Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-12-17

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Hseds them not as she sits and
Gree ms
The eve Of Christmas eve! and It
was showing steadily and noiselessly
had been showing steadily from far
into the previous night-a regular,
o~id-fashioncd Christmas snowstcrm.
dense and determined and uncompro-
mising-a storm which blotted out
every vestige Of road and path and
hecSeTow-which lowered hills and
whole fair. rolling landscape into q
dead-white level.
II was the most severe winter
known in England for many years.
The poor suffered intensely.
Up at the great mansion Of Black
castle there was little or no decora-
tion going on In honor of the season.
which before had been always royal
Iy welcomed with banners Of holly and
flourish OF mistletoe.
To-day, Will Warren had passed his
afternoon sulkily knocking around the
balls Of the billiard table, and wonder
ing why on earth a girl couldn't have
a little consideration even II her
father was coming to see her.
And up stairs Baby Earle rushed
ecstatically from window To window,
and captured Cynthia to whisper a
few excited words In her ear when
ever she passed. and laughed gleeful.
~ to herself when quite alone.
And in the corridor without, slowly,
slowly up and down walked Laurie
Lisie-a small. slender ig'are. clad In
a dark. flowing gown, with soft. black
RULES at throat and wrists. Hell
golden head was bent upon her breast.
her bright hair fell In a glittering
food below her waist; her hands hung
loosely clssped before her.
She was thinking, as she had been
thinking ever since she regained con.
s~ciousness the previous evening. and
now she had decided.
Let Cuthhert Bracken come-let
hfm come and do his worst! She
would defy him! She would no long
~r be a child, but a woman-a woman
who, secure In her own honor. would
not trembie and fly at the sound OF
this mans step. at tie ring OF his
voice In any casc,she was sick OF
tkis deception. She would reveal her
identity. After that
So absorbed was she In her
thoughts that she started when Gym
thia's voice fell on her ear.
"wiii you not go down and see
Lady Carringtonf she Is In the little
room at the foot OF the stairs. She
Is coming In to dinner tonight. but
she Is anxious to see you alone first.
VIII you go?"
For one moment she hesitated. Ills
mother! Well. the meeting must
come sooner or later. why not now?
.sYes." she answered. II will 60"
In point or fact, Lady Darlington
was not extremely DESTROYS OF an In
teryiew with the girl. She even
doubted the wisdom and propricty
Cynthia had shown In introducing this
utter stranger into their social and
exclusive circle.
But Miss Lennox overruled all OBJ
XEEttUMo u uCi ihAp0i AtitF ANcAbDA.
"She is a LADY. and she stands In
need OF Kindness" she had insisted.
~That Is sufficient for AS to know.
Lack or courtesy was never q failing
OF the Cerringtons. And IN this In
stance the very deiicacy OF hospital
ity forbids us to penetrate. with the
weapon OF vulgar intrusion. the re-
serve which u guest chooses to
maintain,
Just now my lady sat by the long
window which opened 70 the ~veranda.
running along the western side of the
house. She was looking out at the
whirling Snow with sad. weary eyes.
and God only knows what bitter
thoughts.
She had changed awfuliy Of late:
she had grown thin and haggard. and
her hair was almost white. She
reused herself and turned round as
the door opened and q figure came
into the gathering dusk.
~Ah. Miss Athertont" she exclaimed.
and held out her hand In her stately
way. II am glad TO see you. Cynthia
has spoken OF you 80 often. You are
quite Fecovered?"
But al tho very FIRST word she spoke
Gao noticed how broken and sorrow
iii were the tones that had been so
6rm and proud.
For one moment the old jeweled
hand closed over the slim fingers.
Then the girl sank down on a low
fauteuil. her face turned to the dying
daylight.
Yes. I am better. I am almost
wen: ! shall soon be strong enough 10
60 away"
~Ah. no. indeed!" she said, kindly
enough, for her great sorrow had soft
cncd her strangely. you must not
be In such great haste Ia leave us.