The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-07-30
CHAPTER vnI-(continued.

mark. IL was no doubt the letter re
ferred to In yesterdays telegram
But there was no letter In her hand
writing.
ITS very strange he said to him
self, as he turned over the pile a sec
ond time. Il felt confident she would
write. Perhaps she was so stunned
at the new that she forgot all about
us. | wonder If this morning she will
turn her face toward Mawgan Chaser"
He had quite recovered his equa.
nimity-outwardly, at any rate-by
the time his mother and Esther came
down to breakfast.
Esther's face expressed acute anx-
iety when she learned there was no
letter from Marion. Its very
strange. Glen; don't you think so?'
she questioned.
"oh. | don't know" he said, indif-
ferently. Many things may have pre-
vented her writing"
Surely she might have dropped us
q post card to say she had arrived
safely"
she may not have thought Of it,"
and he went on with his breakfast.
During the rest of the day he play
ed his part with considerable success.
Outwardly he appeared quite uncon-
cerned. He avoided as far as possible
all mention OF Marion's name, and
seemed for once to be supremely busy.
He was careful. however, not to go
far away from the house, and he kept
a strict watch on the road along which
the telegraph boy would come. He
hardly realized himself how anxious
he was. The part he had chosen to
play became more and more difficult
as the day wore on.
The light faded early and the sky
became laden with rain clouds. He
wanted an excuse to drive to the sta
.ion. He thought II possible Marion
might come down by the 6 train, and
he would like to be at the station TO
meet her. He had not courage, how
ever TO make the proposal He had
made a pretense OF all day.
and 1t would not do to begin to show
anxiety now.
: He retired to the library when 1t
grew dark, and tried to forget his anx.
iety in a book, out 1t proved a fruit
less endeavor. Every splash OF rain
on the window pane startled him.
while the moaning OF the wind in the
trees got upon his nerves.
A. = o'alonI. Ditlax,, 80 -,o,Il
on It's way from the station 10 st.
Chloe. 1t would be a long, cold ride
for her, and IL there were no other
passengers 1t would be very lonely.
Perhaps she would not mind. There
would be warmth and welcome when
she reached Mawgan Chase. How
thankful he would be to look into her
eyes again.
He began to feel a little alarmed at
his W anxiety. What did 1t mean?
Was he beginning to yield at the first
assault?
He made AN attempt TO analyze his
emotions. Why this anxious watching
OF the clock-this dread lest Bilkey
should pass empty-handed? Would
he have besn SO anxious had he been
expecting any n else? Would the
going or coming of any other person
leave such a blank or fill him with
such ecstasy?
He began to pace up and down the
DON after awhile; he felt so restless
that he could no longer sit still. He
might be in doubt as to the4 cause OF
his anxiety, but that he was anxious
unreasonably anxious-there could be
no doubt whatever.
Esther and his mother kept out of
his way, for which he was sincerely
thankful, for IL either OF them came
near him they would be bound to see
how ~perturbed he was.
AS the hands of the clock neared
the hour Of 7 he began To listen in
tently for the sound OF Bilkey's van.
Every few minutes the wind dropped
down in silence. and in the lulls any
vehicle passing along the road could
be distinctly heard.
He hurried out into the hall at
length with an eager light in his eyes.
Bilkey's van was coming down the
hill. Pulling open the outer door. he
stood bareheaded in the porch AMI
waited. His heart was beating wildly,
his nerve seemed strung up to their
highest point Of tension.
Every now and then a splash cf
rain struck his face and the wind
tossed his hair about in all directions;
but be appeared to be quite uncon-
scious of both wind and rain. He
could see the ~nickering OF the solitary
lamp carried in front of the van; he
could hear Bilkey's voice as ne en-
couraged the horses. They came down
the hill at a rafting pace. Now they
were passing his grounds; they would
pull up directly at his gate. Surely
Marion would be in the van, and he
would be the first to give her vel.
come.
He hurried down the drive in spite
OF the rain. The van went rafting
past. He reached the gate; the van
was disappearing round a bend in the
road. He leaned against the post and
breathed hard.
After a few Eloments he returned
slowly to the house and made his way