American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-07-20

A%tk 1Aaoz
Pats hand touch mine, and suddenly
there were tears In her eyes.
L was wrong. l was most unjust in
what l said to you of her. She was
all tenderness. all gentleness when
she came in this morning" She FUN
bled at her belt and held up a small
cluster OF the sweet peas that Rosa.
lind had brought from Red Gate.
Il told you SOL | said. trying to
laugh of her contrition. What you
said to me is forgotten. Miss Pat"
And now when everything is set
tied. IL she wants to marry Gillespie,
let her do it."
But she won't! Haven't | told you
that Helen shall never marry him."
l had ordered a blackboard, and II
was now announced.
Don't trouble to go upstairs, Aunt
Pat; ! viii bring your things for you,"
said Rosalind; and Miss Pat turned
upon me with an air Of satisfaction
n pride, as much as to say: You
see how devoted she ia to me-"
l wish to acknowledge here my OBJ
legations to Sister Margaret for giving
me the benefit Of her care and re-
sourcefulness on that difficult DAY.
There was no nice detail that she over
looked. no danger that she did no an
ticipate. She sat by Miss Pat on the
long drive, while RosaIind and | chat
tered nonsense behind them. We were
SO fortunate as to strike the first bat
TALON, and say it go into camp on a
bit of open prairie to await the arrival
OF he artillery that followed. But at
no time did l lose sight OF the odd
business that still lay ahead of me.
nor did ! remember with any salts
faction how Helen, somewhere across
woodland and lake. chafed at the de
layed climax of her plot. The girl at
my side, lovely and gracious as she
was. struck me increasingly as but a
tame shadow of that other one. so like
and SO unlike, l maryeled that Miss
Pat had not seen it; and in a period
OF silence on the drive home / think
Rosaiind must have guessed my
thought; for 1 caught her regarding
me with a mischievous smile and she
said. as the others rather too generous
ly sought to ignore Us:
You can see now how different II
am]how very different"
When l left them at st. Agatha's
with an hour to spare before dinner,
Sister Margaret assured me with her
that there was nothing to fear.
was nervously pacing the long ter
race when l saw my guests approach
ing. told the butler to order dinner
at once and went down to meet them
Miss Pat declared that she never felt
better; and under the excitement of
the hour Sister Margaret's eyes
glowed brightly.
AS we sal down In the screened cor
ner of the broad terrace, with the first.
grave approach of twilight in the sky,
and the curved trumpet of the young
moon hanging in the west. ii might
seemed to an onlooker that the
gods of chance had oddly ordered our
little company. Miss Patricia in white
was a picture of serenity, with the
smile constant about her lips. happy in
her hope for the future. Rosalind
to these surroundings. showed
clearly her pleasure in the pretty set
ling OF the scene, and read into 1t, In
bright phrases, the delight OF a story
book incident
Let me see." she said. rehectiveiy
just who we are: We are the lady OF
he castle perilous dining al fresco.
With the abbess. who is also a noble
ady. come across the fields TO sit at
neat with her. And you. sir. are q
might full orgulous. feared in many
ands. and sworn to the defense OF
hese ladies'"
And you"-and Miss Pats eyes
beautifully kind and gentle. as
he took the u and turned to Ross,
Ind. you are the well-beloved daugh, 4,
OF my house. faithful in all service,
a all ways self-forgetful and kind. our .
oy and our pride" ,
1t may have been the spirit of the :
vening that touched US, or only the
ght of her c~ountenance and the deer :
incerity of her voice; but 1 knew ,
tears were bright in all our eyes +.
a moment. And then Rosalind :
lanced at the western heavens :
the foliage. 4.
There are the stars. Aunt Pat /,
Fighter than ever tonight for your 4
irthday." :
tTo BE CONTINUED 3