Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1914-01-23

! "d5. i udu " OVEN liIoSSo W. cC
cause at this time of year | have very
little use for it. 1t is my travelling
hat"
He looked at her again as though
the sight of her was good to him, and
his gaze made her quite forget the
words she had planned to say.
Il am SO glad l have found you'll"
he went on. You have not been out
Of my thoughts since l left you that
night on the train. / have blamed my
self over and over again for having
gone then. l should have found some
way to stand by you. l have no had
one easy moment since l saw you
last"
His tone was so intense hat she
could not interrupt him; she could
only sit and listen in wonder, half
trembling, TO the low-spoken torrent
of feeling thai he expressed. She tried
to protest, but the look In his face
stopped her. He went on with an
earnestness hat would not be turned
aside from its purpose.
II came to Chicago that l might
search for you. l could not stand the
oo0PCIbS any lOh5cl. Ao'S DSSA ~
ing for you in every way l could think
Of. without openly searching, for that
/ dared not do lest l might jeo%pardize
your safety. I was almost in despair
hen l went to dine with Mr.. Phillips
last evening. l felt l could not go
home without knowing at least that
you were safe, and now that l have
found you, l cannot leave you until
l know at least that you have no
further need for help"
She summoned her courage now, n
spoke in a voice full of feeling.
"Oh, you must not feel that way.
You helped me just when 1 did not
know what to do, and put me in the
way Of helping myself. l shall never
cease to thank you for your kindness
to an utter stranger. And now / nm
doing very we'll" She tried to smile,
but the tears came unbidden instead.
You poor chold!" His tone was
full of something deeper han compass
sion, and his yes spoke volumes. DO
you suppose l think o are doing
well when 1 see you wearing the garb
of a meniel and working for people to
whom you are far superior-people
who by all the rights Of education and
refinement ought to be in the kitchen
serving you?"
ut was the safest thing I could dc,
and really the only thing l could get
to do at once" she tried to explain.
I'm doing it better every day"
81 have no doubt. You can be an
artist at serving as we'll as anything
else, If you try. But now that is all
over. I am going to take care OF
you. There is no use in protesting.
If / may not do it in one way, l will
in another. There is n question l
must ask first, and l hope you will
trust M enough to answer it. Is there
any other-any other man who has the
right to care for you, and is unable or
unwilling to do it?"
She looked up at him, her large eyes
still shining with tears, and ~shuddered
slightly.
ooh, mol" she said. "Oh, no, 1 thank
God there is not! Ny dear uncle has
been dead for four years, and there
has never been any one else who
cared since Father died"
He looked at her, a great light be-
ginning to come into his face; but she
did not understand and turned her
head to hide the tears.
Then 1 am going to tell you some
thing" he said, his o M growing lower,
yet clear enough for her to hear every
word distinctly.
A tall. oldish girl with a discon-
tented upper lip stalked through the
hall, glanced in at the door, and sniff
ed significantly, but they did not see
her. A short, baggy-coated man out
side lowered a%nxiously around the
building and passed the very window
of that room, but the shade opposite
them was down, and they did not
know. The low, pleasant voice went
on:
II have come to care a great deal
for you since I first saw you, n l
want you t give me the right to care
for you always n protect you against
the whole world"
She looked Up, wondering.
What do you mean?"
81 mean that / love you, and 1 want
to make you my wife. Then l can de-
fly the whole world if need be, and put
you where o ought to be-"
"Oh!" she breathed softly.
wait, please" he pleaded. laying
his hand gently on her little, trembling
one. Don't say anything until l have
finished. Il know of course that this
will be startling to you. You have
been brought up to feel that such
| things must be more carefully and de-
l%iberately done. / do not want you to
feel that this is the only way l can
help you, either. If you are not will
ing to be my wife, / will find some
other plan. But this is the best way,
if it isn't too hard on you, for / love
you as / never dreamed that l could
love a woman. The only question is.
whether you can put up with me until
7 coD tooob Won RI love mo a 1tfleo