Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1913-03-21

pdleieu wall, making an unsuDstan-
tial background for the slender form
Of girl gowned in gauzy black. A
pink rose nestled in her bosom and
her fair face set in its frame Of
misty dark hair looked like another
rose.
| So Martha's story was true! The
fair Rosamond of the picture had
stepped down from her frame and
come to rcproach him-for what ?
For buying her old home, of course,
he told himself as he stared at her
with fascinated eyes.
All at once he realized that she
was staring back at him in a fright
ened way. Her hand moved! It
few up to her white throat with a
gesture of great fear!
His picture was alive!
"Don't be frightened, Miss Rosa
mond," he heard himself saying
gently.
"Ohw cried the apparition, turn
ing as if to flee.
"Please stay thought you were
a ghost or something" he went on,
still sitting there. "Old Martha has
been telling stories to me-"
The girl sighed audibly.
81 apologize most humbly," she
said in a low, sweet voice that thrill
cd him. "You must not blame old
Martha-I begged her to let me
come in for few minutes. There
was no light and we thought you had
gone to bed"
Gladwin arose and wheeled anoth-
cr chair to the fire. He tossed on
some pine splinters and another log
and turned to her with charming
gesture of hospitality.
81 am sure you will rest little
WHILE" he said courteously.
ooh, thank you" she hesitated
and then swept forward and sank
into the chair.
Gladwin saw that she was indeed
flash and blood. He easily guessed
that she must be the daughter of
that fair Rosamond Oily, who had
eloped with her lover and displeased
her stern parent.
II am Rosamond Mallory" said
the girl with quick upward look at
the portrait of herx mother now Wis
IDLE in the candle light Gladwin had
produced. "Today is my birthday
and 1 wanted to come back to the
old home and look at her picture
just once more. Grandmother does
now know-she would be Mortified
at such an act. She doesn't under
stand how l feel about it. 1 never
knew my mother, but I love her
memory so dearly.
Gladwin's own eyes dimmed. He,
too, had never known his mother
and he understood the yearning for
mother hands and mother heart to
learn upon.
81 know" he said hoarsely, and
she glanced at him and knew that
he understood. cit is very good of
YOU to tell me all this, and now, if
YOU will honor me by remaining
here as long as you please, l will
send Martha to you at once"
She held out her hand, a firm
pink flesh and blood palm that he
covered in his own large grasp.
81 thank you sincerely, Mr.. Glad
win," she said simply. 81 am sure
grandmother will be glad to meet
you; of course, You know it hurt us
to part with the old place, but I feel
differently now that I have met
you"
"You are very good" murmured
Gladwin as he bent over her hand.
"Some day when Mrs. Dill is able to
receive visitors l will ride over to
Fairlawn."
When he left the room Rosamond
was looking at the portrait of her
mother with the same. tender gaze
that the painted Rosamond bent
upon her daughter.
He found a badly frightened
Martha lingering outside the door,
but when he treasured her and sent
her into the library with tray Of
refreshments for the unexpected Wis
itor, she smiled gratefully at him
and thereafter was devoted to him.
In time Gladwin's other dreams
came true. Into his lonely life there,
came beautiful love story, and the
painted lady in the picture smiled
tenderly down upon Gladwin and his