Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-03-06

duke found Polly a little better, and
there was quite q fash Of her old
self in her manner. So the duke spent
a pleasant quarter Of an hour ere
Rollit, the ex-dresser, turned him out
in a surly fashion, alleging that he
would fatigue her mistress.
AS he was passing through the
room the bell rang.
'sThe doctor!" exclaimed Rollit to
the young duke. "Come I'M"
A minute later, an elderly man, with
q very grave, dignified manner, en-
tered. Rollit left the two men togeth-
er whilst she went into the sick room.
The young duke timidly said some
thing obviously truthful about the
weather-the other agreed-then
anxiously he asked, "Is she very i'll?
What is really the matter?"
II presume you are friend OF the
family"
20, yes, certainly"
"She is very ill. We have had two
consultations, and" He merely
shrugged his shoulders again.
| buC WudU Is JIG 1llucoS 80
Technically Charlie could not
catch the long Latin term actually,
I suppose, the public would call it
broken heart Some young fellow, q
duke or someone of family know
little of such social matters-jilted
her. She made great effort to fight
against her feelings and so overtaxed
her strength; heavy reaction set in.
Then, when she was in a most vul-
nerable state, of course, she caught
chill, which attacked her lungs, and
now it is mere question of days?
Rollit appeared. "Please come at
once, doctor!"
Three days later, when Charles ar
rived, Rollit refused to let him see
Polly. "She's too bad, my lord, and
besides she's changed; she don't like
to be seen. And what do you want
to see her for? Go away. Let her
die in peace, and not think of you and
her sorrow"
The young man gasped.' II don't
think you put it fairly he said,
s4ammering.
II am sure you did not act fairly"
she replied.
II would do anything on earth to
give her pleasure" said the duke.
The old woman laughed fierce]y. "Of
course you would! You would do
anything on earth she does not want
II know all that"
"What does she want?"
Nothing from you-merely to die
in peace, for die size will before the
next week is out; and that should
know even if the doctor had not said
so. Poor babel" A long pause.
| II suppose it would be no pleasure
to her now-that it would not make
her any the happier"
"What?'
IF were to marry her."
"Too late; and yet-but here's the
DOCTOR
The duke of Rushminster had a
| short talk with the doctor, who
pledged his reputation as a medical
man that Polly could not live more
than few days, and then, despite
the shrugs of Rollit's elderly shout
ders, Charlie went into Polly's room,
and was shocked by her appearance,
since, for the first time, her lips had
lost their pretty pink and she looked
CHASTITY in the darkened room with q
green-shaded lamp.
A few days later, with the author
ity of special license, Polly became
duchess of Westminster, the two wit
nesses to the marriage being Rollit
and the doctor.
When the ceremony was over the
young man impulsively bent down
and kissed the dull lips of his pallid
bride, although she made efforts to
turn away her head. A moment later
Rollit and the doctor were busy get
ting him out Of the house, assuring
him that the excitement was too
much for the girl.
The young duke walked down the
road not half as happy as a BRIDE
groom ought to be. His heart and
hand had been ''true to POLL" but
he had broken his promise to the fam
lily and his word to the very august
parsonage.
AS he walked along, he took a
cigarette out of his cigarette case and
put it between his lips, but drew it
out, with the idea of using cigar
cite holder just given him by friend.
He happened to look at the end of
the cigarette and noticed that it
seemed dirty, then he observed that
his lips felt rather sticky. He put
his handkerchief to his mouth and
wiped it, glanced at the handkerchief,
and saw patch Of a kind of brown
grease.
A strange idea leapt into his mind,
followed by recollection of the fact
that he had noted with surprise when
he put the ring on Polly's finger that
her hand was plump and firm. He
walked lack hastily, with no very
definite thought in his head.
He found the garden gate open,
and walked quickly through it and up
the 80 yards of pathway. No sooner
had he reached the point where the
path ran to the left than he heard
sound of laughter, and saw through
the French window of the garden
room that merry party was taking
place. He ran across the lawn and
for q moment was unobserved.
There was Polly, looking the picture
of health, sitting on the corner of u
table in a dressing gown and smoking
/ 4. III