Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-02-07
a MAYNARD FANCY.
CIV Blanche Maude Hslwood.

1ltEtleS DIE Amy SE'Nt'Cb NIcii
me Mamma. according TO you and
Aunt Helen, and now Tom Seymour is
thrown i'm as an extra blessing said
Inez Payson.
DO not joke, Inez, about SO serious a
matter and Mrs. Payson held up her
shapely hands deprecatingly.
Joke. / never felt more Sedate--lS
not "a iife-important decision involved
: for mel" and she smiled bitterly.
How pretty Inez Payson was Her
aunt felt her heart swell with pride as
! she looked at her. Just SO she had
looked 30 years ago. SHE had had the
same violet eyes. full Of purple shad-
ows, the same brown hair with a CLINT
of gold IN it, and the girl had her own
high spirit too, she sighed.
The lesson would come soon enough,
she did not want her beautiful niece to
learn too soon that life had wilder
nesses-shc did not want her to COM
init that browning folly that had
ruined her life-a love match-a quiet
affection that would stand the wear
and ear of years was best. Friend
ship and esteem would live when love
lay bleeding,
'Inez," she said in her soft pathetic
voice, your mother was going TO say
that in all probability Mr.. Seymour Will
| speak to you this afternoon, and a load
would be lifted from us if you could
give us just a hint OF what your an
Swe would be"
my answer" said the girl, thought
fully, and she bent and caressed an An
CORA cat that purred at her feet. She
had knOWn for a long time that Tom
Seymour loved her. and she had made
a desperate attempt to gain time. She
had had the inuumerable advantages
Of such a match pointed out by them SO
nffgN th,E Ahn lV,n, rp.anicA1u what va =
expected OF her.
She knew equally well how afraid
they were Of any love passages between
her, and dissipated, wicked Jimmy
Dale. as they called him, but still she
enjoyed keeping them in suspense, SO
she dallied a bit longer with the soft
fur of the eat, and then said in d cold,
hard voice.
MY answer-will be what you eX-
pect me to say. 1t will be yes, and now
If YOU please | viii go"
She wanted To be alone, TO stamp out
the present. and face her future. 1t
seemed to her that all the dear old past
was gone.
And you, 100, Jimmy, among the
rest" she moaned, IF YOU had only
spoken, only showed me hat you
cared, | could have stood up and defed
them all. Just for your owe | would
have been content to let the world slip
oE. But you did not speak, and now
II mean TO east all thought of you to
the wind, and live my life as other
women live theirs and if I ind Tom
Seymour in a foolish enough mood to
ask me to marry him this afternoon [
shall do it-and live a great lady, all
! without love"
She looked like a wood nymph in her
green and white gown, as she wan
dered down 10 the lily pond that after
nnnn with TnnN SpVypn1T silence
had fallen between the two, and she
almost gave a start when he sang in
full round tones:
oh saw We not fair IneZ, who came
from out the West"
Il always think OF sunsets and clouds
and gorgeous effects when | see you
Inez," he said. and I wonder if that
other Inez Of the old song was half as
lair or loved one half as we'll as | love
you"
You are so sweet, so gracious. SO
kind, that you will not daily with me.
/ do not want you to think of my pos
sessions. u Of me, the man who asks
you TO be his wife. Am ! worthy? Let
our heart speak, lnez, my darling"
Are o worthy? Tom. Tom, my
dear, I am not half good enough for
one like you. An honest heart is with
out Toney and without price. ! like
YOU Tom and my answer is yes" and
size DuiSl mo TEARS.
Tomorrow was her wedding day. and
Inez Payson stood looking down into
the lily pond for the last time.
Pretty blossoms wait for my story,
will the long years bring II such as I
wish it to be? You nod your heads
lilies" she said, but o do o smile
up at me-"
Then she ave a start. and tried to
jump back from her own bright re-
Election in the water, for over her Shout
der was another face, Jimmy Dale's
face, looking down into the water Mt
her.
She turnc1 and looked straight into a
pair OF burning black eyes. The color
slowly ounted her forehead, until it
crimsoned her face and neck, but she
did not speak.
~"Iuez.'' he said at last. II can stand
this duel of Chances no longer. Inez
tell me that ii is all a lie, that you
will be my little sweetheart, for I
swear that this wedding shall never
he. With my own hands I will choke
the life out of your pretty white throat,
rather tina let YOU marry another. 1t
is RE you love, me-wicked, miserable,
poor. but you owe me-"
Cone with me now. and we will
marry 1T the small church. the old
pastor is my friend. You dc not speak,
y ~ ~ i''N Wv AltNAi pJ e III Il
will compel you to come"
II nave II little to say about that YOU
mailman" rang out Tom Seymour's
clear voice, as ne stepped into the
space, n tall man OF gigantic mould, be-
fore whom the other seemed dwarfed.
and common and stood looking down at
them.
IneZ Payson looked from one to the
other, and revulsion shook her, at last
she saw Jimmy Dale as he was,
stripped OF every glamour, with the
seal of vice AMI sin upon him. and
her pure heart cried out, "unclean, un-
clean.'
II have nought TO say about a fellow
who would steal an honest mans sweet
heart right under his own nose, but
| am here TO protect this girl. If Inez
wishes to marry such as YOU" and
Tom Seymour's voice was full Of scorn.
Il am not the one to stand IN her
way, but she has no call to sneak off
10 do II.
"Inez. my girl. you know what I am,
and II is to be presumed you know this
fellow, also. 1t Is he or I-choose, girl
-~choose!"
While he had been speaking her ewes
had never left his face, and her voice
was very low and tender, as she an
! swared:
Il have made my choice. it is you.