Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1902-05-22
lRENE'S vow
BY CHARLOTTE M. BRAEME.
BY CHARLOTTE NJ. BRAEME.


quite Mt her ense with him she had lost
all her nervous constraint aud indiffer-
ence. With coquence he had persuaded
her that she was doing no wrong in
keeping these clandestne meetings Sc
crct from her friends, but that she was
doing something brave aud heroic, tram
ping the prejudice Of the world under
foot. So. day after day, the love be-
tween them grew deeper and dearer, day
after day the girls face grew more and
more lovely until Sir Hubert, accus-
toned as he was to the fnirest faces in
Europe, was dazzled by her beauty.
| 1t happened that one most beautiful
evening, when the sunlight seemed faircr
than ever, Sir Hubert hating the hour
which would part them, walked with her
some little distance home
They had not gone very far before a
dark shadow fell across their path ANA
looking up. Irene saw the kindly. shrewd
old face Of DR.. Kcan. the doctor who had
| introduced her to the world, and who had
closed her mothers eyes.
Il did not Think to meet you here,
child" he said How are your"
The lovely, hower-like face dropped
from his, the sweet eyes fell, the little,
white hands trembled. She had no words
in which to answer him He looked from
the delicate. lovely face to the dark, hand
some one, and something like frown
came over his.
II have not seen you once for the last
fortnight Irene" he said whenever
have called, yon have been out. began
to wonder when | should see you again.
Will you introduce me to your friend,
lreneI"
She blushcd crimson. Sir Hubert came
to the rescue; he could moth endure to see
her in distress
Il shall be much pleased. DR.. Kean,"
he said, ito make your acquaintance. |
have heard wonders of your skill. | am
visiting Lord Arundale, and you stand
very high in his lordship's good graces."
IL did SO happen that there was no
person on earth for whom the good doc
tor had so much respect as for Lord
Arundale; the very name was passport
to his esteem; his face relaxed, the last
frown disappeared, as he said:
You are visitor of Lord Arundale's?
am most happy to make your acQuaint-
ance."
1t did not occur to the good doctor how
cleyerly the handsome young aristocrat
had evaded the Introduction, and how
completely he had forgotten to ask his
name.
Sir Hubert smiled his frankest smile.
1T Is through Lord Arundale that
first had the pleasure of seeing Miss
Darcy" he continued, ''and very great
pleasure II was. | met Miss Darcy Just
now in the woods here, aud begged to
have the pleasure of seeing her home"
added Sir Hubert
DIR. kean was the last man in the
world to tell tales or to make mischief;
but in some way he considered himself
responsible for this motheress child. He
knew how unprotected she was: the
dreamy artist father and the old grand
mere We're no protectors for her; ne was
haunted by the memory of those beau
tiful faces, the girls so fair aud tender,
the mans so dark, so full of fire. Ger
tainly the young stranger had spoken but
in the most frank and candid manner;
yet it would be just as well to know il
the artist knew of the friends his daugh-
ter made.
When the doctor met Santon Darcy he
said to him: Did Irene tell you that
met her in the woods lately?"
mo, | do not remember it," was the
reply.
81 met her with one of the very hand
soonest young men ever saw, walking in
the woods. ] say nothing, | insinuate
nothing; but IL it were my daughter
should like to know something OF it," said
DR.. Kean.
| Whatever ask Irene will tell me-"
said the artist, proudly
! And the doctor, with an expressive
shrug of his shoulders, walked away.
Although he was habitually dreamer,
Santon Darcy reused himself to think
over the old Doctors words He met
Irene as she came in from a long, pleas
ant hour spent watching the sunset.
Irene he asked, in that gentle voice
of his, which had in it always a sugges-
ton of tears Irene. where have you
been?"
Watching the sunset in the woods"
she replied.
Have you been alone?' he asked.
mo, was not alone, papa" she re-
Piled
with whom were you, Irene?" he ask
ed, gravely. and she answered, frankly,
II told you that had met Lord Arnn
dale. papa, and this gentleman is visit
ing him; a friend of his. have seen him
often since, and he brings me part of tn,
way home"
To this simple mindtd man, who live,
in his visions, this seemed natural ant
frank enough. No warning of a terribl,
tragedy came to him, no revelation tina
the beginning OF the crisis of Irene's liz,
was Mt hand. He thought it was merel,
a question OF the politeness of a stranger
who believed 1t an act of kindness to SO,
his daughter home.
1T is very kind OF him, but you mus
not accept such acts Of attention, Irene
you are not child now; indeed, it fill
me with wonder TO find you are almost
! woman, my dear You must not speak Il
y strangers or walk with them, no matte
: who they may be, and advise yo
! strongly not to go where you are likely |
: meet this person again"
! II will do as you wish. papa" she sal,
= gently.
y AS she uttered the words all the bripb,
' ness of life died away from her. Fo
. the first time, she realized the intensit
of her love. The artist went back 10 nj
X |