The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1911-09-07
CHAPTER VI.

Gormly Announces His Candidacy.
The hall into which Miss Haldane
stepped early the next morning had
been transformed into a perfect bower
OF winter beauty. There had been no
time to buy anything; but the most
available pine trees on the place, of
which there were several, had been
ruthlessly sacrificed, and under CORN
ly's personal supervision the hall, a
magnificent apartment under any cir
cumstances, had been lavishly decor
honor of Christmas.
Gornlly had been busy during tho
night. He actually had not slept u
wink. So soon as he had got tho
party safely to bed, he had gone to
the stable, and in default of anyone
else who could do so, he had himself
ridden across the country through the
snow and storm, which was even then
dying out, to notify the people at the
Haldane place of the predicament of
b family and to arrange that maids
and men with proper clothing should
be brought over to his own cottage
early in the morning.
Hence Miss Haldane was under no
necessity of appearing in evening cos
tune at eight o'clock in the morning,
or OF making a guy of herself in Mrs.
Bullen's extraordinary attire. She had
learned, of course, from her maid how
the news had been brought and how
she happened to be there with the
change Of apparel.
Miss Haldane had not slept very
well; for one reason her thoughts had
awelt increasingly upon that strange
conversation she had had with her
host. She had awakened earlier than
the rest, had dressed Immediately, and
had descended to the hall in hope oil
seeing him. Her pleasure and salts
faction sparkled in her eyes as she
extended her hand
How delightfully."- Christmaslike is
the room; how good it smells!" she
said after the first words of greeting.
Il am glad indeed that it pleases
you." answered Gormly, smiling. And
II you will permit me, | will repeat my
words of last night, or early this morn
ing, and wish you again a very Mer-
ry Christmas and a Happy New Year
as we'll"
sand will give you back your wish
wills .,tarest," returned Miss Haldane.
"as | did last night. | am sure that
we are all intensely grateful to you for
yOur ~orathouuht IN boyirr ~ ,n,ilz
and clothes brought over. Felice, my
maid, has told me that you rode over
yourself very early this morning to
carry the news of our plight, and to
sring them. 1t must have been hard
1T took me back to boyhood days.
Miss Haldane.-
In the westf' asked the girl.
We'll yes" wa the somewhat re-
answer, although the greater
sart of my boyhood was not spent in
he west"
and this ride In the storm. was It
fke the other rides and storms you
have experienced?"
This was a very mild affair COM
pared to those. I could wish it had
Deen harder"
"Why?"
This time | was riding for another
woman, a different woman"
Miss Haldane rather thrilled to the
Nrect statement; but womanlike she
the subject.
did you have this Christmas ar
of pines made in the halls"
She asked irrelevantly.
For you-and your party" inter
,osed Gormly with a p~erceptible break
lfter the pronoun SO as to allow the
act to permeate thoroughly. Il WISH"
le added, that circumstances permit
ed me to signalize the season by Of
ering you an adequate Christmas
resent.
Il have, however. something that
aay possibly interest you. which l
aay venture to hope you nay regard
; a personal tribute from me In lis6
I such a gift"
-AA6 what = thatt" asked Mis-