The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1908-02-06

denly the radiance seemed to die on,
Of her face, leaving it mournful.
"You-you love herr she said falter'
ingly.
"Of course l love her! The differ.
ence between you and Miss Ellery." he
went on, following the idea in his own
mind and not seeing in the dimness
the pallid hopelessness that had come
to her face, "is that Miss Ellery thinks
she's complex. but isn't, and you think
you're simple, but aren't. And the
most mysterious thing about YOU is
that you hadn't noticed it Yourself
that you were mysterious. mean.
don't sec how it escaped ycI."
She did not answer him.
"F0r Instance, why are y0v 50 differ
ent from Ollie when YOU two have lad
the same reaIing:"
She swallowed hard and seemed II
make an effort to speak to him.
''Is that mystery?" she said. But
1t is easily explained. We are not of
the same parentage."
''Do you know anything Of your own
parents?''
There was scarcely perccptible hes
itation before she answered.
mo" Her voice sounded remote. rs
though she shrank from his question
ing.
''That in itself is strange isn't it,"
he ventured, hesitating to force his
Investigations against her evident re-
iuctance, but his keen curiosity getting
the better Of his finer feeling
81 suppose it is" she answered, her
voice subdued, her eyes downcast.
"Do Mr.. and Mrs Mornincstar know
nothing about your parents?'
81 don't know"
"But have YOU never asked them?'
81 have never discussed it with
them"
His questions agitated her, he saw.
and he didn't believe she was being
candid with him. so he reluctantly
dropped them. He remained silent to
sought him here at an hour when all
the rest of the family were abed.
81 want to ask YOU" she began tim
idly, "to tell me something if You are
quite willing to spare your time to
me-"
The occasional unusualness of her
mode of expression struck me rs touch
ing of foreignness Here was another
phase Of the mystery of her.
81 couldn't make better use of my
time" he answered ask me any
thing you like. child"
The kindness Of his tone as he called
her "child' made her eyes grow sud
denly misty, so novel it was to hear
herself spoken to as though she were
not chattel or slave. Her voice
as she answered him was very low and
sweet.
81 am anxious to have you tell me
whether a girl like me could find a
place out in the world where she could
earn her living|'
It was to ask him this that she had
come to him tonight But would ii
not have been q more natural thing
for her to have gone to Georgiana OF
Daisy with such an inquiry? He won.
dered why she had chosen to ask him
In preference 70 them.
ut depends upon the sort of place
you would want Some sorts of work
are easy to secure. Others are not.
What kind of work do you mean?'
THAT'S what hoped you could tell
me-the sort of work there is in town
whereby a girl like ME could earn her
living"
Domestic service?' he hesitatingy
suggested. Mt somehow in spite of
her servitude to the farmers family
this struck him as utterly incOngruous.
"Places for domestic service can be
secured casily-almost on your own
terms. But if YOU are thinking of
rome other sort of occupation
He paused Questioningly, but she
laid nothing. Only her repressed
eagerness urged him on.
II should have to know more about
you before l could judge of your
chances"
Again he paused, but she remained
silent.
"If you will tell me something of
yourself" he suggested.
She looked surprised. "But there is
nothing to tell of me more than what
you yourself have SEEM
He looked at her with searching
eyes. "Isn't there?"
mo-" she answered with a frank
ness that ought to have carried con-
viction.
"Couid you do any other sort of
work than what have seen you do
sewing and houscwork?"
'T don't know. What other things
are done by womenY'
"Well, there are shopgirls, stenogra.
piers, milliners, bookkeepers, teach.
ers'- He turned and again looked al
her keenly. "Would you like to teach p
he asked abruptly.
"But l haven't an education"
"Just how much schooling have you
had?"
II was taken out of school when
was Twelve years old"
"And have had no instruction of any
sort since then?'
mo"
"And never have been off the farm p
''Never except the few times that
have been in town to the market 70,
a half day."