The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1919-08-29
JUDITH'S CAREER
By FLORENCE sHeDD.

fragrant forest his eyes lost their
WEAKNESS and the telsse lines of his
race relaxed. For months he had been
hard at it. writing magazine articles,
with steady purpose to ob!iterate
other grievous thoughts. He allowed
himself no surcease, for this was the
only way.
The girl who had entered his life,
but to make of 1t mockery, must be
forgotten If life was to be endured at
all. Repeatedly he had been warned
against her lure. Brothers and other
friends Of the small Bohemia in which
Bentley recently moved had testified
to the girls unusual power of enchant-
ment and lack of heart. He had been
curious.
Why was 1t that eager and worthy
suitors were left always the losers,
while the girl herself continued heart
whole upon her chosen way? Bentley
doubted the invincible charm Of which
they spoke. In his own strong conf
dence he desired to meet the much
talked-of girl-and he did.
He was disappointed lust at first.
She was not the "raving beauty" he
had naturally expected. Rather
quiet little person, instead, with child
ishly appealing eyes and sort of diff
fidence in her manner which made one
smile mentally at her reputation for
conquest.
She was learning to draw at the art
school when Bentley met her, and she
told him, with a Shy, fleeting glance,
that her name was Judith earn. The
Quainrness of the name seemed some
way to suit her personality. Bentley
found 1t necessary to draw her out
concerning her work; she was ex-
tremely modest about her undoubted
skill. He marveled. in his own expert
ence, at her clever use of color; and
Judith cast ON him smile of graft
tude.
After that, unaccountably to him.
self, he was often at her side, resent
ing openly any other manly presence
which might forestall him there. He
was quite sure of the girls favoritism;
had he ever been known to fail where
his fancy would conquer? The blow,
therefore, was as bitter and unexpect-
ed, when it came, as 1t had been to his
fellows.
Bentley, successful writer and man
Of the world, had asked the little illus
traitor to marry him, and had beef.
quietly, and with no given reason. re
fused. Injured pride forbade him t.
urge the question, even while his heara
yearned desperately. So Bentley
packed up and went of to the forest
His last article, most interesting
treatise on birds, finished and CON
plete, awaited but the photographs,
which were to accompany 1t. The DIFF
dculty he would encounter procuring
these life photographs added promised
zest to his trip.
But the great green silence seemed
now everywhere eloquent of the girls
magnetic presence. Never had she
seemed SO near or dear to him before
And it was here that he had hoped t.
find fOrgetfulness
Disconsolately he placed his camera
and waited. The strange. mournf,ll
murmur of the timid bird which me
sought would. he knew, inform him Of
its nearness. And at last, with his eyes
closed in sad retrospection, Bentley
heard that soft call. In a moment ne
was on his feet, stealthily following
where the murmuring note led.
At a break between the trees he
paused breathlessly. A girl stood be.
fore him there-the girl! She looked
like a nymph of the woods, in her
brown cotton dress, with the sun CLINT.
ing down upon her bronzed hair; her
red lips were parted in a smile. differ.
ent some way from other smiles tina,
she had given him. and the laughter
CLINT of her eyes changed to swee,
seriousness.
'.Judith!" he whispered.
"You are surprised to see me-" she
answered softly. II will tell you why
I came here: 1t was to sketch from
life-the birds. It was your article,
she added. (which gave to me the idea
You discussed it with me at one time
you will remember, and you were SC
anxious for its success"
She seated herself on bank Of pine
needles and motioned him to her side
Then hastily she unwrapped port
folio.
There was the timid bird Of the
marshes which you so feared you cOult
not get" she went on. We'll, here Il
my sketch of the mother. had sucf
a time learning her plaintive call tha'
I might coax the young from theil
hiding. And here
Bentley, leaning forward. gazed un
believing into the girls face.
"You came out here" he interrupt
ed, land you have been doing all this
-why?'
The girl rested her curly heat
against the tree and raised her appeal
ing eyes to his.
'FOr your sake, she answered sim
ply. II also wished for your success
because, you see-I love you"
"You sent me away" Bentley said