Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-01-28
Marion, in Esther,s eyes, was an i'm.

her vivacity, her naivete, her I'M
spoiled naturalness and innocence, had
won her friends in all directions. Half
the young men in Lady Fowey's set
had lost their hearts to her already.
And do you hear from her regu-
larly?" he questioned.
Every week, and sometimes often
er. Sh etells me everything. Such
delightful child never met before"
"a rather mature child" he sug-
gested, with smile.
"In something's, yes. In all the
things that touch life's serious and
abiding issues she is wise beyond her
years But in other respects she is an
unspoiled child looking out upon the
world with great, wondering eyes, and
prepared to enjoy every new expert
ence to the FULL
Are you not afraid that this new
life will spoil her?'
Il am little doubtful sometimes,
| confess. 1t seems to me a very ar
tificial kind of life in the main, and
very uEsatisfying."
Us it not enervating and demoraliz-
ing I"
Il cannot speak to that. To those
born into 1t it may seem natural
enough. To Marion, going straight into
it from hardship and simplicity, the
thought of what may happen is a lit
tie disquieting."
81 expressed to her the hope the
other day that she would not let rich
es spoil her"
you did? Have you seen herr" and
Esther stared at him with a look of
establishment
lie colored for a moment almost
painfully. 81 see I have unwittingly
let the cat out of the bag" he said.
with forced laugh. Il forgot for the
moment
"Forgot?''
"she called me the day before she
went away. She did not take you in
to her confidence lest you should dis
approve. II was all very funny and
delightful. I thought perhaps she
would tell you when she got back
she never alluded to the matter,
the shy little puss.''
"She says she does not understand
our straight and narrow ways yet, and
is always afraid of getting over the
fence without knowing it."
and you talked to her very seri-
ously?"'
ooh, no; not very seriously. She
wanted to thank me and all that, you
know, and she really was awfully
sweet about it."
Il certainly shall have to take her
to task when next we meet. She
might have let inc know"
please don't split on me, for the
world" he said, laughing 81 quite ap-
proved of what she did. Some of our
conventionalities are stupid beyond
expression. I am one of those who
believe that all generous impulses
should be encouraged and then their
conversation was Interrupted by the
entrance of Mrs. Mawgan.
When Grayton called again it was
to say goodby He left the carriage
with his luggage standing in the road
SNSSAuS eAbS SetSOs Nui .. MdMSdu WAS
not yet downstairs. She had restless
night and decided in consequence to
have her breakfast in bed. She did
not know Grayton was calling, neither
did Esther for that matter.
Grayton was still very pale and thin.
1t was pathetic to see the strong man
SO painfully reduced. Some Of his
Pensioners hardly recognized him
when he got out of doors again. He
comforted himself, however, with the
reflection that he was getting better,
If slowly, and, though it might be
long time before he was fit to preach
again, he was not quite without hope
that some day oy would be his once
more.
b He was feeling very depressed when
he drove away from st. Chloe. 1t
might be SLEEPY Hollow" but he had
got to love it-got to love the robust
fisherfolk, with their strange supersti-
lions and their sterling piety.
Moreover, ever since he came he
had allowed free hand. He had seen
his vicar only twice. The Rev. Her
pert Sinltnson was a delicate man, and
had to live. abroad. The curate did
ali the work and received $50 per an.
mum; the remaining s740 went into
the pocket Of the vicar.
Grayton had. never worried himself
much about the salary. Mrs. Tam
blyn provided him with food and Iodg.
ings for ten shillings week, SO that
he had fair margin for the other
necessaries Of life. His flock was
never an exacting one in any sense
of the word. The only thing they
grumbled at was when his sermons
extended beyond quarter OF an hour
in length; but, as making sermons
was not exactly Grayton's forte, it was
not often they had any cause OF CON-
plant in that respect.
{ He hardly realized what wrench
II was to go away from st. Chloe nm.
iissil the time came. Why he shonld
feel IT SO much he hardly knew. He
had never expected to spend all his
days in that quiet seaboard parish. TIe
knew that sooner or later he wonld
ia..lava to mack his hays and or, M 8,