The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-06-01

bounded again in her veins. m
AS she alighted from the bus she
paralyzed Bill by dropping dollar in
his grizzled paw and declining to take
the change he reluctantly counted out
for her.
Then she tripped' into the old tav-
ern and was assigned to her great,
barnlike room from which she
emerged almost Immediately and took
walk across the old fields filled with
SO many beautiful memories, and
away down by the creek where her
happiest moments had been spent
where she had won the one true love
of her life-and lost him. 1t was a
delightful and melancholy afternoon.
Somehow his presence had seemed to
be actually beside her and all the ten
der moments OF the old courtship had
recurred over and over again as she
passed the spots where they had
taken place. Once or twice she had
turned and spoken to him as though
he actually were beside her.
Arriving at back at the tavern she
threw off her shawl and resolved TO 90
into the old parlor from which there
was a perfect view of the winding
river. The landlady was busy so she
went along by herself, knowing t1e
way full well-indeed how many
dances she had attended at the oIu
tavern and in that Identical parlor.
She was surprised to find the door
closed-she never had seen it cio5CS.
before. Opening the door : le steppel
in and nearly ran directly inCo a
casket standing in the middle OF "a
room. She recoled with crE-al
not before she had caught sight OF the
face beneath the glass.
Merciful Heaven, it was His face
the face of Duncan Mitchell. the ol3
sweetheart she had won and lost. But
oh, how old and careworn and sad
and the locks on the temple how
gray and thin. Involuntariiy she wen'
down on her knees beside the casket
She touched the glass above the face
1t moved. She slid it to clear oran
upon those of the lIfeless clay.
Presently in came good Mrs. Bing
ham, the hostess, and all full of con
triton that her aristocratic guest
should have run into such chamber
of horrors. No, the guest was not at
all offended or alarmed-only curious.
Who was the man in the coffin in a
public house? Had he no friends ?
How came him here?
All, the story is short. He formerly
had lived here but had gone away
many years ago and his people had all
died since. He had been a mem ber
of the Life Saving service on the
great lakes and had met his death in
a heroic effort to save the lives of
others. He had ample funds for burial
in the old town where | felt the only
joy l ever knew" as the paper found
upon him said.
And there's romance" whispered
Mrs. Bingham, coming close to her
guest and purring. The paper reads
And if there should be one who gave
me the one glimpse of Heaven l ever
had and then shut it from me-should
this one know of my death, want her
to know that the girl she saw me with
in the old orchard on that terrible
June night, and whose presence and
whose kisses | could not explain, was
my sister. Had l explained it would
have ruined my sisters life and that
of her husband. AS it was it ruined
mine-and possibly Margaret's. But
| was bound in honor-and afterwards
Margaret would not let me explain.
| want her to know, however, that no
other woman's lips have touched mine
and that | die with her name on my
lips and in my heart Amt it just
like a story?"
Was it a moan the landlady heard ?
She turned quickly, but the patrician
face of the guest made no sign.
When they buried him the coffin
was literally swamped with roses
where they came from nobody knew
except that they came by express and
bore the mark of great florist.
did you enjoy yourself at the old
tavern, my dear?" bantered Mr.. Man.
son lew days later when his aristo.
cratic wife appeared at the breakfast
table.
"Hilsriously," replied Mrs. Manson