The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-10-14
CHAPTER ~.
"For Your Sweet Sake"

Listen! Sne whispered, ana bowed
her dark, stately head. do you hear
carriage wheels? Listen, Cynthia"
Not yet" laughed the girl at her
ladyship's feet, mot yet; the train is
barely due now. Patience, patience!"
1t was such a pretty room where
they sat, these two women. 1t had
velvet carpets, all cream and rose, and
chairs that were miracles of ease and
beauty. It had painted walls, and
glittering chandeliers, and curtains Of
flushed silk and delicate lace. 1t had
in rich profusion; and over all their
reigned rosy twilight.
And they were worthy OF the room,
it's occupants. My lady, seated in her
carved. medieval chair, as quantity pic
turesque as any of her painted ances-
tors in the grim gallery above; my
lady, with her proud repose of bearing,
her fine old face, with its delicate,
aquiline features, its thin, naughty lips,
it's air of indomitable determination
and invincible pride.
And Cynthia Lennox-ah, there was
a subject for the brush of Titan!
A girl of twenty-three or there
abouts, tall, graceful, well developed,
with face that dazzled you at first
sight, that puzzled you on closer
study; face low-browed, regular
featured, olive-skin ned; a face with
great brown, Southern eyes, flashing
from under dusky fringe. with white
teeth cleaning between portals of
scarlet, with a throat like a marble
column, and coronet of raven hair
She had been sitting so long, with
her splendid eyes fixed on vacancy, and
her slender, brown hands clasped in
her lap, that she started at sound OF
Lady Carrington's voice.
"Cynthia!"
MA mere!"
A quick flash came into the elder
woman's eyes.
That is what am anxious to be in
deed as well as in name. You know
you must have discovered ere this
the one ambition of my life"
A crimson color crept into the girls
olive cheek.
81 can guess, madame"
"Ah, and your feelings! Need l ask
them? Whosoever my son marries"-
proudly-"will be honored among
women But let me see your heart,
dear. What are the words it speaks ?"
"Only these!" She flung up her
head in sudden, swift defiance 'It is
an honor that / dream not Of"
Something in the tremulousness OF
the bright lips, in the very resonance
of the clear voice, made my lady shake
her head in smiling incredulity.
"Ah, my most unkind Juliet! To
know my boy is to love him"
The flush deepened on her listeners
cheek, but she answered never a word.
They say Love is blind. Is 1t not oft.
ener dumb?
and he is going away" Lady Car
rington said, Ito that hateful India.
Well, when he comes back-ah. Ii will
be joyful time for us both, dear! For
then shall new mistress-a fairer,
younger, sweeter mistress, reign at
Blackcastle."
And she bent and pressed two thin,
kindly lips to the hot cheek beside her.
'Hark!"
There was the sound of carriage
wheels up the avenue. Cynthia Len
nox sprang to her feet; a stately. i'm.
perial figure in her trailing, rose-col.
ored negligee.
1T is he!" she cried, in d burst OF
excited, unconscious Joy. Eyes, 1t is
he-it is hel"
A moment more and he was in the
room-had dashed In like a veritable
schoolboy, home on vacation. Such a
young Hercules of fellow, 1.-the
timber, muscular, full Of grace.
"Motheri" he cried-"mother,"
And then he had the stately old lady
In his arms, his splendid, proud face
all alight, his black eyes flashing be-
meath their straight, dark brows, his
lips, under their sweeping military
mustache, tender and sweet as a wom-
ans.
"oh, my boy!" she whispered. "Clive,
my boyi"
"Cynthia!" he calculated, catching
sight of his mothers visitor and 90
ing forward with hand extended. 81
did not see you before. You will par
don mel"