Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-04-10

Thereupon there came to the rescue two
gentlemen, who sprang out of a carriage
which drew up at the side Of the road.
The carriage lamps flashed upon their
faces. and Lionel was recognized.
The gentlemen were the Rev. Seymour
Cummington and Mr.. Jabez Howler, the
actual proprietors of st. Martha's. Each
gentleman had daughters at the college,
each gentleman scowled at Lionel, as If
he had been discovered in an act Of burg
larry.
Mr.. Jabez Howler was a rich manu-
facturer in a large, smoky, noisy town,
about twenty miles north OF picturesque
Abbotshold. The Rev. Seymour Cum
mington was the wealthy rector of st.
Mary de Lode's. the largest parish in Alb
botshold. The clergyman had three daugh-
tiers under the care Of Miss Pritchar I'd !:
the manufacturer had four f~ostered be-
meath the sheltering wing Of the sane ac-
conplished lady.
Both gentlemen stared angrily at Lionel
Leigh, professor Of languages. Each gem
tleman felt that it might have been one
of his own fair daughters who had placed
herself in such a very critical and compro-
| missing position as Miss lane Wilkinson
now occupied. 1T might nave been, only
it wasn't" as the volatile and irreverent
Dick harrington was heard afterward to
observe, when commenting on the events
Of that most unfortunate evening.
Miss Jane had dressed herself for her
elopement with an eye to romantic effect
She wore a large white hat, with stream
ers of bright tartan ribbon, and a great
scarlet plume. A scarf OF violet velvet
was passed over one shoulder and fastened
under the other at the side of the waist
with a golden buckle. Her bodice and
long sweeping skirt were of lavender-col-
ored silk. On her arm she carried a
splendid cloak of white ermine, lined with
crimson silk this to be worn as protec-
ton from the cold of the winter night.
Maria, the h~ousemaid, on the other side
Of the wall, had tossed over into the road
a large, square, ugly brown paper par
eel. This, doubtless, contained Miss Will
kinson's impromptu wardrobe, for the oc-
casion Of a sudden flight into Scotland,
or France, or Holland, or wherever Rich
ard Darlington, Esquire, meant to s~ojourn
with his bride. Very pale Jenny looked,
her teeth chartered, and she seemed
ready to cry.
Those two elderly men-the stout,
ponpous rector, with purple face and
scowling forehead, and the severe, IRON
gray man of mettle from the great Mid
land center of manufactured iron-both
frowned down upon Jenny, as if she had
been 4 thief. She turned away her head
and burst into a passion of tears.
Most scandalous !" said Mr.. Jabez
Howler.
Most dreadful!" growled the Rev.
Seymour Cummington.
IAN e%lopement," said the manufacturer.
"Sad-sad-sadi !" cried the purple rec
tor.
II don't carep' screamed Jenny, hys-
terically throwing out her long, lean
arms, and turning her young, foolish,
freckled face toward the murky November
night sky. II don't care, / will never
wed another-never, never, never !"
Young man." quoth Mr.. Jabez Howler,
staring fiercely at Lionel, this will not
pass lightly. The law arms itself to pro-
tect women and children. your charac-
ter, your position, o u calling is forfeit
ed, sir, by this attempted abduction. More
than that, | believe that, as a magistrate,
/ have the power to order you into Gus
tody. Ii this lady a ward in chancery?"
mo" cried Jenny II am not; and
that gentleman is our French and German
master-not the one I love. All! no.
Where IL he? He would not allow me to
be insulted and frightened. Oh, Dick
Dick-Dick, where are your"
The elderly gentlemen stared at each
other, and then Lionel spoke.
This young lady leaped into the road,
mistaking me for another person. / have
certainly given her French lessons in a
with twenty other pupils, but there
my acquaintance with her begins and
ends"
The two elderly proprietors looked at
each other. Jabez Howler coughed the
clergyman adjusted his spectacles.
IT am sorry, Mr.. Leigh, that there has
been any misconception," said the rector
'sbut you must See and there he
mr.. Leigh cried Jenny, "if / go into
hateful house again, I shall die. Oh, |
take me with you-take me to Dick he
at the Black Wolf / don't care,
I won't 90 back to st. Martha's."
Miss Wilkinson" quoth the rector,
you must go into the house this moment.
/ insist n
The reverend gentleman readjusted his
s~pectacles, and then. laid his hand on the
lean, shivering arm Of Jenny. There was
power, both muscular and moral, in the
grasp. He was a man Of author
ity, a man dreaded, ridicused, respected,
among the young ladies' of st. Martha's,
according to their several temperaments
and home training.
Jenny dreaded him, and Lionel had the
of seeing the young lady led
on in : species Of fatherly triumph by !
the rector and Mr.. Jabez Howler.
CHAPTER vi.
1t was night-a bright, breezy, autumn
night-with the moon sailing through bill |
lows Of clouds. The air was mild, yet
The south wind was boisterous, and the |