The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-08-29
HER LETTER.

HNhat nave you got to say to me-"
Nothing"
why did you send for me?"
A flush of red rose to her face,
Il thought, yesterday, when l wrote.
that I had something to say, but now"
You have changed your mind. Miss
Austin? That is a wonlan's privilege and
you have used it ruthlessly."
Yes, | know. Forgive me. I meant to
do my best"
He frowned and his expression was not
good to see.
Her best" And this is what she had
done.
He had thought himself one OF the hap
piest men alive. engaged to be married II
this girl, Eva Austin. He loved her pas
sionately, and believed her to be the ideal
type of w~omanhood, high principled.
truthful, gentle-in fact, almost faultless.
Then came the blow to his faith. She
had written, to break off her engagement,
a short letter which was a masterpiece of
polite reserve and feminine cruelty. She
regretted If she had caused him any pain
oh, yes, regrets cost nothing-she was
conscious Of the honor that he had paid
her-she wished to remain his FRIENDSHIP
returned his ring.
Captain Humphrey Travelled many miles
to demand an explanation of his afianced
wife. He was refused admittance, his let
tiers were returned unopened by her sis
ter-Eva was Ill and could not write. The
truth stared him in the face; in plain
English he had been hopelessly Tilted.
Then he vowed to forget Eva Austin's ex-
istence and congratulated himself upon
his freedom from domestic ties.
Today, as he stood in the parlor of the
hotel to which she had him, he
had so far overlooked his determination to
forget her existence that his anger was
waxing fierce against her. Why had she
brought him here? To be made a fool of
a second time? No, and a thousand times,
no.
"If you did your best, Miss Austin, may
l ask what your worst would have been?'
She moved quickly, almost as if he had
struck her.
Il cannot explain. If you knew how it
all happened you would perhaps believe
you might perhaps think a little better Of
me-"
F He stood bolt upright, speechless. He
was struggling with his pride; in his
heart Of hearts he was longing to take
her in his arms, to tell her that for him
she was the only woman in the world,
with all her faults.
Her faults. They were objectionable.
II should be glad to think well Of any
LADY, he said at last, lightly, more es-
pecially Of a lady who once honored me
with her friendship"
"Yes,'' she said gently, 'it was because
of that friendship that I wrote. 1 had a
favor to ask you. Now-it is not neces-
sary. I am sorry"
There was a brief silence, then she said:
"There are changes in QUIZ family. Ella
is going to be married; the engagement is
very sudden; it was only settled this
morning. g".. t.-.. ..
Ella was the younger sister Of whom he
had SO often been jealous in those forgot
ten days. LM+
ALLOW me to congratulate you"
He bowed and turned to go; the inter
view was a farce.
At the door she stopped him. 4 d
YOU start-tomorrow?" Nv
Yes 5"s e 5tl 5%2
you a happy return" 7%,
Considering their former intimacy, this
was barely the farewell that good man
ners demanded, nothing more.
Ills hand was on the lock. Something
else she said, her voice was almost I'm
audible: -, - x
IT will pray for you"
He shut the door quietly; there should
be no melodramatic display of temper on
his part. Arrived at the bottom of the
stairs he missed his hat. Had he left his
purse or his watch in that room no power
on earth Would have sent him bach-
but his hat. = "
He,ran back hastily and knocked. There
was no answer So much the BETTER. He
entered the room and seized his property.
Turning to go, he heard the rustic Of
drapperies. She was there, standing on
the spot where he had left her, with her
hands clasped to her face
Under the star-llt sky he had lain for
hours. The fight was over. In the dis
lance he could discern the figures of; the
wounded and the dead. His body was as
hot and parched as the earth itself. All
Samar seemed dying of thirst. The vic
tory was with his men-so much he knew
before he fell. And now, patience. They
would find him by-and-by. If not, then
the end could not be far off not very
far. Patience. The stars f1ickered and
faded. He saw a room, with pale pink
walls, flowers, a work basket on the Ia
ble-nothing escaped his notice. Tvs was
there; she had on a gray dress and a gold
chain round her neck. 5S5
Were there tears in her eyes? There
We're tears in his. IT will pray for you
ltTS The a. aiv ryh + cha co III fn%% ~ ~ 49,. 80 u