The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-04-19

~thereabouts. Occasionally Mr.. Everett
takes her driving through the parks. Has
he ever mentioned her to youY'
Mary forced herself to answer: mo"
"Nor to anyone else. But l have seen
him out with her. Who is sheT"
A feeling of unrest, an undefnable
fear, thrilled the heart of Mary Vane.
She recalled the night Charlie Everett
had told her of his love. II cannot now
ask you to be my wife, he had said.
II will some day, God willing. The time
may not be far off, but ] love you too
we'll to bind you by a promise you might
later find burdensome. And yet-dear.
you will trust me and waltz
IL will wait for you till l die" she
had replied, and had questioned him not
at all.
Then he had protested that this was
not an engagement-that she was free
quite free. Only he was bound.
Every WELL" she had agreed. "We
are not engaged"
But the understanding that existed
between them was sweet to both.
That was a year ago..
And now she had to acknowledge t.
herself that she knew little more of hi
| private life or of his personal affair
than she knew then. She was unusual.
silent as she and Brunette dcscendeC
the steps and walked together to the law
yer's Office. Her errand there attendei
to, Mary Eane went with Brunette to
| see about the latter's Easter hat. Then
the two walked down State street just
as the matinee-goers were focking from
the theaters.
Brunetta paused suddenly before a
florists window.
20, I had almost forgotten! Mamma
told me to order some flowers for to-
morrow. Will you come in with me?'
They stood a few minutes admiring
the display in the window. the golden
| daffodils, and shy blue c%rocuses, pure
| lilies OF the valley, Haunting tulips,
starry jasmine, and cool green ferns
forming a tender background for them
all. The attendants were busy when
they entered. The girls stood back Of a
high rubber tree admiring some rare
| chrysanthemums when the door was
| flung open and a gentleman came in.
He was of medium height and had a
| kind, brown-bearded, thoughtful face.
Not noticing any one in the store, he
went directly to the counter. To a man
| at that instant disengaged he gave his
! order.
''T~wenty-eight lilies" he said. Eyes
like those. Have them tied with broad
| white satin ribbon. Send to this adj
| dress"
And he laid a card and a bill on the
counter. An instant later he had receiv-
ed his change and walked out.
The girls stared at each other.
THAT" gasped Brunette, was Char
lie Everett"
Eyes, / know" murmured Mary.
Before she could put out her hand to
| stop her meddlssome friend the latter
| had stepped to the counter and read the
| address on the card which lay there.
"Just as I thought" she remarked a
few minutes later, when they Were out
In the street together. "The address Is
| IA Forest avenue, Idlewild. That Is the
suburb In which his mysterious ~acquaint-
ance of whom / told you lives"
That number, street, place, burned in
Mars brain. She parted from Brunetta
| and went home. A fierce fever Of jeal-
| ousy possessed her. Who was this wom-
an to whom he sent Lenten lilies? Idle
wild was directly south of her own home.
A cable car ran out to the pretty place.
She would 60 there. She would call at
the house. She would ask the lady who
dwelt therein: what is Charlie Everett
to your" When that was answered she
would know how worthy of continued
loyalty was her confessed lover. But
not until the morning. She would not
60 until morning.
.Shame to doubt him. cried her heart
through all the sleepiess night that fol-
lowed. But her rigid will silenced that
assailing protest. So the morning OF
the beautiful day that followed found
her at the gate of a cosy cottage sci
back amid a group of ba~re-branched ma,
pies. There were drifts Of snow In tho
little garden, but the air was warn
with the effulgent precedence Of spring
SO peaceful was the place. the hour, he
courage almost failed her. All the blind