The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-08-16
ret, since she ceHld not obtalnwliat she

SO one day Victor Gayherd proposed
and was accepted, and Grace sent him
Oft TO her father to obtain his consent.
So far she WAS safe, and Ii she could
get away for II time and forget her
crime she thought that all would be
we'll.
When Victor returned, however, the
expression OF his eoyntenance quickly
told her of the noR5saccess of his mis-
sion.
i don't think your governor is quite
right the young man remarked as he
took a scat5bv her side; the seeins a lit
tie bill touched, Z ana lie tapped his own
fprasaad significantly.
Why what did lie saygga asked Grace
breatiiiessly.
''lla said q good many things. He
seemsto believe that yQNr sister is alive,
Though he has not seen her nor heard
from her, and he says that until he has
received proof OF her death beyond all
doubt, that he viii only give you the
portion you would have had before she
was LOST
That is prayoking, but itwon't mat
ter IN the long run, returned Grace
heartlessly: .le can't live for ever, and
then all he has mdst b. mtire.s
"Unles5 your SISTER is a.ive,a replied
Victor slowly.
s0i. sizes dead safe eneagh,'' was
the eaiioHs answer: ''yoa needn't trou-
bic bout her.
"lop ak as tliougl, YOU had seen
her die, liz exclaimed wititsniden sus-
picio2.
"N{eH. / didR't sea iTer die" she re-
tHrtsd sleiiantiy. rs she contracted her
breW8 tutl cienetlpa lmr teett; but I
haSen'ttha last doubt she is dead. II
size We're not, do yea think She would
stay array from everything is&it can
make lite enjoyable? No. She is dead
eneusa. and SiiYerton must one day ia
n.iua. l,tit What else did papa say5 lie
did nos refuse his consent to Our paar-
mage, did he..h
INC: but he refuses to allow it to
take place until after next Christmas
Day. and now ii is June. Imagine our
baking SIX months 10 wait.i'
"3es. and | hate Christmas" ex-
ciaIG!td Craze ~passionatelT. sWewon't
witjt, Victor. III papa won't rive his
conseat We viii he married without it."
Victor GlyhGrd slulgged Ills Shout
defs and made rBefaI face before he
replied:
II admire yoar courage. Grace, and
should aPplatta ii. il it were not for the
fltitul condition Of JaE ~ finances,
bait your Iatiief has loreseen the posi-
bitity of ourt spen9ing with his permits
sian, and ig5s toll me that ii we marry
Nithout Il he @iii Irat give YOU one six
pence while nc lives"
IF my estates were nAt r,,,t .roa
f9I almosttheir ,arso, or Ii YOU had a
.s lr3nl yottr mother, as yonf sis
Ter had, we might afford To 10 as we
please. but nnw ii Is impossible
Grace threw herself upon a couch,
ana Wept, and declared that he didn't
love her, ana she sabNed and cried, and
~altegether fnads Herself exceedingly
rdlenieta; bat Victor was not sufi-
Gently infatuated to be jmprGdent, and
Us her father happened to ON in just
~ this scene was at its height, Miss
Grace YVES ordered off to her own rooui,
and desired to remain .lieie Until she
had regainel her senses.
men laihurne talked quietly but
Kihuiy. with the young man. and it was
agreed between them that, il nothing
Unforeseen occurred i'll the interval. the
marriage should take place Immediate
" after Christmas bay.
when Miss I,ilburne heard of The az
Tangement, and foHna that She could
9 rave hef own way she resigned her
sell 70 the tyranny OF circumstances
Win the hest grace she could assume.
u rasi eE thus terrible year must be
LVed cat ut Silyett9G Castle, for Mr..
Li!huma. with lie morbid expectation
OF his eldest daughters return, would
not go 10 London OF Scotland, or TO any
OF eha ptaces OF she Continent tl!al il
was aimast his yearly custom to visit.
Here Mt the castle lie remained, and
mere, sQrely against tlei VIII, Grace was
obliged 10 stay with him.
AS The days shortened, and the nights
grew dark and chilly, and Christmas
was again approaching, Il horrible fasci-
nation seemed to draw her to the room
under which she had consigned her sis
ter TO so terrible q fate.
AT last she coula resist the feeling nc
longer, yet when she atleugth yielded
to the desire. she dared not move the
body Of her victim.
she had no earthly doubt that Kate
lay there as she had fallen, or. if not
exactly in the anne position, it she had
not been actually killed By Che fall. tbs
guilty girl was equally sure that hei
!, sister Was lying dead at the bottom of
that horrible pit.
Bat though she would have given hall
!, OF all she might ever possess to look
upon the face OF her victim, she dared
not remove the floor that hid the MUIR
dered girl from view, because She fear.
, ed that as surely rs she did SO, she
) should be irresistibly impelled to cast
herself down beside her.
AS Christmas came nearer, however
ana the wedding was fixed for the sue
eeeding day, Grace became rather wild
and excited.
! Since tlley must spend Christmas Day
| at Siiverton Castle, they would be mer-
~ over it, she said, and rs hermarriage
was to take place Immediately after,
wards, She invited a Great number OF
guests TO come 70 The castle for the
Christmas festivities, and stay oven the
} w~edding-day.
We VIII forgetlast year if it is to be
forgotten, she exclaimed to her Lover
almost Historically; and Whatever We
Christmas Day; oh, how l do dread itl'
She broke down, and began to sol
and tfemble as she said this, and it was
some time before Victor could soothe
!, her.
!. Bit when Christmas Day raallydawn.
cd, Grace was calm and cheerful, anC
!, only those who knew her well coulC
, detect the under-curremt of excitement
which she suppressed with SO supreme
an effort.
"To-morrowjs my wedding-day." she
hsPt whispering 10 hefSe1. ana then ]
Shall be free-iree nom the nameless
terror that in this house always haunts
me-
Tomorrow! But what viii even to.
day bring forth"H
CHAPTER ".
COMRADES IN CHIEF.
{ Frank Fairfield sat in an office thai
was situated in one OF the large thor
ouehtares within a couple of hundred
yards OF the Bank of England.
!, La was only junior partner in the
Well-lSiiown firm of engineers to which
he belonged, and he had obtained this
position some two years before GU
story opens, partly by his own great
talent aud industry. but principally
through Mr.. Iilhurne's generosity.
To all intents and purposes Frank
Fairfield was a working partner III the
firm; he had been to South America, tc
Russia, and to India. experimenting
the construction OF r~ailwaysaud bridges
and though he lad now been in Eng.
land some three or f0ur months, he
Knew that he might bGreql,ired to star
or again at any time with but scan1