The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-02-09

ating I~nnuendoeS, all that had been 8r-a
ing on for weeks. And a Irritation
with Reginald Mansfield, of all men!i
"A Irritation with his own friend!
In intolerable despair he talked on.
And then he stopped. What more was
there to say? Sharply he turned from
her,
Was he going from her? She raised
her head, she watched him as he walked
away. blindly, as n who IL stunned.
"Herbert!a she suddenly called out.
with a. ranturous note of JOY and love.
She ran after him. she clu1lE TO Esza;
all her sweet Madonna face wRs S.s~-
cred with tears and smilen. "Herbssss
Beloved! Beloved! It was only ~
test you, only to teach you, by ycuz
own rain. what mine had bean!"
Truly. truly. / have given no tho,aht
to Mr.. Mansfield save such thought as
one gives a good, good friend. He has
seemed very attentive as the world
speaks of such things. but he has only
been kind-oh. 50 kind! You see.
look likeIIike some one he loved once,
and SO he was my friend from the
first
He saw how miserable I was, dear,
about your going off on that trip TIC
which / objected. He realized the
pain I felt at your seeming Indifference.
for. indeed, I thought you cared
nothing for me any more! oh. was I.
9~not@fooiish Dol not observation-disclosures
eyes. 10 / not feel by e yyc.:
arms, how much you loved me In
truth?
But I was wretched, and Mr.. Mans
field discovered it, and because he felt
as a friend to me. he thought of this
plan. He and Mrs. Percy. She, too,
has been, oh. so good to me: To
gether they contrived it all. She was
to see you n tell you when you ar
rived and I was to go off with this
Wentworths on the yacht, and with
Mr.. Mansfield. 1t was all to keep&np
the appearance of the comedy we We're
playing! And it was to have been kept
UP much longer; I was not to divulge
the truth to you until Q We're well
tried. But I cannot, cannot play this
farce another moment when / love you
so! I see and feel that you love mel"
She was weeping now in his arms.
Tightly clasped. Herbert held her.
When at last she looked up, his face
was changed, graver. colder, fir;ner,
than she had seen 1t.
Yes, dear Lena, the comedy was
played long enough, child, long enough.
The lesson has been well learned 1t
has been taken to heart"
A. fortnight later Reginald Mansfield
returned to London. In the evening he
went to Mrs. Percy's. She greeted him
with an exclamation:
Where have you been all this time?
In hiding? In every manne / have
tried to get news of your whereabouts.
And not only I, but Lena and Herbert
Latimer himself. I think the latter
wants to thank you honestly for bring
ing him to his senses. He has already
thanked me. Never was a conspiracy
crowned with more admirable success.
They are turtle doves now-turtle
doves! Herbert will remain to the
end, I believe, a model mate; and as
for Lena, she is supremely, completely
blissful. You have done good work,
my lear fellow"
She paused and then something
caused her to regard him more at
tentively.
Turn your face to the light" she
said b%rusquely. Off his guard. he did
so. Thereupon Mrs. Percy gave a low,
expostulatory cry.
Reginald, that is not why you have
been in hiding, is it-not truly this,
boy?'
is so. I care for her. She is another
mans Wife, and it has an ugly sound.
But the feeling 1 have for e could
not stain a flower. I thought it was
only friendly interest at first, because
she was so like But she was too
like! 1t vas playing with fire. have
been suspecting my real feeling some
time. l knew it when Herbert came
back, and by the look In his eyes l re-
allied how much he cared for her, and
that they would be reconciled." He
got up. We'll, I shall have to live it
down, as did the other"