Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-29

basket OF fruit he came to me on his I
way to the train for Atlanta. He
hadn't time to say much, but he said
If you were out here today to tell you
to come in town tonight without fail,
so as to meet him at his Office early in
the morning. He'll he back on the
midnight train. I asked him if it was
about the railroad, and he said it was;
that he had discovered something that
looked encouraging"
I'm glad Of that" said Alan, a thrill
of excitement passing over him. "Ray-
burn threw cold water on my ideas the
other day, and"-
II know he did, and it was a shame"
said Dolly warmly. THE idea of his
thinking he is the only man in Georgia
with originality! Anyway, l hope it
will come to something."
II certainly d." responded Alan. TITS
the only thing could think of to help
my people, and I am willing to stake
all have on it-which is, after all,
nothing but time and energy"
"Well, don't you let him or any one
else discourage you," said the girl, her
eyes flashing. "A man who listens to
other people and puts his own ideas
aside is unworthy of the brain God
gave him. There is another thing
her voice sank lower and her eyes
sought the ground-"Rayburn Miller is
fine, all round man. but he is not per-
feet by any means. He talks freely to
me, you know; he's known me since l
was knee high. Well, he told me-he
told me Of the talk he had with you at
the dance that night. Oh. that hurt
me-hurt me!'
"He told you that" exclaimed Alan
in surprise.
eyes, and it actually disguised me.
Does he think all men ought to act on
that sort Of advice? He might, for he
has made an unnatural man Of him.
self, with all his fancies for new faces,
but you are not that kind, Alan, and
I'm sorry you and he are so intimate;
not that he can influence you much,
but he has already in way, and that
has panied me deeply"
HE has Influenced me?" cried Alan
in surprise. ~ think you are mis-
taken"
You may not realize it, but he has,"
said Dolly, with gentle and yet un-
yielding earnestness. "You see, you
are so very sensitive that it would not
be hard to make you believe that a
young man ought not to keep on caring
for girl whose parents object to his
attentions"
"Ah" He had caught her drift.
There was a pause. At the foot Of
the hill little brook ran merrily over
the water Drowned stones, and it's
monotonous tapping could be heard dis
tinctly. Under the trees across the
open some Of the couples had drawn
together and were singing:
II sec the boat go round the bend,
Goodby. my lover. goodby."
Dolly had said exactly what he had
never hoped to hear her say, and the
fact OF her broaching such subject in
such a frank. determined way sent a
glow Of happiness all over him.
II don't think" he began thought
fully, that Rayburn or any man could
keep me from"-he looked into her full,
expectant eyes and then plunged mad
ly-"cOuld keep me from caring for
you, from loving you with all my heart,
Dolly, but it really is terrible thing
to know that you are robbing girl Of
not only the love Of her parents, but
her rightful Inheritance, when-when"
he hurried on, seeing that an impulse
to speak was urging her to protest
when you haven't a cent to your
name and, moreover, have black eye
from your fathers mistakes"
II knew that's what he'd said" de-
clared the girl, almost white with an
ger. II knew it! Oh, Alan, Rayburn
Miller might be able to draw back and
leave a girl at such a time, but no man
could that truly loves as-as believe
you love me. l have known how you
have felt all this time. and it has near
ly broken my heart, but I could not
write to you when you had never even
told me what you have today. You
must not let anybody or anything in
fluence you. Alan. I'd rather be a
poor mans wife and do my own work
than let paltry thing like my fathers
money keep me from standing by the
man love-"
Alan's face was ablaze. He drew
himself up and gazed at her. all his
soul in his eyes. "Then l shall not
give you up" he declared-"not for
anything in the world. And if there
is chance in the railroad idea shall
work at it ten times as hard now that
have talked with you"
They sat together in blissful igno-
rance Of the passage of time till some
one shouted out that Frank Hillhouse
was coming with the watermelon.
Then all the couples in sight or hear
ing ran to the spring, where Hillhouse
could be seen plunging the big melon
into the water. Hattie Alexander and
Charlie Durant, who had been perched
on jutting bowlder high up on the
hill behind Dolly and Alan, came half
running, half sliding, down, catching
at the trees to keep from falling.
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