Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-04-03

When Lionel stood in the street, look
ing up at the gloomy sky, and hesitatins
about an umbrella, Mrs. Clayton came
into the porch and signed to him with
uplifted finger.
Mr.. Leigh. not a word, please, about
| that cupboard door. You see, If they get
tales of ghosts about, it will injure the
sale of the business, IL my husband wishes
to part with it, which he ma do"
II will not say a word, Mrs. Clayton
And Lionel went his way. The rain
kept off. There was a warm though
clustering wind, and he decided to walk
the two miles to Woodmancote village
and to Wycherly Hall, which last old
mansion was his destination that day.
Three times a week, between the hours
Of eleven and one, Lionel Leigh, professor
of languages, gave a lesson in German tc
Ella Wycherly, only child and sole heir,
ess Of Colonel Wycherly, of Wycherly
Hall.
Nearly always there sat In the room an
English lady, called Worthington, a tall,
gaunt, pale person, of middle age. Such
q rattlepate as Richard harrington would
have spoken Of this lady as high in bone
and spare in flesh, a blue stocking of the
oluest, a spinster Of the sour order.
Lionel Leigh was not of that stamp.
He never Knocked at what was faded, and
sad, and joyless but he had not an atom
Of liking for Miss Worthington. An at
mosphere Of cold opposition to him and
his every word, and look, and unspoken
thought, pervaded hat lady's whole be
ing. She seemed to move and breathe in
frosty air.
Lionel Leigh entered the Wycherly
Woods, They were wide and rich, pictur-
esaue and lovely In summer and autumn /;
but now, In the late November, the trees
were nearly stripped, the birds had fown
to the south and, as Lionel strobe over
the dead leaves and listened to the wind
.ighing and rocking the branches high
above his head, it seemed to him that he
was treading on the graves of dead hopes,
and that the grand old Wycherly Wood
was a great cathedral, where a requiem
was chanted by choirs of spirits.
Suddenly he heard steps-steps which
set his heart beating, his blood rushing
through his veins, and tingling at his fin
ger ends, and then came fear, and the
wish to escape and hide-that incompre-
hensible cowardice of first love before it
is sure of its object.
Down the steps, coming to meet him.
with smiling lips and outstretched hand,
and the haunting eyes shining with o
warm, soft light which did not always
dwell In their depths-for they could
flash with scern, and cloud with pride,
and sparkle with mockery-Ella Wych-
erly advanced to the sward close to
Lionel, and positively her hand was plac-
ed in his-her small, ungloved hand-it
was the first time. the very first time.
that he had so held II.
.Mr. Leigh, no lesson to-day. please.
Mamma has one of her dreadful head
aches she is very i'll. Papa is with her.
and DR.. Dundas, and Miss Worthington."
She was pulling to pieces a little twfg
off q bush rs she spoke, and look
ing at the grass. To say that Ella
Wycherly was beautiful does not express
the charm, the grace, the fascination of
her manner-does not impress one with
nm idea OF the wonderful sweetness of her
voice. It was a beautiful face, with a
bloom, 4 delicacy, a softness Of complex
ion seldom equaled, with an exquisite
mouth, and small, pearly, glittering teeth,
with the daintiest of little noses, with the
eyes and eyelashes. and dark
eyes, black in shadow. Then dark-brown
hair was wreathed about the small, su-
perb head In many folded plaits. She
wore a green cloth costume, a hat and
feather Of the same.
II will walk through the woods with
you, Mr.. Leigh" she said, and / will
take you to my own little summer house.
/ have one that was built purpassly tor
me when I was a child. I used t. xssp
my dolls houses there; now ! keep books
my ~favorite books and I have u little
piano. / have a fire lighted thare every
day all through the winter, whether l go
there or not. Will you Gomez"
Lionel bowed, and muttercd something.
he did not know what. He seemed to
tread On air; and while he walked now
over the fallen leaves with This young
.enchantress by his side, It sounded TO him
as IL the winds amongst the topmost
BOWS had tuned their voices to a heaven
" melody, and were singing Of hope and
a future paved with gold and
strewn with roses.
Ella walked along silently. Her dark
eyes were ON the fallen leaves. CHANGING
sideways at her, Lionel perceived that
they glittered with tears, and that the
corners OF the sweet mouth tremb!ed.
~ have one question to ask you, Mr..
Ieigh," said the heiress suddenly.
HANfpWF M