Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-04-01
standish was dead and Ethel married.

was Ce6Q e6h Etnel WaTrieu
Since that day-five years ago, isn't
it?-I've never looked at a home pa
per. cut myself off from the world
altogether. Bat I'll make a clean
breast of it since Standlsh is dead.
You remember the night Of the big
affair at Lady Eglinton's? Well, 1t
vas that night that young Standish
came to my rooms.
Collins he said. I'm in a deuce
OF a mess, l got dunned by the Jews
for that big money ! owed, and IL
wrote FrisinghaIs name On a big
check. What am l going to dor
"You could have knocked me down
with a breath. The poor youngster
was sitting there all broken, his poor
white face was stained with tears;
and he was the dead image of his sis.
ter-Ethel standish. It was that that
me do what I did"
cts d good lot" 1 said In answer,
and felt the lameness of my remark.
But now" I went on, as he made
no answer, what do you intend to
do? The lads dead, and your names
| as clear as ever it was. You'll cut this
business, Of course, and come along
home with me?"
NO" he said; mo, I think I won't
go home. You see, old chap, there
are some things that are hard to stand
You say Ethel's married to Wycroft!
| Well, that in itself's enough to keep
me away from home. l loved that girl
ever since I mel her-you know her
SO you can tell what sort of a love
she bred in my heart"
what shall l tell Ethel Wycroft?'
l said suddenly, and l saw him vince,
Tell her? Why, nothing. Is she
happy?" F..
Didn't you hear?" he repeated. SIS
she happy?"
Then I told a lie; a good one, with.
out a tremor.
She's as happy as the day is long,
I said.
1t took me a year to get home again
I'd been away eighteen months, and
l found changes.
Lying on the table in my room was
a letter from Lady Kilbride; it was
an invitation to a crush that very
night. So l dressed and went. On the
way I got an evening paper and, look.
ing through the shipping news, I saw
that the Prometheus had locked in
the East India. But I was too excited
to notice it much.
The first person l saw at Lady Kill
brides was Ethel Wycroft. She was
looking exquisitely beautiful, but her
dress seemed strange somehow. Then
I saw it was a slight mourning.
"How's Wycroft?' l asked as l shook
hands. She started a bit and flushed
Didn't you know" she said. HE
died last year."
We were seated in a comfortable cor
ner by this. And then, while l was
talking, a sudden flash of light came
to me. / remembered the notice in the
paper about the Promatheus, and the
path opened out with glaring clear
ness.
Look here" l said swiftly, "this is
pretty s%ickening. Will you go for a
jaunt? 1t isn't late"
She hesitated a little and looked
about her rather shyly. But l got heI
persuaded at last and we went out
Then, as she started to ask where w
were bound,-I broke g solemn oath.
DO you ever think anything of Ar
thur Collins now" I asked her. "Be
cause" said slowly, II met him out
abroad"
"Then he isn't dead?"
"He was very much alive when ]
saw him last" l said. Then I started
in to tell her of what I'd seer and
done during the last eighteen months
1t was not until we clattered through
the dock gates that she began to gel
uneasy.
Where are we going?" she said
quickly.
/ told her she'd see soon enough
But she drew back when l handed hel
out alongside the old rusty Prone
theus. I got the Waterman, and asked
him IL James Jones were aboard, and
he led us to a cabin aft. l looked In
Collins was sitting there-he was sec
ond mate-and his face changed wher
he saw me. Then l reached back and
pushed Ethel through the door.
! waited for a moment. Just long
enough to near two words spoken In
most incredulous tones-'Arthur!" anG
ETHEL" And then I shut the door
and went to the wharf, for I knew
from what I'd heard that everything
would be well.-Ernest Winchfeld IN
Cassells Saturday Journal.