The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-12-04
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she tensed in her petite independence
and went with him through the door
70 n library. His father and mother
were there alone. The Van Hart house
was the rendezvous OF all the High
street young people; there was no need
or bidding to its fine, open, careless
welcome any one OF Harlar's set. So
while the guests amused themselves
In he arlors he Judge SAT at his pa
per and Mrs. Van Hart was before q
bookcase. the wall light upon her con-
tour OF hair and brow. There was about
her = unacceptable inference OF breed
ng, that same charm OF assurance, OF
power, OF books and gentle ways. which
the room itself disengaged-the grace
Of right living and OF love, that splen-
did wholesomeness Of the American
Mrs. Van Hart looked up at them in
surprise. She did not recognize Aa-
stranger. The lady arose with an ex-
hurt?' I'LL
"No," said Aureiie.
Mother" thu boy began. and dropped
Aurelie's hand and stood apart in quiet
dignity. shes not hurt" Els father
mad lowered the paper and turned his
kindly eye upon hem we came 70
tell you, mother, were engaged"
He saw his mothers blue eyes mar
row, heard the rustic OF the newspaper
In the judges hand. From the other
room the Schumann song went on.
Mrs. Van Hart checked the flutter In
her voice. rE1ngaged-Harlanf"
Yes. To Aurelie Lindstrom."
kindly. Harlan knew ut all costs they
would be kindly. IL the Van Harris
had sent q culprit to the gallows IL
would be done without scene-and
kindly. His mother was looking at
them keenly; then she laughed, briefly,
SO naturally, that, for q moment, even
Harlan was deceived. Then to Aurelie:
my dear-be seated"
The girl did 80 In q sort OF dream.
They had welcomed heri They had
called her "dearl" It was all 50 un-
utterabiy different, 30 beautifully DIFF
ferentl Her day OF the jinnee had
~dawned--the most beautiful girl In all
AmericaI Harlan's home opened to
her with love. Love, that was it--love
counted Nothing OF her simple gown,
love asked saothing OF her brown hands,
her want OF manner, her lack OF speech
and knowledge OF all this gentle life
love asked her In and opened all the
wayi
She had not seen the Judges paling
face. his eyes upon his son with 2
CIu6AlC0" OG0P0AA 30 BA0AA W09 ~
with this. The mother went N: my
dear child She hesitated, then
smiled easily. You surprise III. II Is
a--a--thunderbOltls
"AlI summer, mother" Harlan an
swered doggedly--he knew the shock
they felt, II Aurelie was deceived
we've been meeting each other. It's
you--I hated to deceive you"-he
laughed biuntly and looked at Aurelie,
perched like a bird blinded by a light
upon her chair--"well. TIM sorry for
that. But now I'm going away to
school, and / want you to care for
Aurelie. Just to know you, mother
Il viii be so much TO her! I wanted
20 bring her here, mother-homeI And
then this fSoi beauty contest that Wiley
Curran got Some OF the town girls into
IL simply couldn't stand iti"
aYea," his mother answered. Elise
her picture was sent. II was abom-
Unable. EIr. Dicidnson telephoned to-
70 ask Mr.. Van Hart IL some
thing actionabie could NOT be done
Harlan laughed mirthlessiy. '.Elise
tfidn,t get the prise &C no one1l know
OF heri But AuKelie~-S His yes
went hungrily TO Aurelte, dunb on her
chair, striving to grasp what might be
this amazing beauty, 9 he never
IIQ1KHL Ok lila IA LAVA Et N1
hor oval face, the perfect line OF her
throat, her mouth, budded always
with laughter, now grave AZ a nun,
her black heavy-Iidded eyes-he had
merely loved them al.
ELISE rejoined his mother briefly,
'tneed not be mentioned now. Harlan
YOUR engagement extraor-
binary" She had murmured something
that they could not understand. The
fudge, too, had muttered. IL the only
SON had been brought home dead they
would not have made q scene before
their guests In the next room. so thor
ough was the Van Hart inheritance.
comment followed. The lady nodded
az the open door, and the Judge went
- lie TO close It. Mrs. Van Hart placed
A cool and gracious hand upon Au-
relies head. my dear" she said slow
IN. n can understand, You're both
very young, and these summer nights
along Sinsinawa--beautifui,. she
s very young the father repeated.
HAnd Harlan--your way to mako
long tough battle they could not
kaar the rost . ''the law "a jeal-
pus mistress my o my
5oyi"
nnd fled hastily. To Harlan 1t seemed
he staggered in the shadow of the din
But Aurelie did not know. She
raemed stupefied at all this largeness
81 soul. She had not dreamed such
grace, such warmth. could be. Even
Uncle Michigan's profane and picture-
snIie love had not been OF this ampii-
tude. Suddenly she felt what In all
her absurd and lonely pride h a
never felt--a remorseless misery for
her Ignorance, an infinite pathos for
her beggary, her vanity. her unworth--
ghe fried to put her Drowned and
roughed little hands away; and then,
with a great humbleness. h knew
there was no need. Love was about
her, IL understood: Il covered all She
could not lift her eyes for the tears
in them; she could not trust her voice
.She's the most generous little heart
IN all the world, Harlan was saying.
iaAnd I want You to help her. mother.
All this publicity and prize winning
We hate It'll Aurelie has given II up,
mother. She promised--and wan
you to protect her till I come back"
There was q silence. Mrs. Van Hart
was still smiling. What q wonderful
thing youth isl And how M smiles
over ii laterl My dear children. 4 don't
know what to say TO you. Tit has
farred us. Harlani And I want you
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