The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-01-21
CHAPTER VllI.-continued.

CHAPTER vHI.-Sont'nueo.
"An interest in geography. shall we
call it?" she chaffed, gayly.
COR astronomy! We will assume
that we are both looking for the Little
Dipper."
"Good!" she returned on my own
note. Between the affairs of the Hol-
brooks and your evening Dipper hunt
you are busy man, Mr.. Donovan"
Il am not half so busy as you are,
Miss Hoibrook! 1t must tax you Sc
verely to maintain both sides of the
barricade at the same time," l ven
tured boldly.
THAT does require some ingenuity"
she replied, musingly, "but I am very
flexible character"
But what will bend will break-you
may carry the game too far"
ooh, are you tired of it already?"
mot q bit of it; but l should like
to make this stipulation with you:
That as you and seem to be pitted
against each other in this little con-
test, we shall fight it all out behind
Miss Pats back. l prefer that she
shouldn't know what "a" and hes
itated.
"Oh, give me name. won't you?"
she ple.ded, mockingly.
What a beautiful deceiver you
are!"
Splendid! We will agree that am
a deceiver!"
III it gives you pleasure! You are
welcome to all the joy you can get out
of it,"
please don't be bitter! Let us play
fair, and not stoop to abuse"
81 should think you would feel con-
trite enough after that ugly business
of this afternoon. You didn't appear
to be even annoyed by that Italians
effort to smash the launch"
She was silent for an instant; l
when she responded with what seemed
a forced lightness:
you really think that was inspired
by" she suddenly appeared at a
loss.
"By Henry Holbrook, as you know
Gell enough. And if Miss Pat should
be murdered through his enmity, don't
you see that your position in the mat.
ter would be difficult to explain? Muir.
der, my dear young woman, is not
looked upon complacently. even in this
remote corner of the world!"
you seem given to the use OF
strong language, Mr.. Donovan. Let us
drop the calling of names and consider
just where you put me-"
Il don't put you at all; you have
taken your own stand. But I will say
that I was surprised, not to say
panied, to find that you played the
eavesdropper the very hour you came
to Annandale."
A moments silence; the water muir
INJURED in the reeds below; an owl
hooted in the Glenarm wood! a rest
less bird chirped from it's perch in a
maple overhead.
'Oh, to be sure!" she said at last
you thought l was listening while
Aunt Pat unfolded the dark history OF
the Holbrooks."
Il knew it, though l tried to be
lieve I was mistaken. But when ]
saw you there on Tippecanoe creek
meeting your father at the canoe-ma
.ker's house, was astounded; 1 did
not know that depravity could go Sc
far"
my poor. unhappy, unfortunate ia
ther!" she said in a low voice; there
was almost a moan in it.
Il suppose you defend your conduct
on the ground of flial duty" sug
gested, finding it difficult to be severe
why shouldn't 1? Who are you tc
Judge our affairs2 We are the unhap
piest family that ever lived; but ]
should like You to know that it was
not by my wish that you were brought
into our councils. There is more in
all this than appears!"
There is nothing in it but Miss Pat
her security, her peace, her happi
ness. I am pledged to her, and the
rest Of you are nothing to me. But
you may tell your father that have
been in rows before and that propose
to stand by the guns"
Il shall deliver your message, Mr.
Donovan; and give you my fathers
thanks for IT," she Knocked.
Your father calls you Rosalind-
before strangers!" remarked.
Yes. It's fancy of his" she MUIR
INJURED, lingeringly. Sometimes it's
Viola. or Perdita, but, as l think of it
it's oftener Rosalind. hope you dom
object, Mr.. Donovan?"
mo. rather like it; it's in keeping
with your variable character. 70,
seem prone, like Rosalind, to wood
land wandering. dare say the othel
people of the cast will appear in due
season. So far have seen only the
Fool"
THE Fool? Oh, yes; there wa.
Touchstone, wasn't there?"
Il believe it is admitted that there
was"
She laughed; l felt that we were
bound to get on better, now that We
understood each other.