Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-07-24

on following her own inclinations
When she suggested a morning walk
with Melville to Villeneuve and back
or an excursion on the lake her moth,
er would look panied rather than an.
gered, and when her effo-ts to induce
her daughter to desist met with i'll
success the good lady would sigh as
one much troubled.
What all this meant Melville was al
a loss to discover. There was evident.
ly something back of it of which he
was unaware. The young lady was
evidently bent on an affair with him,
and her mother was trying to dissuade
her. Had the girl really become at
tached to him? He did not believe
that she had. Her interest in him had
come too suddenly and developed too
quickly. Now and again. while rest.
ing on their walks, turning his eyes
upon hers. he would catch her looking
ut him with a singular glance that he
could not interpret. Then she would
arise, and as they strolled on would
put her arm through his conhdingly.
The Huntingtons fingered at Mon
treux, and Melville fingered too. Alma
was pleased to remain. and she ap-
parently dominated her family. For
Melville there vas something so Gu
riously fascinating about her that he
could not tear himself away. And
every day that fascination grew strong
er. He wished that he dare ask her to
solve the mystery hanging about her.
but something in her manner. he knew
not what, prevented him. Once he
ventured to refer to the garnet heart,
but she gave him a look so strange.
so forbidding. that he stumbled in his
speech and was silent.
At last Melville. seeing that his at
tentions, or rather Alma's encourage
ment Of his attentions. was producing
something that looked like discord in
the Huntington family. resolved to de-
Mrs. Huntington before speaking Of it
to Alma. The mother appeared CRATE
full to him.
When he announced his intention to
depart to Alma they were standing on
an eminence overlooking the lake.
CLEAR. placid Leman," as Byron has
described it. its bosom dotted with va
rious kinds of craft, was spread out be-
fore them. and the view had it's effect
on Melville. He did not wish to leave
the girl who in so short a time had be-
come so much to him. She did not
haCifQfo fo 6iccy1o6n him frnro hic n,1Y.
pose, and she was aided by their beau
tiful surroundings. After a long ST.
lence between them, during which she
was waiting for his decision. he said:
II will remain on one condition. I
love you: assure me that my love is
returned"
AS he spoke the words he turned and
faced her. A struggle was going on
within her. but what that struggle was
he could not tell. She put her hands
to her face to conceal it from him. He
waited for her emotion to pass. At
last she took away her hands, and.
looking into his face with an express
sion entirely changed from that seem
ing revengeful spirit he had at times
noticed. she drew the garnet pin from
her bosom and fixed it in his scarf.
No words passed between them, only
a caress. Then she added. go to moth
er; tell her what has occurred and she
will explain what has naturally been
a puzzle to you"
When Melville told Mrs. Huntington
that he had captured the garnet heart
she gave a deep drawn sigh of relief.
"You have broken a spell. Mr.. Mel
VILE" she said to him. that l am very
happy has been broken. When Alma
was passing from childhood to woman
hood she met one Of those young men
who consider a girls heart a thing to
be played with. He may have been
excusable on account Of his youth: in
many cases such %firtations are inno-
cent. But Alma is a girl of deep feel
ing. When she discovered that what
was an absorbing passion to her was
a mere matter of amusement to the
mar she loved she was so far broken
down that we at one time feared for
her reason. Her love was turned to
AosiN' " ouIN VI tlC Lli1l WIZ put
no value upon it. but of all men.
Not long after this l noticed the gar
net heart on her bosom. She never
explained it's meaning to me. but I
knew. Indeed. her actions since she
has worn it have confirmed my in
te%rpretation-a challenge to men of
her class who might be inclined to re-
peat what she had received from the
one she first loved. These tourna-
ments of the heart have worried us.
We have tried to prevent them. Your
having captured her signal of revenge
indicates that you have ended a con-
dition which should never have ex-
isted."
Melville accompanied the Hunting
tons in their tour, which they adapted
to his requirements. Indeed, they
were making it entirely on account of
the daughter they idolized. Melville
was too deeply in love to blame her
for her past unreasoning desire to
punish him for the fault Of another.
Indeed. the fact that he had succeeded
1 l. 1911 49,