The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-04-09

During that anxious year: and never did
q cloud, save Of q moments width, per-
haps, come between the two who had al
ways been 80 frank, and gentle, and loving
together. Even Athol had never the
heart to dissuade the old farmer from
his self-imposed task. though he saw that
the responsibility and the restlessness told
upon him. How could he, when it was SO
plain to him that this constant inter
course with the pure. simple, healthful
mind of his uncle was one Of Rourke's
surest safeguards now and mat the old
mans happiest thought was that he was
necessary TO bis boy? As for doing him
good, such a thought was far indeed from
Abram in bis humility.
"Rourke." he would say sometimes.
"yoi viii likely be fond of farming all
your life. dear Lad so il is better for you
to master IL all AS soon as you can. To
do that now, and nave help further on,
is better than having a little ready money
now, before you're farmer enough to in
vest 1t in the very best way isn't ity'
And Ronrke-not in the slightest UNI
d~crstanding to what the old man alluded.
because he had never thought of him in
old times but as a comparatively poor
m~an-would say, without much thought
upon the matter. that Of course it was
far better.
1t was on a calm September morning
a few weeks after this that Miss Shelf.
ford and Lorraine were sent for to see
Una and her baby boy, and what a happy
sight it was for the younger sister no
one could guess.
Ii was arranged, at Lorraine's own re-
quest. hat Miss Shefford should remain
at the farm and Lorraine return alone,
but through all the afternoon and even
ing she fingered. unwilling to leave, and
lowering softly about the room where Una
lay. or the temporary nursery into which
Rourke's dressing room had been convert
ed. She was lingering here, waiting for
the baby to awake. and standing at the
window in the soft radiance of a golden
harvest sunset. when Athol entered the
room.
Yes. thank God, - he answered, with
a gratitude almost as deep as hers.
".Ah. he is waking Give him to me
before | go, nurse" said Lorraine. hold
ing her arms for the little one and smil-
ing down into his sleepy face.
Closely and tenderly She held him, her
heart throbbing, her eyes bright in their
deep gratitude, not even seeing Athol as
he fingered beside her. only thrilling in
every fiber of her frame to the glad con-
sciousness tina she held Una's baby
Rourke's baby, a new, sure, matchless
bone between them, a new incentive. deep
and strong and tender, for Rourke's bet
ter life.
"IIe. at any rate said Athol, quietly,
as he watched her, lis as surely heir to
Hohve as if he had been born there. l
wonder whether Trenham thinks of this 2"
Yes. | wonder
But she was not wondering at all. She
was only recalling how anxious and ten
der he had been with Una all that day
and how Una's eyes had always bright
ened at his coming with a frank confess
sion of how entirely his love made her
happiness. And the girls face bent still
lower above the child.
So she was standing, in the calm sun
set light. when Rourke entered noise
lessly from Una's room. There came a
sudden deepening of the line between his
eyes, a sudden uneasy shiver as IL some
thing hurt him, and then he turned and
left the room again. without addressing
either Athol or Lorraine.
ITO be continued