Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-10-26

tain she will accept him."
Helen Sprang to her feet and stood,
an indignant beauty with flashing
eyes, before him. accept him !" she
cried. with scorn; "can there be a
shadow of doubt of such a thing?-she
will be only too pleased, too proud, as
any girl might. Accept him, indeed
she would never have the imperti,
hence to refuse. He, the eleverest,
manifest man in the world, the most
brilliant X. C. in England. Accept
him. OF course, she will. Only
only" her voice broke, "she will never
o him as l do, l who worshiped the
very ground he walked upon" She
sat down, her eyes full of despair. mo
one will ever love him as l do" she
said.
Tom was feeling i'll with sympathy,
but his face was still as hard as a flint.
Il must say" he said doggedly, that
you had Il queer way of showing your
affection. l fear 10Y there is nothing
to be done
Helen pushed back the golden hair
from her face. The house %suffoCates
me- she said. Let us go on the
river. | may feel better there"
Her brother threw on his coat.
Downstairs they caught sight of the
much-diScussed couple standing to,
gethcr on h veranda. Gweneth had
for once dropped her knitting, and
was holding Il flower in her hand, and
Meredith was near her talking in a
low voice.
Tom felt his sisters fingers tighten
on his arm. They hurried down the
garden path unseen. Near the bank
the boat lay moor"d, the cushion and
oars ready therein. \ moment or two
more. and the brother and sister were
going swiftly down stream, and the
house wa, out of sight.
Helen took advantage of the gloam-
ing. and when Der attention was not
claimed by steering cried softly I'M
seen. They will say" she declared
presently, that Gwencth has Gu me
out"
Il am afraid we must admit the
fact" her brother answered merciless-
ly.
"All the same Helen declared with
spirit, sit is | whom Meredith loves
a m always Knows she said, tri-
umph creeping into her voice. Then
she began to laugh. Il must laugh"
she explained, with tears in her eyes.
''Think of Gweneth as MereGith's wife;
she won't understand him in the least.
She will think him cross when he is
only enthusiastic. and vulgar when he
is witty; she never you know, saw a
joke in her life; and the smell of to-
bacco is Nomination to her" Her
voice had trailed into a sob.
Toms endurance had run ut. 81
may" he said, with suppressed wrath.
"lack imagination, and l am not a
woman, but even did l suffer from
both intirmities, In hanged if I'd
care a tinlker's curse for a mar who
had behaved in such a manner But
he concluded loftily, Il do not under
stand women"
From the woods through which the
stream ran came now the soughing Of
wind in the tree tops, and tiny wave
let's began to stir the surface of the
river.
There will be rain,"Tom said, "and
you have no coat We had better turn
there is barely time to get back for
dinner"
The words, simple in themselves,
brought fresh agony to Helen. Life
was to be lived. dinner to be eaten,
though Meredith wE lost to her. Des-
pair clutched her heart, death with it's
oblivion seemed kind she looked down
into the %darkening waters.
BE careful how you steer,' cried
Tom, as he turned the boat-"the
lights queer"
Carefulness and Helen were at that
moment antipodal-a watery grave al
Turing from a world empty Of Mere
dith. Gathering gloom, the narrow
ness of the stream did the rest-a mo-
ment later the boat al into the oppo-
site bank with an ominous grating
sound. Tom swore horribly. Helen
put her fingers to her ears. Save
yourself, DEAR" she cried; don't mind
mel prefer to die"
"Catch hat oar and don't be an
idiot" yelled Tom. Something white
glided by swiftly and was lost in the
darkness.
1t was useless to go or with II oar
and the stream against them. Having
exhausted his imprecatory vocabulary,
Tom discovered the water to be shall
low enough, and in sullen d~ispleasure
assisted his sister to the bank above.
Further investigation proved that the
best plan would be to tow the boat
home.
"We shall be horribly late for din
ner,'' Tom grumbled, as they at last
set forth.
Helen was feeling disappointed at
finding herself still alive. The misad-
venture had ended tamely in mud and
discomfort.
Some one from the landing stage
hailed them as they approached. 1t
was Meredith, and IIelen's heart leap
ed at the sound.
"Are you right?" he cried, and there
was a queer ring in his voice. 'Thank
rod you are back! 1 was horribly
afraid that something had happened"
THANK you," Heleh said, trying
hard to appear dignitied, and not to
SILVER. "I-am quite all right. Where
is-Gweneth?'
your cousin" said Meredith, max
ing no attempt to release the hand
tbot Unleu was striving TO free from