Miss Dividends: A NovelGunter, Archibald Clavering
General
Miss Dividends: A Novel
Gunter, Archibald Clavering
Latter Day Saints -- Fiction
"Yes; he was in his shirt sleeves, but he read it, and said he would be
down in the morning. He seemed to chuckle over it. I don't think I would
trust your father's friend any too much," suggests the boy.
"Thank you," cries the girl, "for your advice and your kindness," and
being desperately grateful for this one act of consideration shown to
her this night, she says to him suddenly: "Good-bye. God bless you,
Ferdie!" and gives him an impetuous kiss--the sweetest he has ever had
in his life, though with it she leaves a tear upon his cheek.
Then she comes in and says with business-like directness to her
faltering abigail, "You wish to leave me, Marie, here alone?"
"Yes, I am afraid. Mademoiselle will pardon me."
"Certainly. Here are your wages! Here is money for your ticket to New
York. Now go."
"Mademoiselle will pardon me?"
"Yes, leave me," and Marie departing, Erma Travenion feels that she is
indeed alone in a strange country, for she hears the noise of the
Livingstons' trunks as they are packing them and getting ready to depart
in a hurry that does not seem altogether flattering to her.
Early the next morning, the widow, Louise, Mr. Livingston, and Ferdie
depart for Ogden, though the California train does not start from that
town until the evening; they are so desperately anxious to shake the
dust of Salt Lake City from their feet.
At the depot, Ferdie notices Bishop Kruger, who gazes at the party as
they board the train, and approaching Mr. Chauncey, remarks, "I'll see
Miss Ermie up at the hotel. She ain't going with ye, _sure_?" peering
about with curious eyes, as if to be certain of this fact. Then the
train runs out, bearing the Livingstons toward the Pacific Coast, and
Bishop Kruger, about eight o'clock on this day, finds Miss Travenion
waiting for him at the Townsend House.
The girl comes down into the parlor very simply dressed, but perhaps
more beautiful than ever, to his pastoral eyes, for he remarks to
himself, "Be Gosh! She looks homelike and domestic."
"My father!" she says shortly. Then gazing round, she goes on
impetuously: "He is not here--he feared to see me--he is ashamed!"
"What! that he's a Mormon?" yells Kruger, savagely. "A true man glories
in that; so does your daddy. Perhaps some day you'll jine him."
"Hush!" says Erma. "Don't speak of it," and she shudders. Then she asks,
"Where's my father now?"
"In town! But I ain't told him you was here yit. I thought he might
be----"
"Ashamed!" cries the girl, but suddenly pauses. Kruger's looks alarm
her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account