Year: 1874

would, answered Jne SlTl quiCkly,
then hurried away to the garret to
escape the torrent of words which she
was sure would follow her answer


Once safely in her room-one corn.
er of the garret curtained and carpet,
ed-Dell sat down to think. She
had often before been in the same
train of thought, namely, her depend
ence on her relatives But had she
thought on the other side, she might
have discovered that they were as
much dependent on her as she on
them. She had thought what might
be her situation in case Of their death.
The little farm was all they had, and
that was not valuable-barely suf1i-
cient for their maintenance not a
rich inheritance, truly. But she had
richer. And as she thought Of her
robust health, cheerful heart and will
ing hands, the poorhouse looked very
far in the distance.


"Well, I don't care" she said aloud,
as she gave her curls toss. 81 can
work, l can go away if she wants me
to, / can earn my own living, hut |
cannot marry that money loving, self
ish, sordld, hard hearted Ambrose
Yerrick, and what's more, I won't" !"
This was the same conclusion she had
come to before, and she saw no reason
to change it. Just then her aunt
called to her that her uncle and Doc
tor Troop were going over to the sta
ton, and she needed Dell's help about
the dinner.


Dell brushed her curly head with
her hand, tucked the curls in a net,
took a hasty look in the little mirror,
and went down stairs.


AS Doctor Troop comes in here in
our story it will be we'll to tell our
readers that he was man of about
thirty-fve years. He had settled in
the West years before, and was held
very high in the estimation of his
fellow citizens. His profession had
thrown HIM into the mixture of socie.
ty which makes up the western popu-
lation, and many owned their present
good prospects to his timely words of
encouragement He was on friendly
terms with all, but with none more so
than with the Perrys. Perhaps Dell
was the magnet of attraction but if
so no one suspected it, not even Dell
herself lie was a courteous gentle
man and a fine scholar, and one might
wonder why he choose to carry on his
profession among people so far in
ferior to him in native refinement as
the majority of his neighbors were.
But he was satisfied and could dine
with these humble people on their
simple fare of salt meat, vegetables
and corn bread with as much hearti
ness and good cheer as though he
were among the upper ten, in their
sumptuous dining-rooms.


Dell had seen nothing of her would
be lover, nor had the subject been
alluded to for some time, when one
evening in early summer she was sur
prised by visit from him. He came
in his stylish carriage, with the team
of grays. She was sitting at the
front door engaged with a book, and
did not see him until it was too late to
retreat.


"Good evening, Miss DELL" he said,
in his blandest tones, at the same time
extending his hand, which Dell did
not offer to take, but said as she rose
from her low seat:


"Uncle Nathan is at the barn. III
call him." and Mr.. Yerrick saw the
pink dress whisk around the corner
before he had time to say a word of
remonstrance.


"Well, she'Sa cute one, anyhow.
Wonderful tact. Would make a
splendid general. She knows whom
came to see, Foolish thing! l
could lift her out of this poverty here
waving his hand with a mighty
flourish. Looking still in the direc-
ton Dell had gone, he saw Mr.. and
Mrs. Perry coming towards the house,
but Dell was not with them. "Shrewd
as fox, but Ill watt and he step
iped forward to greet the old folks.


Dell, after calling her uncle, had
fingered around the barn watching the
stylish outfit at the door, determined
in her own mind not to go near the
house until it should be gone. She
sat a long time thinking the thoughts
that come to most of us at times,
wondering what her life was to be,
/ I