Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-07-24
Apt Nv.

fastenings can still be seen, whilst
ladder caught on by iron crooks hang
over the gaping space. Does it eve
come to an endf"
II don't know. I suppose SO, dowr
there" She has come up close to him
and is now bending, as he Is, over tn
yawning gulf In the rotten boards, ant
gazing into seemingly unfathomabl'
depths below. "Do you know" she goe
on, 'this old mill has the strangest fas
cination for me. l cannot keep ava.
from it. / think" smiling, at will maxi
me, or mar me, some day. Black as i
looks down there, another 1oor Is beneath
1t, and beyond that something else lies
I don't know what"
"A cellar, probably"
II daresay. As / tell you, I dom
know. / have not had the courage to &C
down. There is a sound of water wher
you get to the flooring below, and thaI
means rats! / hate rats-I'm a cowart
II confess It,"
They are standing together, peering into
the black void beneath, but now she turns
and gives him a little glance. 1t is the
Rrchest, merriest little glance-the most
Innocent one-and she accompanies it
with a laugh, soft and light-hearted.
You spoke of bone n while ago.
says he presently. 1T is that house up
there, is it not? But a house does not
mean a home, and you have told me moth
Ing of yourself. You have friends2"
II NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. And
then, with a cold little smile, You had
not aven learned SO much about me?'
II am so seldom here begins Adare,
i d.,at.5-. l.AI, q uuz-. ..-- 4 IL. -
control, II know you have been most
disgracefully treated by the lot of us.
But for the most part we never knew"
And did not care to inquire" Her
tone Is no longer aggressive. 1t is low,
and a little sigh breaks from her lips.
well, you shall know all there is to
know. / live here with a cousin Of my
fathers, Esther Deane. She has some
little money, and I have a little more,
and SO she says it is we'll for us both to
keep house together"
Yours being the house?"
20, yes. If such a torn-down old ruin
can be called one"
She seems crushed for the moment, but
almost In a moment RECEIVERS herself.
Adare, who has not known the Irish
character sufficiently well to make allow
ances for these sudden incxpIicable
changes Of mood, is a little taken aback,
when she says calmly:
'Talking Of that, I must seem very
lnhospitable. That is my house up there,
and yet Won't yor come in and
have a cup of tea? Esther, I am sure,
will be-"
mot to-day, thank you. I am afraid,
~ 1t is, I shall be q little late for dim
ner. But another day. If you will al
low NE
He breaks of, expecting an answer.
But she 10 silent. Her whole air up to
this has been SO gracious and so sweet,
that be turns sharply to look at her. Her
Eyes are steadily downcnst a faint tinge
Of coler that seems to him born Of con
fusion warns her cheek. To cover Il he
goes on quickly:
"Yor have another relation here, have
you not?"
She chances at him quickly, a littls
disdainfully perhaps. And Adare grows
less sure that that touch of color a mo
ment since was born Of confusion.
sYou know something about me. after
AL, then?" a , she. YES, Esther's
brother, Brian Deane, is staying here, |
for the present only" Had that quick
aush meant that he was out now, but
might be In another day? HE came
from Australia about a month ago, where
be has a sheep farm. Why he came, or
Tor what, I don't know; but Esther says
business. I know she wrote to HIM
y come"
ION b~usiness?"
80 she says. I sometimes thi4k che
wants to 80 back with him. And they
kotA rant me to 80, too. However,
With sudden recollection, these details
cannot possibly interest you. And-you
want to- know your road home, do you
ut? You see that hill over thers7 You |
70 mp that, and then In the valley bslow
h you will see a straight white road.
Follow it, and It will take you straight
b Carrig." She bows her head slightly.
AGood-byr
we are not living SO very far apart"
Days he hopefully; we shall certainly
meet again"
II don't think 50. I hope not. Don't
ehink me too rude, but believe M Il VIII
y batter that our acquaintance, sucA q
It u, shall be ended now. There could
Asver b friendship between our heuses."
There might be-" begins he inpulsivs-
y, III you and Sir Lucien were 70 nsst."
II have no desire to meet Sir Ludsn,s
n.y. she in . low voice full Of eenesn-
hAted bitterness. "He believes mo hkhsR
uAsls and sold those Jewels that ny uokh-
was given by-Ohw (paMfonatsly)
~ course you, too, know the wkels &
hat detestabls, hi6eous siandsr." Her
tges are a6ame. IT . had known NJ
0nxhnr-W
II believe the whole story Z MOST L.
DicAbis lie" His tone u almost q ~
1spqt q her own.
sAsw does that old man dare . ~
~ father wa Z theft Oh, yea, he A1Al
) mst Brian the other day, and aesNssd
In Of knowing what my father heA aeae
Ulth Thorn. Ny fatherl A. II - wsuA
oDuch thsni Ny mother had thsurI
onew that. I often saw them. The meck-
Jsts-ehs tiaras. And they were ID sWn
shs often said so-that her father 0vs
hen to her"
~X@ But
ssOhl !" haughtily, and fitting her round
= chin, * know what gou wsuld 49,
~ they were only hers for Z dne. But
Aew csud my father help 1t he lsst
1Asn1 And u course shs Isse Asn;
becauss II ske had ssid then, 01ee veulA
~ mOnsyEo you ssef But obGs
49, never Any money! ThsrsforN eAay
1lust ~ lo1t-I know tAsy AZ lsst.
9hs turns deliberately and runs dpwn
- p~athsawsy from him. Hb ere fol-
IN hsr rnfil she y nut Of sight, then,
VITA I Qnickening of his breath, - tnxna
m makes for IL hi sAe had psaAtsd