Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-10-07

tinct than usual, and there was an
expressive silence after them.
The windows were thrown open,
the heavy silk curtains loopej back to
| let in the sweet summer air and sun
| shine, and at the sound of step on
| the walk every one turned toward the
window just in time to see Gerald
pale as death, and dreary smile on
| his lips.
Josie Lansden drew back into the
| shadow, Agnes blushed and dropped
her eyes, Dinorah looked steadily in
to the brown eyes that for one moment
met her own, while Viola Weatherbee,
springing from one mood into the op-
| posite, leaned carelessly forward to
drop her handkerchief at young Nor
mans feet.
He evidently saw the dainty thing
as it futtered down to the pavement,
but did not stoop to touch it. Viola
even thought he put his foot upon it.
That's the mark of gentleman,
isn't it," she said, with little cloud
of anger in her eyes. II don't know
another man who would refuse to
pick up my handkerchief if it fell at
his feet"
perhaps he recognized the fact
that it did not fall there" said
Dinorah. Don't be pettish, Vic!
You know you deserved it for your in
consistency"
"Well," she said, slowly, 1--WE have
heard your decision, Queenie, and
hereafter, I do not acknowledge his
acquaintance"
There was not single protest, but
with new gravity on her fair face,
Dinorah EstIin babe her girl friends
good-by that afternoon and went away
to sit and ponder in her quiet little
! room.
81 wonder if I did right?" she asked
herself a dozen times that night.
'"There is such a difference in our po-
isitions, perhaps I ought not to judge
him. l am rich, have happy home,
and surrounded by good influences,
and have no wish denied, while
Gerald Norman is poor, has neither
mother nor home, has false friends
who seek to lead him in the wrong
way, and has, at the best, to deny
himself of many of the comforts Of
life. Is it fair that I should sit in
Judgment on his actions?"
1t wasn't fair, and she knew it.,
but she took two or three days to
think about it, and at the end of that
time learned that Gerald Norman had
resigned from his position, which was
both honorable and lucrative, and had
left the place.
4 =
Two years afterward she was visit
ing at her uncle's house in Philadel-
phia-and, going out to church one
Sabbath morning, came face to face
with the man she had never quite for
gotten.
She scarcely hesitated before she
stood before him holding out her
hand.
If any one had told her ten min
utes before that she would have stop
ped in the street and offered her hand
to drunkard, with the wish that he
should take it, she would probably
have laughed at the idea
She had vague feeling that she
somehow had been the cause of this
mans fall into poverty and disgrace,
and that consciousness made her less
sensitive than she would have been at
another time to her surroundings.
"Mr. Norman" she said, at length,
~ think owe you an apology.
spoke cruelty and thoughtlessly of
you once, and have been sorry for it
! ever since"
He stared curiously into her face
without speaking.
Don't misunderstood me- she said,
with a little trembling in her voice;
II am speaking to you as | would
| speak to friend whom 1 had injured
do not know if l am answerable for
your folly, but l would like to help
you to forget it,
''Miss Estlin," he said gently, when
the mist had floated away from his
brain, 'for Heavens sake don't stand
there and talk to me! Don't you see l
am in rags-a beggar, fit only to be in
| the gutter?"
| II see no such thing" she replied,
with a sweet seriousness. ct is
that am the beggar, for am going to
ask you to take me to church"
"You don't mean that?" he said.
| turning his face toward her, white
with a new-found hope.
Dinorah was almost frightened
when she saw that look, but she
would not leave him III doubt.
II mean that I want to help you
| in any way l can. # I discouraged
you once, let me give you encourage
n MT now"
Thank you," he said. eff you will
go on alone, I will come and sit as
near you as l dare. Perhaps next
Sabbath I may come to your door and
| ask Won RI walk with mo