El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-03
The Herald's
Daily Short Story


family and nowt else If your name
hadn't been in book she keeps in her
bedroom. on top of her Bible. you
might as well trail back again. One
of these here new tangled millionaires
might go on his Bonded knees to her,
and never a trout might he take from
her tarn, though he offered her its
weight in gold.''
Too proud TO marry?"
Folk say as there's not man in
all this countryside as she hasn't
flouted and tossed her head at. Miss
Dolly she bides, and Miss Dolly she
will bide seemingly AS for prince
Charming. as folk tell on, he's never
landed yet-unless he's yourself, my
lord"
AS his quarters were primitive, lord
Alan decided to take a stroll around
the lake before retiring to bed.
He was. as he would have sworn
to anyone. neither sentimental nor SUI
perstitious. Yet somehow as he strobe
doggedly between the black stone
walls he could not get rid OF the
haunting words which floated upon
the gorse scent whispered under the
ripping of the tarn edge and sighed
with the swaying wind amongst the
rushes.
Miss Dolly Miss Dolly Miss Dolly"
Pulling himself together, he shifted
the damp air with a sportsman's in
stincr He STROBE smartiy back to
the inn. determined on long nights
rest. in preparation for the day to
follow.
Perhaps he slept two hours in sleep
drifts. He was ever interrupted by
the leap of the trout, the fling OF the
line, the touch of ring, the feel Of
a velvet cheek. the sound of a short.
hooking laugh. stab of pain from
passionate eyes.
He rose early. Tt was drizzling en-
couragingly. so he dressed deliberate
~. and looked on his waders with
determined affection.
Obviously his next act must be to
call upon the lady of the hall. 1t ap
peared that she owned the tarn and
the fells and the valleys for many
mile wide.
Miss Dolly was out on the lake
fishing this morning. announced the
landlady proudly, as he was finishing
a salty rasher
''Ah. She fishesg
IT'S not to say the hours she'd -
sir, and never take her eye off the
line. She'll be gone back to the hall,
though, to see to the feeding of. the
hounds. There's neither horse nor
hound as Miss Dolly owns. as she don't
ken every thread Of"
The young man finished his meal,
boiling recklessly Here. he thought.
was the ideal Dolly-the real Dolly
of his dreams On to the conquest
while he had the pluck He must get
rid at all costs Of that vision of scorn
and passion in that other Dolsvs eyes.
Should indeed a certain tender look
he knew of come back
No-he rose quickly and demanded
the boat
The boy pushed off over the leaden
waters. aiming straight for a short,
broken-down landing stage
Lord Alan started forward IN irr.tat-
ing anxiety. More than once he had
to quel a cowardly and impetuous de-
sire to return.
An old woman in a short skirt was
standing with arms akimbo, watching
the movements of the boat. There
was more than hint of antagonism
in her attitude. 1t was as though she
stood like some old witch guardian
in defence of an enchanted castle and
a princess.
''who is that?" lord Alan inquired,
The boy twisted himself round some-
what
1T ull just be Miss Dolly, sir"
81 mean that old body on the land
ing stage you fool" he returned as
he scanned the woodland eagerly.
The boy looked up sharply at the
mans tone. There was indeed a rig
of triumphant pride in his young voice.
as he answered
"And who else should it be, but
Miss Dolly herseT? Gone so, last
Easter. We'd grand STRINGS, and
fireworks fra Manchester"