The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-07-20
CHAPTER KNIFE.

OT1AI EIl AZAlll.
Twelve months have passed away, the
leaves are beginning to wear an au-
tumnal tint, and Randall st. John is ex-
pected home. There are great prepara-
tons of welcome in the old house, and
much anticipation # coming pleasure.
1t had been a happy year-happy for
them all, and many another would come
and go before they forgot it, or spent
another in such cheerful content.
Mr.. Royston treated the two girls ex-
actly alike, petted them both, and, in re-
turn, they unused him and made much
of him. And the young ladies themselves
got on marvelously well together. and
were as much attached to each other as
two sisters. They rode, and walked, and
sketched through the long summer days,
and Maggie forgot almost as completely
as Mrs. Cholmondely had whispered her
to do that she had a history and a past
life, and a husband who had broken the
laws of his country, and was working
out his time of punishment in the gloomy
prison.
She had so neglected the old spinsters
had so put off, from time to time, the
task of writing to them, that they had
taken offense at last and proudly kept
silence. Her last letter had told her that
they had written to George, telling him
where she was; and the young wife,
remembering her fright with the last
epistle and Mrs. Benson, had torn it
into little pieces, and had scattered it
through the woods.
"Good heavens!" she thought, "if
George should come here!" for she had a
yn urrn sort 80 iIaa hat porbo fhnv
might let him go before his time was up;
and then she shuddered and closed her
lips very firmly, and resolved she would
not leave this comfortable home for ''the
roughing it, Of which he spoke; so the
last letter was never answered, and she
would never see the kindly faces again,
or read their loving messages and tear
full ~pleadings for their nephew.
Maggie had not much time to devote to
the school room; they would practice to-
gether, and read, and talk French and
Italian, and then books would be thrown
aside for the portfolio, or the pony car
riage ordered for a drive to the village
school through the understanding coun-
try lanes.
They formed a pretty pair; and many
a cottager would come out as they
passed, and drop a curtsey, or rough
country fellow touch his cap respect
fully, looking admiringly after them.
They were well known in the village;
and Black Jem, who may be called the
ne'er-do-well of the place, comes to the
alehouse door, and says to the landlord,
what dost think o that yon, eh, An
drew?"
"Why, it beest a pritty pictur' enow,
Jem; Miss May is aIlays loike sunshine"
$50 it be, mate" Black Jem had an
swered; but t'other's moi taste; she
beats our young Teddy"
From which it may be inferred that
the compliment of the sot's admiration
was more freely given to Maggie than to
May. He is about the last person in the
world likely to have anything to do with
the destiny of either or these proud,
beautiful women; and yet. strange
though it is. in some little manner he
win have to do with the fate of both.
But they have no ssupicion of this as
they bow to the lazy fellow, who touches
his hat readily enough; and May, who
Is a Lady Bountiful in her generous dis
posal of her money, l~aughingly tells Mag
| gle that she believes that, short of being
| unkind to his old mother, that reckless
| fellow will do almost anything to get
beer.
"And he is kind to his mother, is heT"
| says Maggie. "That is strange, too,
| isn't it. and the man such a rough feE
lowT'
.Oh, no, dear, not at all; some of them
| are kindly enough. Notwithstanding they
may be rough looking"
Go be continued.l