The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-10-07

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She came running lightly down the
shallow stairs, through the wide hall,
out into the glorious summer morning.
Such morning-biue, clear, brilliant!
Overhead yellowest, most dazzling sun
shine; underfoot mossiest, greenest
turf. And all around flowers-pink
and white, and crimson and damask,
lifting their Haunting heads to gaily
nod the sun "Good-morrow"
Pickering through the hawthorn
branches, down by the gate, cleaned
spot of color. For just beyond the
hawthorn some one was standing, and
watching, and waiting-had been
standing, and watching, and waiting
for an hour or more.
He had come to know the old house
by heart-every inch OF It; and it was
well worth studying in its quaint pic
turesqueness. 1t was long and low
and rambling; II had diamond-latticed
and lozenge-latticed windows; 1t had
queer-peaked gables. 1t was covered
from cellar to roof with ivy-darkest,
glossiest, richest iyy-and would
doubtless have made an exquisite NOR
sci on canvas. But the gentleman
down by the hedge of hawthorn was
not an artist, not poet, not lover of
romantic decay. Instead he was an ex-
ceedingly handsome, exceedingly hot
headed. exceedingly miserable young
man.
Just now he started with a look of
sudden animation, and abandoned his
lounging posture, as Laurie's white
figure flashed out into the sunshine.
Halfway down the path she paused
60 pluck a great cluster of crimson
roses; then she came slowly on. Her
head wa sa little bent, as she thrust
the flowers in her bosom and belt. She
was still singing light-heartedly, as
any thrush in the elm tree:
"oh my Nora Creina, dearl
My gentle, bashful Nora Creina!
Beauty lies"
The song broke of with sweet,
startled laugh, as she caught sight of
figure before her. Her half-fastened
flowers fell UNDECIDED at her feet. The
young fellow towering above her, eager
and handsome, and splendidly
stronghold, did not notice them either.
He was looking down on the face be-
fore him. And what witching win
some face 1t wasl Delicately chiseled
as though cut from cameo. with a
faint, soft rose-bloom tinging either
cheek: with its great purple-blue eyes,
dark-fringed and shining, with its
short, proud, smiling, scarlet lips. Ten
drills of bronze.gold hair clustered
round the broad, white brow; the rest
was brushed away end hung in bur-
nished braids below her slim, girls
waist.
"Ah, my Nora Creina, dear!" Give
Darlington echoed softly, a queer,
warm look in his dark eyes--a queer,
moved tone in his strong voice. My
gentle, bashful Nora Creinai"
She heard the faint emphasis on the
pronoun, and the rose in her cheek
deepened 70 a rich carnation. She
lifted her head quickly, with an air
that was In reality a gesture Of self.
defiance.
"Well. where did you spring from"
in gay Questioning. "Do your friends
traduce you? Capt. Hanley told me
you never rose before eight, and here
you are, more than a mile from the
barracks, and 1t is not yet seven"
And even as she spoke. she realized
how well be looked, standing erect and
bareheaded in the pure gold of the
early sunshine He gave one the idea
of such muscular power, such roya
strength,
But his comrades knew that in tht
messroom the most rollicking spirits
the most ringing laughter. were those
of Give Darlington.
And his enemies felt, In hour of dan
ger or at knowledge OF dishonor, there
was no man in the regiment so terror
inspiring, so wrathful, so nnerringlI
swii to dare and do.
But Just now that face, which could
break to boyish smiles or kindle tc
honest rage, was as gentle a sa WON
ans
II was very tender and reverent. i
was also strangely troubled and per
picked. High in the branches of 9
tree above him bird was chatterinl
its mathis. Something in the pleasant
xirlisn voice had struck him with al
odd sense OF pain.
How hlithe it was! And then he
told himself, in swift reproach, tina
she did not know--she did not know
When she did, would she care? II,
answered her never word
His grave, poetic face was full o
Rrieved embarrassment.
Miss LAUREL"
He was still standing restlessly b
The gate and was twirling his stiff mil
itary cap round and round In his white
shapely fingers.
.'Mr Carrington!"
"The regiment leaves to-day"
$50 have heard"
$50 you have heard?"
She nodded. looking up at him wit
smiling lips and softly brilliant eyes.
"Yes. How we shall miss the oil
,sZNa