The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-10-14

One of the ladies-she had been
speaking In an American accent
suddenly threw up her arms and
pointed to a great shield surmounted
with a crown, and supported by sculp-
tured storks.
"Daisyl" she said, "look!"
The other girl glanced upwards.
Eyes, Duchessl" she said.
Cannot you see what ! mean?"
the first speaker replied. Look at
that shield and crown 1t is that
which has brought misery and dread
full woe into my life ever since | left
my quiet country home and married"
II don't think you ought to be so
imaginative" said the younger wo-
man. What / mean Is that it is
splendid to let ones brains receive all
sorts Of impressions and ponder over
them, and dwell upon them in times
Of quiet happiness; but, as we are sit
uated now, Duchess, / think you ought
to forget such things; you ought to
tune yourself up-to gather together
all your nerve force to meet the ac-
tual moment"
Il suppose you are quite right,
Daisy" said the Duchess, but, oh!
IL you only knew how my heart and
brain are racked and torn with a
thousand conflicting hopes, impress
sions and black fears! That blazonry
Is no greater or finer in the history
OF Europe than my own. When /
married Alberto and became the Ouch
ess OF London | added to our own
coat-of-arms n far greater than my
fathers, and far more illustrious than
even this Royal shield you see there.
And yet | am here and in disguise,
lurking unknown in this old town.
and feeling every moment the dread
pressure of another woman's hand. i
am afraid to move, my life is bound
and circumscribed by mysterious n
ventions, and /, the Duchess of Lon
don, am creeping and crawling while
my little boy, my darling little boy
heir to a prlncipality a thousand times
more potent and more great than this
lis a captive in the hands of a wo-
man."
Daisy Hobson rose from her seat
and went hurriedly to the Duchess.
She put one slim arm round her neck
and kissed her upon the cheek. NO,
no! she said; don't let your nerves
get the better of you. Oh, my dear,
please control yourself, for everything
depends upon that"
The Duchess looked at her wildly
for a moment, and then suffered that
kind and controlling arm to lead her
to her chair once more. but it's
three days now, Daisy she said, in
a faint voice, since we have heard
anything from Michael or Captain
Marriott"
Never mind" the younger girl re-
Piled. II should not think about that
at all, Duchess, IL | were you. Could
you possibly have two more able
champions in this strange and dread
full business than Mr.. Grant-and-
and my dear boy? So far we have
done everything that they have told
us. They insisted that We should fol
low out their directions most scrupu
lousy. They told us before we left
Cologne that, II we did not do exactly
as they said, or II we made one false
step, ruin to all their plans would en-
sue. So far we have done exactly
what we have been told, and am Ger
tain that everything will come right
IL only we trust in them"
The young girl was standing owe
her patroness, speaking In a deep an(
earnest voice.
The Duchess looked up; her Lowell,
face-worn now, but still a face TO
which many men might die gladly
became caimer. while a happier ligh
entered the eyes and stopped thu
piteous quivering of the sweet mouth
DAISY" she said. your trust is won
derful, and you put me to shame"
"But, my dear. surely you are trust
full, too? You have a most gallan
knight in Michael Grant, and also
Duchess, surely you can trust my ow
dear Basil. who is so quick an
clever, who can supplement so We
and brilliantly the work of Michae
Grant himself"
!, 81 know! l know" the Duches
answered. II am an migrate. | hav
} no faith. Yet, Daisy, though | believ
} utterly in the power of dear Michae
: and also in the quickness and tn
5 readiness of the man who loves yo'
. nevertheless, a great wave of depre
/ sion sweeps over me at times, and
) rear the worst and most dreadf'
y thing of ALL"
"Oh. dear. you should control tno'
feelings!"
Il DAISY, could you control them II
was your little boy-your little hear
loye-that you were trying to reset
e from some mysterious and dreadf
o fatef You see Daisy, you are n
Q married. When you and Captain Ma
o riott are married. and perhaps Gt
8 has given you both a little boy. the
. perhaps you will appreciate what
e am feeling now!"
Daisy blushed a rosy red, and be
n down and kissed once more the Il
: and lovely woman. who sat In q
d great oak chair. my deaf,"s
M n -