The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-11-19

dress 1eNedleu every curve VI thC Va
quisite figure. The long, heavy mass
es Cf waving heir were wet and pow
dered with snow. The lovely young
face cleaned against its dusky back
ground, marble-white and marble
cold.
"Waitl" some on said. Here is
Lady Darlington
She came gliding down the hall like
tall. dark ghost.
what is 1t, Cynthia?" she cried.
what has happened? Who is she?"
Miss Lennox did not answer. She
was on her knees beside the couch,
forcing some brandy between the
girls lips.
But dozen eager voices broke out
in excited explanation.
"We don't know. We were crossing
the road to the lake, and we found
her halfburied in the snow. Poor lit
tie thing! Such child to be left so
destitute as she was apparently! Is
she not beautiful, Lady Carrington?"
My lady came nearer and stood be-
side the lounge. looking down on the
motionless figure.
Aye, an exquisite face, truly! The
small, delicate features were abso-
lutely perfect; the long, curling Iashes
and dark, fine brows were black as
right; the short, proud lips were
faultlessly chiseled.
She stood several minutes looking
at her in absolute silence.
And thus they met-these two wom-
en- whom Give Darlington loved
these two women who loved lin!
Here Is the doctor!"
He came busting up the hall, pre-
coded by servant-a little, short,
stout, rubicund man.
He bowed deferentially to my lady,
approached the patient, felt her pulse,
and shook his head with an air OF
alert professional gravity.
"A serious case-very! A delicate
constitution, exposure combined, make
IL quite serious. You understand!
She may be conscious toward morn
ing. II not, the exhaustion and ex-
posure from which she Is suffering
must climax In brain fever. She must
be Immediately removed to her room
-"
Papa! papa!"
The broken cry walled through the
room. They staggered back, trem-
bling and half afraid.
The girl on the lounge had started
to a sitting posture and was looking
wildly around. Once again had the
fever fiend clutched her in his burE-
ing grasp.
ooh, am going to you'll am going
to you! You will be glad to have me,
dear! A few steps more-Hark!
What Is that they are playing? Re.
QUEEN aeternam'-rest eternal. oh,
not here!" with a sudden sharp, aw.
full cry. which thrilled her listeners
through and through. mot here-not
here!"
And once again she fell back, white
and unconscious.
They carried her up the grand stair
way with strong arms and gentle. and
into a dainty. luxurious room on the
floor above.
Such a cosy nest, all azure and sill
YER!
The night wore on. Dinner was
over. The numerous clocks through
out Blackcastle had changed the hours
in erratic clock fashion.
Eight. nine, ten. eleven! Eleven!
Brass. and silver, and iron jingled and
chimed--eleven!
"Eleven!" cried Baby Earle, rudely
jarring the social chord of genial con-
versation. "To bed--to bed! And to-
morrow well have our sleighing party
and our skating match Well, what
do you bet | won't pass you by a
quarter Of a mile?"
"A box of gloves?"
'Done?"
And so they trooped of to bed, and
silence fell over Blackcastle.
But though there was silence there
was wakefulness, and with wakeful-
ness comes thought, and with thought
-ah. so often. heartacbe!
In the room above, where the sick
girl lay, the minutes licked by in
mellow morotony. And what a pretty
room 1t was There were soft, light
carpets. all sprayed with forget.me-
note under foot The shining folds
CT curtains of blue silk draped the long
windows. Mirrors, reaching from floor
to ceiling. paneled the painted walls.
Here and there were scattered deep,
snowy rugs OF sheepskin.
Even the little white bed was a
miracle Of taste and beauty, with Its
bars of polished silver. its pillows OF
fine linen and embroidery, its canopy
and curtains of azure silk and costly
lace
Above the hearth, composed Of
quaint. bright Winton tiles, clear
fire burned and cracked brayely
and from their pedestals. cleaning fig.
ures of marble lifted aloft globes Of
rosy light.
Tick. tick. tick! droned the clock on
the mantel And throb. throb, throb!
went Cynthia's heart in time.
She was sitting in low chair by the
fire, her fine white draperies trailing
about her. her dark head little bent.
Beyond. in the bed, her patient lay
babbling incoherently in burning fe-
yer, or lying white and speechless.
and passively deathlike.