The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-04-30
raised his Aand and softly ciosei the dart
bIue eyes.
CHAPTER xxvr.

cannon below it-prociaimed To all whom
II might, Or might not, c0uccrn, that the
bead Of the house was dead, and that the
usual formula Of post norton horror
wers 70 be paid him now.
AtAol. In his mourning dress. deep "A
II be uourned 4 brother. tilted biz hat
low over his eyes ss he MOUNTS the steps
At Rupert's Rest. for At one Of the nwer
windows he could see Lorraine, ard bis
eyes should not BE- cioud~d and fearful to
meet hers.
A. he entered fhr room. she turned TO
meet him with 4 smiie--her own pretty
smile II was, though the old brilliance
Ut her beauty had paled. and the tall,
rounded form was fraiI and wiIlowy.
my love-" be whispered. with q cling.
tnx kiss upon the low, white forehead.
"is not this u baImy April evening" /
fancied ] should find o MP and here"
Yes" she answered, with the great,
desp cain which pow seemed to belong 10
her. as her old, bright. varying moods
Tad done mot because OF the April
halmineas. Athol, but because Iouged
10 see ycu. ! always long for yon now
when you are away"
Shall ! tell you Of Ronrke's wilt?"
YES" saie said, with n quick. checked
drawing OF her breath. 'ayex~~tell me"
And w Athol. sitting beside her. aud
holding her weak. white hand In his. told
Of the viii which Roarke had made on
that Sunday night.
TO me, my darling" he went on, lay
ifag her head upon his shoulder. that their
eyes might no m~et, for the pain Of hers
was deepening and deepening m he spoke,
and his own were growing dim. TO you
and nse~~thongh he only says to me-
Rourke leaves the priory. Lorraine. oh
my beloved. IL made a coward Of me- when
! heard it-it makes a coward Of me now.
For ron. my pet" Athoi's voice was
broken now. he left that letter only. and
the ring II contains. | know the history
u that ring. II was his mother's-his
own mothcr's-a and no one else had worn
Ii, not even Una. lie told me once. a
year ago. that IL would tit you and |
knew. even then. with what n pain be
said IL. II cannot hut fiji you now. dear.
est. tiny as II u.s." Again he checked him.
self. "iiase | told YOU all nowa"
NO" she whispered, with a fearless
euietness in her yoice-'teil me more
about his boy"
The letter will tell YOU, dear. all that
! cannot" he answered and she saw
how hard IL was for him to speak of this.
The trustees and executors are his grand
father and .Abran Ear,le and myself but
bis personal guardians are only you and
myself. God help US in our trust!"
No word did she say but her hands
we're tightly clasped as she looked up
into the wide. calm heaven above that
darkened house upon the hill.
II will 20 and see your father now.
Lorraine said Athol. And then he gave
the letter Rourke had written on thst
Sunday night. in The great suffering which
he had known mus herald death.
She knew that Athol Went because he
guessed she would like to be alone to
read IL. and she thanked him in her heart.
Again and again. when he had left her
alone. did she try in vain to read. The
sight Of the familiar writing brought a
pain 10 her eyes more hlinding far thar
tears. Holding her head in both her
trembling hands she still could nst ease
this t~hrobbing pain. though presently the
words grew clear before her eyes, and
their meaning reached her heart.
When Athol came hack she had risen
from her seat. and was standing at the
window, resting her head against the
glass. Just in the spot where she had
stood when Rourke had come 70 her with
his last, vain praser and just in the
same attitude. though the fererish misery
OF that day was gone. ana this sorrow
was very still and quiet.
you see what trust he leaves TO us.
Lorraine-so you and me- said Athol. as
he came up and pit his arms about her I;
for the slender figure leaned now really
for support against the window frame.
20. my darling. may God give us power
to fulill the trust y
..TAere is no word" Lorraine said,
touching the letter. softly. of the lone
illness and neglect OF his childhood or
the lovelessness of his youth but in every
line there breathes a craving for love
and care and sympathy for his son. and
confidence that he will win a fathers and
mothers care from us. Oh. Athol. l
will try so hard"
n lew 0ANS tAAEt u iEHpfhs3a atisF sun
dualy flashed across Athol's mind of that
clause in the late Mrs. Farrissey's will
which was not 10 be carried into effect
until either himself or Lorraine was en-
gagged to be married. He started 10 his
feet. remembering thar he ought to have
writtea or ~0ae 10 MIR. Lucas ar once to
tell of their engagement TO each other.
That day he went TO London. and when
he returned he had news 10 tell I4or-
raine which filled her with surprise as
we'll as grfisnde. Airs. Farrissey had be-
oupatAed her house. furnished as il was.
with property eQuivalsat 20 the income
u.xln which she herself had maintained IL.
10 Athol We're, if. when he informed Mr..
I.acas Of his marriage. it was to be TO
her yonmgrst niece. Lorraine Gaveston.
But ii he announced his intention of mar
rying elsewhere the property was 10 be
divided equally among all Der relatives,
Lorraine, with the beautiful blush OF
old. listened 10 these plans which her
aans had made for her 50 many years ago
while she WAS a restless. hayward child.
Are ,ou glad. my dearest Athol
whispered, seeing this look in her face.
which recalled the brilliant beauty of old
DAYS.
"Very, very glad" she answered, tears