The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-04-05

l lifted her softly and bore her down
the slope to the grave; and there l buried
here, while Della knelt and prayed, and
Molly browsed, lifting now and then her
head to look.
When all was done, we turned away,
dry-eyed, and walked together to the cot
tage. The bay horse was feeding on the
moor below; and finding him still too
lame to carry Della, / shifted the sad
dies, and mending the broken rein, set
her on Molly.
Della, have you nothing to sayT'
Fol a while she seemed to consider;
then, with her eyes fixed on the hills
ahead, answered.:
Much, If | could speak; but all this
has changed me somehow-'tis, perhaps,
that have grown a woman, having been
a girf--and need to get used to it, and
Think
But, dear Della, when your anger has
cooled
My anger was brief; l am disappoint-
ed, rather. Joan loved you better han
|, and read you clearer. You are weak,
Jack"-she drew in Molly, and let her
hand fall on my shoulder very kindly
"we have been comrades for many a long
mile, and / hope are honest, good friends;
wherefore l loathe to say a harsh or un-
notwithstanding word. But you could
not understand that brave girl, and you
canno understand me; for as yet you do
not even know yourself. The knowledge
comes slowly TO a man, ! think; TO a
w9man at one rush. But when it comes,
l believe YOU may be strong. Now leave
me TO think, for my head is full of a
tangle."
y
Our pace was so slow (by reason Of
the lame horse) that a great part of the
afternoon was spent before we came in
sight of the House OF Gleys. And truly
the yellow sunshine had flung some
warmth about the naked walls and tur-
rets, so that Delia's homecoming seemed
not altogether cheerless. Blu what gave
us more happiness was TO spy, on the
blue water beyond, the bright canvas Of
the Godsend, and to hear the cries and
stir of Billy Pottery's mariners as they
hauled down the sails.
And Billy himself Sns on the lookout
with his spyglass. For hardly were we
come to the beach when our ~signal-the
waving of a white kerchief-was an
swer'd by another on board; and within
half an hour a boat puts off, wherein, as
she drew nearer, l counted eight fellows.
After many warm greetings, the boat
was made fast, and We climbed up along
the peninsula together, in close order,
like a little army.
All this time there was no sign or
sound about the House of Gleys to show
that anyone mark'd us or noted our
nnN-nnnnnfS FThn 1nfn xx,nG "ntnCa1 thu
windows stood shutter'd, as on my for
mer visit; even the chimneys were
smokeless. Such effect had this desola-
ton on our spirits, that, drawing near.
we fell to speaking in whispers, and said
Ned Masters:
Now "A man would think us come to
bury somebody"
He might make a worse guess I an
swer'd.
Marching up to the gate, / rang a loud
peal on the bell; and to my establishment,
before the ecoes had time to die away,
the grating was push'd back, and the key
turn'd in the lock.
'Step We in-step We in, good folks! A
sorry day-a day Of sobs an tears an
afflicted blowings of the nose-when the
grasshopper is a burden an the mourn
ers go about seeking whom they may de-
vour the funeral meats. " are welcome,
gentlemen"
Twas the voice of my one-eyed friend,
as he undid the bolts; and row he stood
in the gateway with a prodigious black
sash across his canary livery, SO long that
the ends of it swept the fagstones.
rs Master Tingcomb within?" I
helped Della TO %dismount, and gave our
two horses to a stable boy that stood
shutting some PAGES off.
"Alas!" the old man heaved a deep
sigh, and with that began to hobbls
across the yard. We troop'd after, won
dering. At the house door he turn'd:
"Sirs, there is cold roasted capons, an
a ham, an radishes in choice profusion-
alack the day!
He squeezed a frosty tear from his one
eye, and led us to a large, bare hall, hung
round with Portraits; where was a table
spread with plenty Of victuals, and horn
handled knives and forks laid beside
plates of pewter; and at the table a man
in black, eating. He had straight hair
and a sallow face, and look'd up as we
enter'd, but, groaning, in a moment fell
to again.
Eat, sirs," the old ~servitor exhorted
us; "alas! that man may take nothing
out o the world!'
Go be continued.b