The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-11-29

Pfercs Penfold'5 lips curled scornfully,
then, as he wa about to reply, Mr.. Middle
ton hastily interrupted him, his suayity
giving place To rage.
DO not deny the charge of uulawfully
harboring an infant in the sight Of the law.
Sir, / demand that my ward be given up at
once to my just authority"
And I refuse to give her up to one who
has outraged every tie of honor. I consider
your conduct to that defenceless girl scan
dal0us in an extreme. There is no court in
England that would not release her from so
debasing n guardianship. I would rather
die than give her up tot BONDAGE that dis
honors her SEX"
"dow dare you speak so to me, sir? I
will make yon prove this dastardiy accusa-
ton. Who with any sense would credit the
vile fabrications of an hysterical girl, who,
in Il fit of childish temper, chooses to fling
aside the restraint society puts upon her,
and wanders away from home like q com.
mon tramp or o gypsy wench, such rs you
once picked out from her native mire2"
Your immoderate speech betrays your
own base heart; you insult yourself more
than YOU do me. Your ward was driven
from home by your insults. Your own con-
science is the best accuser; l see by your
towards eyes you know / speak the truth.
II you are sensible you will go away in ST.
lence, and leave your ward where she Is"
81 am not qu1e ~ idiot, Mr.. Penfold.
You are a young man, and may like to play
the part of a Don Juan. I must protect my
ward from such unfair influence. Where
is she? l insist upon seeing her. She has
given Inc TIT bile enough, l must assert my
authority. You know of course that she Is
under agep'
81 know that if she were of age you would
not rule moment at Castle Cover. You
cannot see her; she has been very i'll, and Ia
in no fit state to see anyone. She gave me
o message, which WAS that she will not en-
tel Castle Cover while you are there"
III health is only a paltry excuse; she
must and shall return IL / have to take her
away by force
You would have to lift her over my dead
body il you carried her away by force"
Sir, Ihaye no time to handy words with
you. Let me see my ward at once. Illavs
authority, and evidently must exert it.n
II tell you she is ill-totally unfit to ba
bothered by you. She is not a child, and she
| elilS ISlc III Ilel ONu ueSlCc. a4EEaHt --l
II have only your bare word for tilat.n
The door opened slowly and Dorothy en-
tered, a light in her eyes Pierce lad never
seen before. She toyed with the jeweled
cross at her neck with the hand that was
adorned by her fathers masonic ring.
The two men looked at her as though she
was a being from another word.
Pierca said entreatinsIy:
ttJTpr G-J'r co1-o NO {, n,,- , W..
othy, and leave me to deal with this man
%alone!'
II will go, Pierce, when Ihave tod him
that j stay here of my own free will. You
sat cd me from being frozen to death; my
life, my love, are Yours. 1 am your promis-
cd wife, by that dear bond l beg YOU to 1ro-
tect me from that mans misusel pawer
He las tried TO make me n Shame tony sex
he has betrayed every tic of truth, ant
friendship.
''To save myself from worse than death
left my home To wander away knew moi
whittier, until you found nc, half-dead III
the snow-drift, when he made me desperate
by the wicked wrong lie would have wrough'
me had | been a weaker woman"
Dorothy locked hardly earthly, as slt
stood like an accusing angel before the mar
her dead mother had counted as n kins
among his fellows, and his bold eyes droop
cd beneath the s~cornful fro of hers. Hi!
voice was faprse as he Kissed:
You mast coMc home With me; that mar
has a wife already"
III is false! Oh, Perez, my darling, tel
him it is false she u ell in agoniscd ac
cents as She sank Ip9n her knees before
tinHa.s
Perez took her hand kindly, aud, assist
ing her 10 rise, said:
MY dearest, l had a wife, but the law hal
freed me from Her foc ever, or l should no
have dared 10 sue fer Oils dear hand. Stant
up, my love, and keep a brave heart, no ont
shah harm YOU"
But Yourself, l suppose, sir. Don't lister
to him, Dorothy, lei telling an untruth.
saw his wife but a lew days ago."
.You saw my wife, MS you choose to cal
her-you saw Alison Lee? For the love O
mercy tell me quickly, had she my littl,
child with herr! Where is she?'
Horace Middleton laughed unpleasantly
while Dorothy bent forward, her lips apart
her hands clasped, as though TO add to th,
fathers entreaty.
u knowing nothing of the child. TIL,
mother Is q fine woman, with plenty o
spirit inher. She told me where to find MI
truant ward. Come, Dorothy, be quick ane
sensible; the carriage is outside, puton you
cloak and CONC. | have no time to spare
~ will moi come--wild horses should no
drag me back to the awful fate you wish I,
doom me to-"
You would rather stay as this mans mis-
tress, since you cannot be his wife. But .
will not allow you to drag the name you
mother bore with honor into the dust. Come
Isay; If you will not / shall carry you.p
Lay not q finger on her, If you valu,
your life, and beg her pardon on your knee
for the insult you have offered her befor,
me. Down, l say, or l will force you, 70,
cowardly liar!'
Pierce threw himself upon him, and triet
to force him down on his knees. Blows wer
struck, and curses exchanged, when a quie
voice said calmly:
Gentlemen, gentlemen, you are reall!
too old to play at leap-frog, and before
lady too. Come away, my dear"
DR.. Steel hastily led Dorothy out of Gil,
room, then returned and said, as he tried Il
part the two combatants:
Come, gentlemen, you can't keep all til,
fun to yourselves. l like a fight as well a
ANYBODY; go and have it out in tho road, Til,
servants will hold your hats and enjoy TIN
fun. Its greedysto keep all the excitemen
bottled up in q bit of a place like this"
BY dint of much struggling and getting
few blows, the doctor succeeded in partin!
the two men, who glared at each other Xix,
two bulldogs when their collars are twlstc,
to choke them off.
Gentlemen, l do believe I've got, til,
worst OF the battle, the moral of which is
never NEEDLE with what may not concerl
yourself Now / have a word to say Will
you pull yourselves together, and that |
that If this row is about Miss Cover, rs he
medical man. / say she is in no fit state t
be removed. Now can't youbrother-mason
come to terms9"
II would never treat with such q scoun
Dire" said Pierce.
my remedy isin the hands of the law,
said Horace Middleton.
!, Then let 1t remain there; the remcd
!, may prove worse than the disease. Nj
r. NT;lytnINy, iarx, 1rr,,y. x-, al -, 49, 1.n,,l,