The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-02-08

HAT she Was ridiNg without saddle OF
bride. With only a halter arou the
horses neck theu she had seen us,
had stopped and conn back as soon as
She could. She dropped from the horse.
looked swiftly at me. at him. at me
again, With intense anxiety.
Il saw Your yacht in the harbor only
Y moment ago" she said to me. She
was almost painting, feared YOU
might meet him. SO | anne"
AS ycu see. he is qu!te-intact.' said
l.. Il must ask tina YOU and he leave
idly along the path toward the ken
nels.
An exclamation from Langdon forced
me TO turn In spite of myself. He was
h~alf-kneeling, was holding her in his
arms. At that sight. the savage in me
them with l knew not what curses
bursting from me L%angdon. intent up
on her, did not realize until l sent him
reeling backward to the earth and
snatched her up. Her white face, her
closed eyes. her limp form made my
fury instantly collapse. In my con-
fusion l thought that she was dead.
1 laid her gently on the grass and
supported her head. so small, so glori-
ously crowned, the face SO still and
sweet and white, like the stainless en-
trance TO a stainless shrine. How that
horrible fear changed my whole way of
locking ct her. at him. at her and him
at everything,
Her eyelids We're quivering her
eyes We're opening-her bosom was ris-
ing and falling slowly as she drew
long. uncertain breaths. She shud-
dered. sat up. started up. 60, go."
she cried Bring him back: Bring
nm back. Bring him
Then she recognized me "Oh, she
said and pa Va n vrpaf cioh af ,o1;ze
She leaned against n tree and looked
at Lansdon. You are still here Then
tell him."
l%.angdon gazed s~ullenly at the ground.
can't he answered. Il don't believe
1t. Besides-he has given you to me.
Let us go. Let me take you to the
NiNians. He threw out his arms I'm
i Wild, passionate gesture; he was ut
terly unlike himself. His emotion
burst through and shattered like the
exploding powder bursting the she'll. II
can't give You up, Anita he exclaimed
IL y tone of utter desperation. II can't.
But her gaze was all this time stead
fastly on mo, as if she feared would
go, should she look away. II viii fen
You myself" she said rapidly TO me.
Me-CnGle Howard and Tread in the
papers how they had all turned against
YOU, and he brought me over here.
He has been telegraphing for you.
This morning he went down to search
for you. About an hour ago L.angdon
came. | refused to see him. as have
ever since the time | told you about at
Alva's. He persisted. until at last
had the servant request him to cave
the house."
But now there's no longer any rea-
son for your staying. Anita" he
pleaded. He has said you are free.
Why stay when you would really no
more be here than If you We're to go.
leaving one of your empty dresses"
She had not for an instant taken
her gaze from me-; and so strange We're
her eyes, SO compelling, that 1 seemed
unable to move or speak. But now
she released me to blaze upon him
and never shall l forget any detail of
her face or voice as she said to him:
That is false. Mowbray Langdon. l
told you the truth when 1 told you 1
loved HIM"
So violent was her motion that she
had to pause for self control. And l.?
l was overwhelmed. dazed. stunned.
When she went on she was looking
at neither of us. Yes. / loved him all
most from the frst-from the day he
came to the box at the races. l was
ashamed, poor creature that my pa
rents had made me! was ashamed Of
1t. And tried to hate him and thought
| did. And when he showed me that
he no longer cared, my pride goaded
me into the folly OF trying to listen
to you. But 1 loved him more than
ever. And as you and he stand here.
| am ashamed again-ashamed that
l was ever so blind and ignorant and
%prejudiced as to compare him with
she looked at Langdon-"with you.
Do you believe me now-now that l
humble myself before him here in your
presence"
l should have had no heart at all
if I had not felt pity for him. His face
of age that strong emotion brings to
the surface after 40. You could have
convinced me in no other way he
replied, after a silence. and in a voice
4 should not have recognized.
Silence again. Presently he raised
his head. and with something of his
old cynicism bowed to her.
You have avenged much and many
said he Il have often had II presents
rnent that my day of wrath would
come
He lifted his hat. bowed to me with
out looking at me, and drawing the
tatters of his pose still further over
his wounds. moved away toward the
landing.
l, still in a stupor, watched him until
he had disappeared. When 1 turned to
her, she dropped her eyes. Uncle
itWard VIII be back this afternoon,'
said she. IF l may I'll stay at the
house until he comes to take me-"
A weary, hale suppressed sigh es-
capped from her. ! knew how she must
be reading my silence, but l was
still unable to speak. She went to the
horse, browsing near by; she troked
his muzzle. Lingeringly she twined her
fingers in his ane as IL about to
spring to his back! That reminded me
of a thousand and one changes in her
little changes. each a tritle in itself,
yet. taken altogether, making a. COM
plete transformation.
Let me help YOU" l managed to say.
And i bent. and made q step of my
hand.
She touched her fingers to my
shoulder. set her narrow. graceful foot
upon my palm. But she did not rise.
glanced up. she was gazing wistfully
down at me.
Women have to learn by experience
Just as do men, said she forlornly.
"Ye men will not tolerate it,"
| suppose l must suddenly have
looked what l was Unable to put into
w~ords-for her eyes grew very wide,
and, with n cry hat was a sigh and
u sob. and a laugh and a caress all in
one, she slid into my arms n her
face was burning against mine.
do you remember the night at the
theater,' She murmured. when your