Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-19

when storms or the rushing ice pack
 in the river did not prevent his cross
 ing. As for Lounsbury, he traversed
 the bend often on his way to Brannon,
 and if he saw face at a window
 waved his hand in pleasant greeting,
 but he kept to the road.
 Since the morning of the aurora the little family had ceased to speak of
 him. That silence was neither de-
 manded by the section boss nor agreed
 upon by the three. On Lancaster's
 part it grew out of the sneaking con-
 sciousness of the ingratitude he did
 not regret. On the part of Marylyn 1t
 arose from two causes-a sense of girl
 ish shame at having confessed her at
 tachment and fear that her father
 would discover 1t. With Dallas, con-
 siderstion for the feelings of her sister
 made her shrink from mentioning
 Lounsbury. Yet there was another req
 son, and one no less delicate-she, as
 well, had a secret to guard.
 But ill the mind of the elder girl the thought of Marylyn's happiness was the uppermost. There were dread mo- ments when it seemed to her as if that happiness were to be shattered.
 During all the past weeks Marylyn had carefully harbored her fancies about Lounsbury. Certain of the calico covered books on the mantel had no little part in this. Their stories of un- dying afection-of bold men, lorn maidens and the cruel villains who gloried in severing them-helped her to fit her little circle into proper roles. She loved and must crush out her pas sion. Lounsbury, whom she loved, had been sent away by her father, and. she lived up to the play consistently. She saw the storekeeper anguished over his banishment; saw depths of mean ing in the good natured salutes he gave the shack. With herself, she accepted loneliness as sign of deeper suffering. She was tortured by self pity, by the doubt she had flung at Dallas, by the firm belief that her heart was hopeless ly fettered, Gazing into a piece of looking glass that served her for mir TOT, she marked with sorrowful pride her transparent skin and lusterless eyes. She sighed as she watched from the windows. Patiently she listened For footsteps, her face half turned to the door. ~
 And yet what she took so tragically was nothing but failing health. What was not fact the night of her admis- sion to Dallas, was almost come to pass. The few days of great cold and hunger in February, coupled with long in the dirt floored house, were having their effect. She was on he verge of illness.
 Lancaster, whenever he noticed her lejection, was inclined to poohpooh it. She looks as eff she'd jes' been slap ,ed," he declared, "an' is expectin' an- 'ther lammin' any minnit. Elf she'd cry he'd shore weep lemon juice" Again, le reckoned that she had picked up some notion" Jealous and suspicious IS he was, however, he got no nearer he truth.
 But Dallas-she was misled far more | han either Marylyn or their father. She fought away from the idea that 1 Ter sister might be breaking physical i y and tenderly as a mother yearned 'ver her. Anxious eyed. she noted the 'allor of the childlike face, the melan- | holy expression that had come to be She fretted over the spare ess of the younger girl, who ate only vhen she was urged. If, sated with leep, Marylyn moved in the night, )allas aroused on the instant and hoy red beside her.
 At last, thoroughly alarmed, the elder irl determined to follow out the idea hat had occurred to her in nidwin- er. What did it matter how hard and ateful the duty would be? What did CT own hidden feelings matter? She vould appeal to Lounsbury in her sis. CTS behalf. q
 But time passed without bringing her he opportunity, and it was borne in pon her finally that LounsbJry meant 0 remain away, perhaps until he was idden to come. Undaunted, she made lans to waylay him on the coulee oad. Resting the Sharps across her rm, she set out, morning or afternoon, n long jaunt.
 But Lounsbury was not met. On ne such ramble, however, an incident that was far reaching if not .tal in its results. She was going slowly when she saw ap- an ambulance from Brannon rawn by q four mule team. She -arted tinidly aside, then paused. he vehicle was filled with ladies. A lf dozen who were talking and laugh Ig merrily occupied the lengthwise .ats of the carriage. One sat beside le driver. Dallas put herself in their nth and waited. How often she had watched these me ladies canter out of post on eir horseback rides, officers attend g them, or seen them make a rollick- g walking party to the bun top. nd she had pictured how some day