The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-11-26
CHAPTER XVII.
"How I Envy Her.

Thursday-Thursday evening. And
what a miserable day it had been
what a thoroughly wretched evening
It was! The invigorating snap of cold
weather had been succeeded by thaw
"a clumsy, slippery, dispirited thaw,
accompanied by heavy rains.
All day had the guests of Blackcas'
tie wandered about the great old house
from the music room to the billiard
room, from the library to the picture
gallery--in vague search of amuse-
ment.
And, In truth, it was no trial to be
prisoner in Blackcastle; for, take it all
in all, one could never feel wholly
lonely surrounded by such miracles OF
art, such luxuries of wealth, such sug-
gestions Of exquisite refinement which
this proud home boosted.
Most OF the day Cynthia Lennox
had spent by the bedside of the
strange gueg. fate had flung at their
agtes. She found peculiar and most
inexplicable fascination in the fever
ish face which lay upon the snowy
! pillow.
A dozen times she went away--a
dozen times she came back. Where
had she seen that face before? 1t held
for her shadowy, intangible mem
DRY. Where, nowhere, how? she
asked herself vainly, over and over.
The chill yellowish daylight was
shuddering to twilight, when my lady
came softly into the room and up to
where Cynthia stood by the sick girls
/ bedside.
What are you thinking Of, dear?--
you look so solemn" she whispered,
/ putting her arm around her wards
| waist
| swered, with a slow motion Of her
swered, with a slow motto nof her
head toward the quiet figure before
| them. a." thoughtfully. was won
| dering who she is--what her name iG;
wondering, too II there is any one who
| misses her now-any one who loves
her"
at is a face that would win love
royalty" my lady answered. Her
! lace is her fortune!
For the FIRST time In several hours
she was resting calmly. Just now the
/ subdued light from a shaded lamp,
burning near her, penetrated the rich
! curtains, and showed her as she lay
| a model for a sculptor. One arm, from
which the loose white sleeve had fallen
/ away, was flung above her head, and
against the blue silken draperies OF
I the bed it cleaned. fair and rounded,
and faultlessly nodded. One hand lay
quite motionless on the lace coveriet-
a slender, snowy hand, the hand Of an
aristocrat to the finger tips.
The upturned face was beautiful in
it's softened, slumberous repose--a
childish face, with full, bright curls
clustering round the pure brow, with
its finely penciled black brows and
long, jetty lashes; with its fever
flushed cheeks and curved. scarlet lips.
! And even as they looked, she moved
and spoke.
"Clive!" she whispered, and smiled
-"Clive!"
A look of pain crossed my lady's
face. She turned quickly away.
81 sometimes wonder why we ever
brought her here, Cynthia, instead OF
sending her to the county hospital"
"Ah," with a gentle, reproachfui
laugh, "that was not you tlat spoke!"
They called maid to attend the pa
| tient, and went together down stairs.
At the foot my lady paused, and drew
| out her watch.
Cynthia turned away and walked
rapidly down the hall.
"Fivel Mr.. Bowers will be here by
six. l suppose he wants to see me
about those Australian stocks. can
imagine no other errand which would
bring him without a summons.
The servants were lighting the
bronze pedestaled lamps throughout
the long hall. and by their luster Miss
J Lennox caught glimpse OF her
| friends face. How white. and trou-
bled, and anxious 1t loked! What
could Like fash she remembered!