The Red Cloud chief., 1902-12-12

people in my condition. and I assure
you that with all my soul love your
daughter. No man can love her bet
ter"
What say you? How, then, do I
love her? I who carried her-mijn
witte lammetje-in these arms before
yet she could say to me-. 'Fader!'"
His wrath had been steadily growing.
and suddenly striking the desk a pom
derous blow with his closed hand, he
said with an unmistakable passion,
MY daughter you shall not have. God
In heaven to himself take her ere
such sorrow come to her and mel"
Sir. you are very uncivil; but to be
plain with you, I am determined to
marry your daughter IL I can compass
the matter in any way. 1t Is now,
then. open war between us; and SO,
sir, your servant"
Stay. To me listen. Not one
guilder will | give to my daughter,
if"
ITO the devil with your guilders!
Dirty money made in dirty traffic"
You lie.'
Sir, you take an infamous advan-
tage. You know, that, being Rather
ines father, | will not challenge you"
"Christus!" roared Joris, "chal-
lenge me one hundred times. A fool
| would be to answer you. Life my
God gave to me. Well, then. only
my God shall from me take 1t. See
you these arms and hands? In them
you will be as the child Of one year.
Ere beyond my reason you move me,
gO!" and he strobe to the door and
flung it open with a passion that made
every one in the store s%traighten
towards the two men.
White with rage. and with his hand
upon his sword.hilt, Capt. Hyde
stamped his way through the crowded
store to the dusty street. Then it
struck him that he had not asked the
name of the man to whom Katherine
was promised. He swore at himself
for the omission. Whether he knew
him or not, he was determined to
fight him. Now he must see Kathe.
rine before her father had any oppor-
tuhity to give any orders regarding
him.
In the meantime Joris was suffering
as only such deep natures can suffer.
Capt. Hyde's proposal and his posi-.
tive assertion that Katherine loved
him, had fallen upon the fathers
heart with the force of a blow, and
the terror of a shock.
After Hyde's departure, he shut
the door of his Office, walked to the
window, and stood there some min.
utes, clasping and unclasping his
large hands. like a man full of grief
and perplexity. Ere long he remem-
bered his friend Semple. This trou.
BILE concerned him also, for Capt.
Hyde was in a manner his guest;
and, If he were informed of the mar.
riage arranged between Katherine
and Neil Semple, he would doubtless
feel himself bound in honor to retire.
Joris found Semple and in a few
short. strong sentences, put the case
before him.
MY certie. When girls are aud
enough for a lover, they are a match
for any gray head. I'm thankful man
that | wasna' put in charge o any o.
them. | shall haze to speak my mind
to Mel, and likewise to Col. Gordon;
and you Gamma put off your duty to
your daughter an hour longer. Dear
me! To think. Joris, O a man be.
ing able to sit wi the councillors q the
nation, and yet no match for u lassie
o seventeen"
AS they walked homeward, the elder
talked, and Joris pondered. not what
was said, but the thoughts and pur-
poses that were slowly forming in his
own mind.
When the evening meal was over
Joris rose, and laying his hand on
Katherine's shoulder said, There Is
something to talk about. Sit down,
Lysbet; the door shut close, and lis.
ten to me-"
1t was impossible to mistake the
stern purpose On her husbands face,
and Lysbet silently obeyed the order.
katherine. katrijntje, min kind,
this afternoon there comes to the store
the young man Capt. Hyde. To thy
father he said many i'll words. To
him thou shalt never speak again.
Thy promise give to me-"
She sat silent, with dropped eyes,
and cheeks as red as the pomegranate
flower at her breast.
Min kind, speak to me-"
Weeping bitterly, she rose and went
TO her mother. and laid her head upon
Lysbet's shoulder.
Look now. Joris. One must know
the why and the wherefore What
mean You? Whish. min kindje!"
This | mean, Lysbet. No more
meetings with the Englishman will
have. No love secrets will | bear.
Danger is with them; yes, and sin, too.
Min kindje, listen to me thy father.
1t is for thy happy life here, it Is for
thy eternal life. | speak to thee. This
man for whom thou art weeping is
rot good for thee. Min beste kinje,
do ! love thee?"
my father!"
do love thee?"
"Yaa yaab