The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-01-02

VIII see that my heart was already in
| terested more than l supposed. She
! had firm yet airy motion of the body,
| and carried her head with unimagin-
able grace; every step was a thing to
! look at, and she seemed in my eyes
| to breathe sweetness and distinction.
The day was SO agreeable, being
calm and sunshiny with a tranquil
| sea, and yet with healthful piquancy
yigor in the air, that, contrary TO Gus
tom, she was tempted forth a second
time TO walk. On this occasion she
was accompanied by Northmour, and
| they had been but a short while on the
beach when | saw him take forcible
! possession Of her hand She strug-
| gled, and uttered a cry that was al
most a scream. / sprang to my feet,
unmindful of my strange position; but,
| ere had taken step / saw North
mour bare-headed and bowling very
! low, as If to apologize; and dropped
again at once into my ambush. A few
words We're interchanged, and then,
with another bow, he left the beach
| TO return to the pavilion. He passed
not far from me, and | could see him,
flushed and lowering, and cutting saw
agely with his cane among the grass.
II was not without satisfaction that /
recognized my own handlwork in the
| great cut under his right eye, and
considerable discoloration around the
socket.
For some time the girl remained
where he had left her, looking out past
the islet and over the bright sea. Then
with a start as one who throws off
preoccupation and puts energy again
upon its metal, she broke into a rapid
and decisive walk. She also was much
incensed by what had passed. She had
| forgotten where she was. And | be-
held her walk straight into the bor-
ders of the quicksand where it is most
abrupt and dangerous. Two or three
steps further and her life would have
been in serious jeopardy, when slid
down the face of the sand hill, which
is there precipitous, and, running half
way forward, called to her to stop.
She did SO, and turned round. There
was not tremor of fear in her be-
havior, and she marched directly up to
me like a queen.
What does this mean?" she asked.
you were walking" told her, "di-
rectly into Graden Floe."
You do not belong to these parts"
she said again. you speak like an
educated man. What do you mean
you, a gentleman-by skulking like a
spy about this desolate place? Tell
me" she said, who is it you hate?"
II hate no one," answered, land I
fear no one face to face. My name is
Cassilis-Frank Cassilis. | lead the
life of a vagabond for my own good
pleasure. l am one of Northmour's
Oldest friends, and three nights ago
when l addressed him on these links
he stabbed me in the shoulder with
knife"
| ut was you!" she said.
why he did So" l continued, dis
regarding the interruption, SIS more
than can guess and more than care
to know. / have not many friends,
nor am very susceptible to friendship,
but no man shall drive me from a
place by terror. / had camped in Ora
den Sea-wood ere he came; I camp in
it still. II you think / mean harm to
you or yours, madam, the remedy is in
your hand. Tell him that my camp is
in the Hemlock Den, and tonight he
can stab me in safety while sleep"
With this doffed my cap to her and
scrambled up once more among the
sand hills. / do not know why, but I
felt prodigious sense of injustice and
felt like hero and a martyr; while,
as matter OF fact, had not a word
| 10 say in my defense nor so much as
one plausible reason to offer for my
| conduct.
Next day she came out about the
same hour alone. and, as soon as the
sand hills concealed her from the pa
vilion, drew nearer to the edge, and
called me by name in guarded tones. /
was astonished to observe that she
was deadly pale, and seemingly under
the influence of strong emotion.
Mr.. Cassilis" she cried; Mr.. Cas-
silisp'
! l appeared at once, and leapeG DOWN
! upon the beach. A remarkable air of
relief overspread her countenance as
soon as she saw me-
OH she cried, with a hoarse
sound, like one whose bosom has been
lightened of weight And then.
Thank God, you are still safep' she
added; Il knew if you We're you would
be here. Promise me that you will
sleep no longer in that wood. You
do not think how suffer; all last
night / could not sleep for thinking
of your peril"
"Peril?" | repeated. Peril from
whom? From Northmour?"
Not so,' she said. Did you think
l would tell him after what you said?''
Not from Northmour?" / repeated.
Then how? From whom? I see more