The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-02-07

into surprising her.
She rcappcared ut the turn round
which she had vanished. I now noted
that she was riding without saddle or
birdie. with only a halter around the
horses neck then she had seen Us.
had stopped and come back "a soon as
she could. She dropped from the horse.
looked <swlftly Mt me. ut him. at me
again. With intense anxiety
n saw your yacht In the harbor only
= moment ago" she said to me. She
VAS almost painting. ." feared you
might meet him. 80 came"
AS you zee. he In quite-lntact." said
j. II must ask that you and he leave
the place at once. And I went rap
Idly along the path toward the ken
ncls.
An exclamation from Langdon forced
me To turn Ia spite OF myself. lie was
fRlf-kneeling. was holding her In his
arms. At that sight. the savage in me
shook himself free. I dashed toward
them with ] knew not what curses
bursting from me- I.angdon, intent up
on her. did not realize until sent him
Keeling backward To the earth and
snnichcd her up. Her white face. her
closed eyes. her limp form made my
FURY Instantly collapse. In my con-
fusion ] thought that she was dead.
j laid her gently on the grass and
supported her lead. 80 small so glorl-
ously crowned. the face ~ still and
sweet and white. like the stainless en-
trance IN a stainless shrine. How that
horrible fear changed my whole way OF
looking nt her. at him. ut her and him.
az everything.
Her yields were auiVerIng her
eyes were opcnIng--her bosom was ris-
Ing aud falling slowly us she drew
long. uncertain breaths. She shud-
dered. sat up. started mp. Go! co."
Gh ri aI RskN HI
him back! Bring him.
Then she recognized me. oh she
said and gave great sigh OF relief
She leaned against n tree and looked
az langdon. You are still here? Then
tell him"
Langdon gazcd sullenly nj the ground
II can't he answered. II don't believe
u. Bcsides-hc has given you To me
let us go. Let me take you To the
NivianS.' lie threw out his arms I'm
a Wild. passionate gesture: he was ut
tcrly unlike himself, His emotion
burst through and shattered like the
exploding powder bursting the she'll. Il
can't give you up. Anita" he exclaimed
W. tone OF utter desperation. II can't.
I can't"
But her gaze was all this time stead
lastly on me. as IL she feared would
go. should she look away. Il will tell
You myself" she said rapidly To me.
"Wc-uncle Howard and I-rend in the
papers how they had all turned against
you. and he brought me over here.
III" has been tclcgraphlng for YOU
This morning he went down to search
for you. About nm hour ago Langdon
came. ] refused To see him, rs have
ever sine" the time ! told you about at
Alva's. He persisted. until at last I
had the servant request him To leave
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 II you were TO no,
leaving one of your empty dresses?'
She had not for an instant taken
her gaze from me: and no strange were
her eyes. SO compelling. that I seemed
unable TO move or speak. But now
she released me TO blaze upon him
and never shall I forget any detail OF
her face OF voice as she said 10 him:
That In false. Mowbray I.angdon.
told you the truth when I told you
loved hlm!"
SO violent was her motion that she
had TO pause for self control. And I?
was overwhelmed. dazed. stunned.
When she went on she was looking
ut neither OF us, Yes, l loved him al
most from the iirst-from the day he
came TO the box NJ the races. I was
ashamed, poor creature that my pa
rents had made me! I was ashamed OF
Il. And tried TO hate him and thought
I did. And when he showed mo that
he no longer cared, my pride goaded
me into the folly OF trying TO listen
to- you. But I loved him more than
ever. And rs you and he stand here.
I am ashamed again-ashamcd that
I was ever SO blind and ignorant and
preJudiced as to compare him with
she looked nj Langdon-"with you.
DO you believe me now-now that I
humble myself before him here In your
presence"
I should have had no heart at all
II had not felt pity for him. His face
was gray, ard on IL were those signs
OF age that strong emotion brings To
the surface after 40. You could have
convinced Inc Ia no other way" he
replied. after n silence, :nd In a voice
1 should not have recognized.
silence again. Presently he raised
his head. and with something OF his
old cynIcism bowed tn her.
You have avenged much and many"
said he II have often had n PRESENT.
ment 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.
1. stilI I'm a stupor. watched him until
he had disappeared. When 1 turned to
her. she dropped her eyes. Uncle
Howard viii be- back this afternoon"
said she. If ] may I'll stay at the
house until he comes To- take me-"
\ weary, half 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 stroked
his muzzle. Lingcrlngly she twined her
fingers In his name. as IL about to
spring To his back! That reminded me
OF n thousand and one changes In her
little changes, each a tribe In itself.
yet. taken altogether. making COM
plste transformation.
Let me help you" managed To say.
And | bent. and made a step or my
hand.
She touched her fingers to my
shoulder set her narrow. graceful foot
upon my palm. But she cid not rise.
] glanced up: she WAS gazing wistiully
down al me.
Women have To learn by experience
Just as do men" said she forlornly.
Yet men will not tolerate it,
suppose I must suddenly have
looked what I was unable To put into