Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-07-23
ucnea ~ her maids deft cngers.

htLS pditT lndn usual oas
tiful."
These were the spoken words her
ear caught, but over and above them
all a the written words-"There
will dawn a day / shall not wait your
summons!"
Would he keep his word? Should
she welcome him among her guests
tonight?
All, the color was not wanting now!
That thought brought 1t In quick Grim
som tide over the snowy neck, above
the white silk dress, softened by lace,
over the throat on which cleaned the
lawless pearls, up even to the she'll
tinted ears, until she turned away to
hide II from herself.
II had been her dead fathers last
wish. She had sworn obedience TO his
commands; she had eyer looked upon
her life as a consecrated life That
she should wish 1t otherwise had
never crossed the horizon of her fancy,
until the morning of the day on which
it was to meet with its fulfllment.
Was there some fatality at work, that
1 IUlS lace ludL Was DSnl OANk hNl as
she swooned, the voice whose musical
utterance still lived within her mem
DRY. should refuse to be banished from
her thoughts, should suddenly have
lent new sweetness TO her life so mi
raculously saved-the life which be-
longed TO another?
But her guests already were arriv-
e.. DIV har rothar,c side che cfOOA
in the spacious and elegantly appoint
ed salon, receiving her congratulations
and extending to them her welcome,
until, at a given signal, music clashed
forth from a hidden recess its harmo-
NOUS summons to the dance.
1t was a gay, brilliant scene. Flow
ers, light, radiance everywhere, and
the girl, standing upon the threshold
of this new and bewildering world,
thought how glad a thing it was to live.
"Avicei"
It was her brothers voice which ar.
rested her attention as she stood for a
moment alone. Turning, she saw him
A happy light danced in his eyes as
his hand rested Familiarity on the
shoulder Of Could she fail to recog-
nize that handsome face which only a
few short hours before had been her
last waking consciousness ere she
swooned away? 1t was the mar who
that morning had saved her life.
"Avice!" Travis repeated, This Is
MIR. Lennox. Surely you have not for
gotten him?"
Mr.. Lennox. How blind she had
been not to have remembered him!
Now she could trace each feature.
But what had brought him here to-
night? Was it love or duty? This UNI
solved question, the obligation under
which she rested to him, the con-
lent an almost GOODNESS to her manner
as she shyly outsretched n little
gloyed hand and murmured a few
words Of greeting.
Think of it," Travis interrupted,
Milton has been in Paris nearly a
\ week without letting us know"
Il could not intrude upon Miss Mere
dith,'' Lennox answered, his eyes
searching the beautiful face, on which
the DLuSQeS came anu Went
Her heart beat so fast, SO loudly, 1t
seemed as IL his ear must catch it's
throbbing. A something thrilled her.
1t was as though the king had come to
claim his own; but such a grand, a
noble sovereign! Must he not bend
very low his kingly head to seek this
little blossom another's hand had
plucked for him.
"Avice, have you no word of well
come for me?"
They were alone now, her hand rest
ing on his arm, as they stood within
the dimly lighted conservatory, where
he had led her. The notes of the mu-
sic came to them family; there was
the sweet odor of many plants, the far
of ripple OF falling water from some
far-off fountain; but sweeter than any
music were the deep, rich tones of his
questioning voice.
WELCOMED" she said, u%pturning her
radiant eyes to his. Have | not to
thank you for my life? Oh, Mr.. Len
noz, how a / ever repay the debt I
owe your"
lid = oasCN IL Ia uuy IiC1CSL, IdI-
est reward. But I had hoped you
would not remember me as the stran-
ger, fortunate enough to avert such a
calamity as threatened you. Avice, do
you not know how gladly l would have
laid down my own life rather than on
this day n hair Of your head should
be harmed? For three long years /
have had but m hope, one dream
that the day might come when in spite
of the vast gulf Of years yawning be-
tween us, / might teach you to love
me, might win your promise to become
my wife, might pillow your head again
on my heart, as | had pillowed IL, when
it was a boys true, earnest heart, with
your sunny, baby tresses. have
longed for n word from o to short
en- the weary time of my waiting
hours. None came. When / reached
Paris my first impulse was tn seek