Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-01-24
. SMILING VILLAIN.
By VIOLET M. Finn.


make me ike MN DeiIer- l. Was Only
seventeen, and we had been always to-
gether, and he-yes. / think he was very
fond of Inc, and every one said | had
his future in my hands, and | was very
young and inexperienced. and somehow
| let myself be persuaded. Father and
mother both said | was far too young,
but old Mr.. Charteris-he was alive then
was very anxious for the engagement.
You see," she said, in a lower tone, "he
knew about-well, there was another
girl, and-and-oh, Aileen, you know!
what a shame! Never mind, dear
est / understand"
We'll, the engagement lasted just a
week., and no one was to know; but J.
suppose the servants got an idea of it,,
and talked, and-and then the girls moth
er came to father. oh, Aileen, to this
day l hate to 90 into fathers study !!
1t all comes back to me 80 wildly. Old
Mr.. Charters was awfully angry about
the engagement being broken of, and Bcr-
tram went away for a few days. And
while he was away / was told-and l
knew-something else, and-and his faith
er would not let him return. l can't tell
you what else came out, Aileen, because
! am the only one here who knows, even
father was not told, though | think at
the time he had his suspicious. But then
we were all in such trouble about mother,
| and, although | seemed to feel the loss of
Bertram, l felt the shame and the degra-
| dalton still more, and there was Lulu to
take his place"
There was a little pause then Aileen
said slowly, as il she were bordering over
many things
Il can't understand how he could come
back and be SO friendly, and-and for
~getful.''
"He was always like that. He had
never any thought beyond the grat.6ca-
ton Of a momentary whim. and when he
forgot any trouble or veSation, he thought
every one had done the same. l rcmem-
Der mothers once saying that he should
have been named Reuben. Unstable as
water, thou shall not excel she quoted.
But you understand now, Aileen, why /
feel so unhappy about his taking any no
tice of Bride. 1t pleases him to do so
at the time, and when he has tired of her
he'll go off quite gaily and easily, and
care nothing that he has made her like
him and that her heart is broken"
"Oh, / hope it won't be so bad as
that !" Aileen was frowning; her firm
lips were closely pressed together. Her
own thoughts were far from reassuring.
She looked once or twice at Moyra, and
then decided to keep them to herself for
n little while. II think we ha better
send her away for a few weeks" she said.
she's really so extraordinarily pretty she
ought to marry very well. Only she is so
simple"
She can't go before the Fentons'
de n no /. HIT thot t. nYsto eaop 49,, 49,.
that she can easily go to the Hamiltons
for a time. She likes being there. I
wish Haywood Fenton would fall in love
in all those wonderful diamonds" Moyra
went on. without noticing that her wish
did not seem to meet with warm response.
The mending was finished when the bell
for luncheon pealed generously through
the house. Aileen rose and stretched hef-
self lazily.
Il think I'll go to the pools for an
hour this afternoon she said. "By the
way, Moyra, Haywood Fenton'-Aileen
never spoke Of him in any other way, and
always addressed him as Mr.. Fenton,
whereas all the others used the familiar
"Billy'-.is laboring under the impress
sion that Angus is an acquaintance of
Bertram's.'
s-They have never met here. I don't
think so, although / remember that Mr..
Robertson was once looking through the
album and Jaw a photo of Bertram taken
years ago. and at first. he thought it was
4 man he knew but when he heard the
name he did not know it. I think Billy
must be mistaken.
VERY likely" Aileen assented.
~ ~ - -
dressed and went off to "the POOLS"
which lay on the other side of the low
hill that rose from the rivers edge. 1t
was a warm, bright day, and there was
a sweetness In the air tina, did not prom
Use much more skating to- the enthusiasts
whom she could see Swimming over the
chain of shallow marsh waters known
locally az the pools. She could see Lulu
In her scarlet hat disporting herself mer-
rily, and as she drew nearer she could
distinguish one or another whom she
knew but It was not until she was quite
close to the hut, beside which a fire was
burning, that she saw Bride sitting on a
chair and talking very earnestly to Billy.
1T is too bad !" Aileen heard her say.
"Moyra and Aileen are always stopping
my pleasure"
A ~ ohS NJ SdSSkiy aS 3llCCA dN-
preached, and a look Of disappointment
came over her face as she saw who it
was. Billy, on the contrary, was radi-
ant.
"How late you are ~ he cried. Don't
let us waste any more time"-and he,
FASTENED to put on her skates.
They were skimming over the ice to-
gether, when Aileen said abruptly 'Was
Bride asking you about inviting Mr.. Char
~teris?"
Eyes, poor child! / was awfully sorry
to refuse she seemed so set on it. I
say, IL / told you something'-glancing
at her doubtfuily-"I'm afraid you'd be
annoyed
Aileen looked at him ~anxiously.
rs it about she began.
last night" Billy concluded. biting
his lip. They skated towards a deserted
part of the pool. Ell hope o won't
think me interfering. or anything of that,
but / know you and Moyra don't like
Charters, and I think ~he's-awfully low
class myself. You remember last night?
Well. after l left o I thought I'd just
so round the circle and the strawberries
n satisfy myself that there was no one
there. So / went round by your kitchen
garden and our glass houses, and by the
time 1 got back to the avenue the moon
was well out, and / saw some one going
up the venue walking on the grass. l
wouldn't swear to It, but my first impress
sion was that 1t yas Charteris. OF course
n 49, - ~s-x-t-.-Z I.A 49,.