The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1907-03-29

diS ioi MISS harrison, n
was shown at once into her presence.
epe sat in a low chair, her dress of
somore black relieved by a white rib
Don at the throat, and by the chestnut
lsht OF the shining hair that sweDt in
unbound luXuriance over her shoulders
she rose to meet her guest, scarcely re-
cosnlzlng Archer Trevlyn in the
pronzed, bearded mani before her.
Miss Harrison" he said, gently, sit
IS a cold night; will you not give a
warm welcome to an old friend?"
She knew his voice INSTANTLY. A
bright color leaped to her cheek an
embarrassment which made her a thou
sand times dearer and more charming
10 Arch Trevlyn, possessed her. But
she held out her hands, and said a few
shy words of welcome.
Arch sat down beside her, and the
conversation drifted into recollections
Oh their own individual history. They
spoke to each other with the freedom
OF very old friends, forgetful of the fact
that this was almost the very first con-
versatlon they had ever had together.
After a while, Arch said:
Miss Harrison, do you remember
when You first saw me?"
She looked at him a momen and hes.
ltated before she answered.
Il may be mistaken, Mr.. Trevlvn. II
so, excuse me; but think | saw YOU
first, years and years ago, in a flower
store"
You are correct; and on that occa-
sion your generous kindness made me
very happy, I thought it would make
my mother happy, also. l ran all the
way home, lest the roses might wilt
before she saw them"
He stopped and gazed into the fire.
WAS she pleased with them?'
"She IA dead. We put them in her
coffin. They We're buried with her"
Margie laid her hand lightly on his.
81 am so sorry for you. l, too, have
buried my mother"
After a little silence, Arch went on.
"The neyt time,yon saw me was when
you gave me these" He took out his
p%ocketbook, and displayed to her, fold
ed in white paper, a cluster of faded
blue-bells. do you remember them?"
Il think / do. You were knocked
down by the pole of the c%arriage?"
Eyes. And the next time? Do you
remember the next timer"
81 do"
Il thought so. / want to thank you,
now, for your generous fo~rbearance. ]
want to tell you how your keeping my
secret made a different being of me.
If you had betrayed me to justice. !
might have been now an inmate of a
| prison cell. Margie Harrison, your 81
lence saved me! Do me the justice to
credit my assertion, when | tell you that
| did not enter my grandfather's house
because l cared for the plumber | should
obtain. | had taken a vow to be re-
venged on him for his cruelty to my
parents, and Sharp, the man who was
with me, represented to me that there
was no surer way of accomplishing my
purpose thar by taking away the treas
ures that he priced. For that only !
became a house-breaker. deserved
punishment. l do not seek to palliate
my guilt, but l thank you again for
saving mel"
II could not do otherwise than remain
silent. When l would have spoken
your name, something kept me from
doing it. l think I remembered always
the pitiful face of the little street
sweeper, and l could not bear to bring
him any more suffering"
Since those days, Miss Harrison.
have met you frequently-always by ac-
cident-but tonight it is no accident.
l came here on purpose. For what, do
you Think"
Il do not know-how should -"
81 have come here to tell you what
| longed to tell you years ago! what was
no less true then than it is now: what
was true of MT when | was a street.
since, and what will be true of me
through time and eternity"
He had drawn very near to her-his
arm stole round her waist, and he sat
looking down into her face with his
soul in his eyes.
"Margie, 1 love you! Ihave loved you
since the first moment saw you.
There has never been a shade of waver-
ing; l have been true to you through
all. My first love will be my last. Your
influence has kept me from the lower
depths of sin; the thought Of you has
been my salvation from ruin. Margie,
my darling! l love you! 1 love your
"And yet you kept silent all these
years! Oh, Archer!"
II could not do differently. You were
as far above me as the evening star is
above the earth it shines upon! 1t would
have been base presumption in the
poor saloon-waiter. or the dry goods
clerk, to have aspired to the hand Of
one like you. And although l loved
you so, l should never have spoken, had
not fate raised me to the position Of a
fortune equal to your own, and given
me the means of offering you a home
worthy of you. But l am waiting fol
my answer. Give it to me, Margie.'
Her shy eyes met his, and he read hi;
answer in their clear depths. But he
was too eXacting to be satisfied thus
do you love me, Margie? l want c
hear the words from your lips. Speak
darling. They are for my ear alone