Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-10-18
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Although the little village of Olden
was beginning TO look bright with the
green of early spring. down here ON
the beach all was gray-sands. rocks,
sky. Even the water had the same
dreary tint. Not Il CLEAN OF other col
or, except that of the crimson shawl
which the girl, sitting on the ledge of
rock. had wrapped around her.
Laurence Dare. coming along the
road which ran along ABOVE the beach.
saw n patch of red and paused.
At the sight of her. Dare's heart had
given a great throb of joy. He made u
few strides and stood before her.
Monica" he said softly.
The girl urned her head with a
quick movement.
oh, Laurence"
There was II displeased tone in her
voice, and her brows came together in
a frown as she regarded him. After Il
silence of some moments he began:
Monica. you are cruel; you have not
let me see you once all this winter. But
chance has been good to me today. 1
have caught you"
The girl made no answer. He ven
Last summer you gave me n faint
hope that you in time would listen to
me. What have you to say to me now;
have YOU not thought of me all these
lon. months?"
She turned round to him. her eyes
full of tears.
Il was wrong to let you think you
might hope, Laurence, for / can't do as
you wish. 1T seems wrong for me to
listen To you. Think. / belong to AL
len; / was to haVe been his wife. He
was always talking of Cousin Laurence
and you seemed Cousin Laurence to
me-, too. Don't you see? l belong to
Allen; l can't marry YOU"
This is nonsense. Monica" he said,
half angriiy. Are you going to waste
your life in his little village and give
up all chance of happiness for n fanci-
full idea of being bound to him? And
think of me; | have loved you so long.
Come to me, i shall love o so much
that you must low me In return. Come,
! swear that you shall never regret 1t,
Monica
II must not listen. Laurence. l wish
that you did not care for me-"
Il can't help caring for you. i think
I have loved you since the first day
saw you, and now tina you are free
Before he could stop her she had
darted away.
In the old days she had compared Al.
len with him, and always to the for
mer's disadvantage. For after thu
SIdIIlOuT VI lIltlI enlargement CIc Iiste
seen the s~hallowness and selfishnes:
of Aliens nature.
When Allen had gone away for {
year, she had promised to be ready t.
marry him upon his return. But tn
year had passed and other months hat
grown into years and he had not re
turned. They had no news of him af
ter tina last letter written sever
months from his departure.
The only reasonable solution of tn,
mystery was that he was dead. Hi
mother believed 1t. but Monica did not
one day in June Monica was return
ing home from n walk. Her way wa
in the ~neighborhood of Aliens mother
house and she decided to go and pa.
her n call. She had not zone to Sc,
her often of late through fear of meet
in Laurence.
on reaching the house she found tn,
hall door open. She knocked light.
and. without waiting for n response
ak into the little breakfast room
habit Of sitting.
But at the threshold Monica paused
for there stood Laurence by the win
dow with an open letter in his HAND
His aunt sat neal him, apparently in
state of great excitement.
AS she Saw Monica she cried out:
"He lives. Monica, he lives: my bo.
lives, Cone in and hear the letter"
Monica looked from her to Dare ii
bewildermcnt.
is it true?" gasped Monica, a
length.
II received the letter his mornin
and came down by the first train"
'NVhcre is he-I don't understand.
; In America"
Monica looked at him confusedly.
"Why-why haven't but i hay
been out all the afternoon. / suppos
that ] shall find n letter at home"
Dare did not reply. His aunt wa
still crying. She now looked up a
Laurence. Listen, Monica: our Ale
is still living
Il shall 20 home now" said Monte;
"Pcrhaps there is a letter for me"
Laurence left the room and stood 8
the entrance door.
L am coming with YOU" he said a
Monica came out.
Dare regarded the girl stealthily n
!, they walked along. He marveled /:
the uni,npassioned manner in whic
she hid received the news that ALE
J was alive.
Monica" ,egan Dare hesitatingl,
do not think that you viii find
letter from Allcn?"
She stopped still anG locked at hin
what is it. Laurence? You ar
hiding something. What is the mys
: terry? Why. did you not read the lei
i-~"
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