding was as
sacred II bond to him as any public
betrothal, and of course she believed
him, for she was young and she loved
him.
She was thinking Of him as she
walked down the path to meet the post
man. This was her letter day, and Irish
letters always come by the midday
mail to the Devonshire village where
she lived within sight and sound of the
moaning sea.
1t was late in June. and the summer
wind tossed her pretty hair against the
cheeks, which We're soft and flushed
like a peach. The postman was coming
up the hill. A smile crossed his
weather-beaten face as he caught sight
of the waiting figure.
"TwO letters, missy, this morning"
he said, as he sorted them from his
bundle. '"That's all, miss"
Two letters!
She went out on the cliff side with
them. One was, of course, from Ter
ence. How well she knew his dear,
untidy writing! She smiled as she put
1T in her pocket. That must be kept
home as a bonne bouche.
The other INT was insquite strange
handwriting. as she tore 1t open, look
ing at its contents with bewilderment.
A blank sheet of paper inclosing a
small newspaper cutting met her eyes.
What could it mean? The color faded
from her cheeks.
I'VE understand that an interesting
engagement will be announced before
the end of summer, and we may safely
offer our good wishes to the beauty of
the year, Miss Sergeant, at the same
time cOngratulating the gallant iance
on his luck. Mr.. Dawnay is well known
in Dublin, where his regiment is at
present Quartered."
The little bit of paper fell to the
ground. OF course it was not true. 1t
could not be true. Some n was try
Ing to make mischief between them.
That was all. Why, he was heTs-he
had been hers from the very first day
that they had met. The newspaper did
not know what it was talking about.
She eyed the envelope with disgust.
Who had done this thing? And who
was Miss Sargent? Terence never
mentioned her.
She pulled his letter out of her pocket
and opened it, reading it with a sudden
chill which qucnched the happiness in
her pretty eyes.
My Dear Little Girl have hardly a
moment for a letter. SO l am afraid this
will be very short, but there is so much
to be done here just now, what with
polo and goodness knows what else be
sides. that l have enough to do to get
everything lone in the day. I'm going
down to stay near Cork neNt week,
with some people called %Sargeant-
jolly house and no end of gaieties, OF
course. l wish | could have managed
to IL over to you. dear. but it is quite
impossible. You see, there are maneu-
vers coming on. and l must be within
easy reach of headquarters. I don't
know that there is anything of interest
to tell you. l have been thinking lately
that it's a bit rough on you to be kept
hanging on for such an interminable
time-not that I've altered; you know
that-but, you see, things are not look
ing very bright for us, are they? It's
awfully late. l must stop. Goodnight.
dear little girl. Ever yours.
TERENCE.
The sun was hidden by a thick cloud,
the sea moaned on the rocks below, and
q light wind rutfled the waves. 1t look
ed like a change in the weather. But
the girl did not notice the signs of
change. Her eyes were fixed unseeing
on the letter in her hand. She stopped
and picked up the little paper, which
she had allowed to flutter to the ground
u%nheeded. No. need to read it again.
1t was imprinted on her memory for all
time. She wondered what there was
Tor her to do. Must it be remuneration:
That was a question to be answered
at once, and before she turned her steps
homeward she had made her resolve.
y Il y
"Our dance, Miss Sergeant"
The girl looked up.
"Is it? No; l don't want to dance.
Do you mind If we sit it outT
"Do I mind?" repeated Dawnay,
with a look in his blue eyes which only
amused the beautiful Miss Sargent
She had seen that look'so often that i.
made little or no impression on her
Had she not danced and flirted through
some dozen seasons and received more
than her share of attention? OF course
Terence was a nice, dear boy, but us t.
anything else-sheN laughed at the mere
idea. She was striving for a higher
destiny than that, in spite of all the so
ciety papers and their rumors
Dawnay looked at her as she lay
back in a low chair waving a great