The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1890-01-31
lie saw alp she repeated. dizzilv.

lie saw alp" she repeated. diZziiy.
Yes, yes" He spoke cxcitcdly now,
ald twisted his fingers together very
restlessly. Erica, swear YOU will never
breathe a word 10 Philip st. John. lie
would have no mercy. ven for your
sake. He would hunt me down. Oh,
Erica. lie covered his face and the
drops stood OF his brow-"I caunot. |
cannot face that, 10 be dragged down to
a felon's death. | did not mean to do
that ut first; and then he loaded me
with ci;vscs. He had lost on that cursed
horse Eenton. as | have, and l hated
him for his brotLcv's sake-'
What had he or his brother done to
you?s Erica said, speaking in measured
tones, with nc change of face, only the
lips moving.
II hated him said Arnold. fercelv.
"becansc he was ever finging his
brothers MANI ut me and | hated his
brother because he stood between YOU
and me. All The same" he added, sink
ing back again, and speaking with IL
kind of snllen detection. Il wouldn't
have hurt him; we had both been drink
ing cilanpagne, and onr blood was as
hot as FIRE, and so-and SD
He stopped, shnddering again in
every limb.
4 Y tiiiif ~ Nsio Atto Nv lltSl.
he went on after II moment. "Oh,
shall ever get that face out of my
thougllts3'
but when YOU struck the blow. o
meant TO Kill him. said the girls low
tones.
He sprsng up and walked away to the
window and back again before lie an
swercd her, a savage CLEAN i'll his eyes.
Don't drive me like that. girl: per-
haps | did. What then? Hadn't he
accused nlc and ~reproached me? I'm
not a poltroon 10 stand anything a MAJ
may like to say. Why do you look so
at me?:'
She made a step forward, and laid her
with a half cry, rs its icy chill struck
through him.
Don't touch me- lie said. whisper
ingly; 'yoar hand is pure; mine"
us a murdcrer's hand" she said. bit
terly. Yes. ! know il; can it pollutc me
more to touch you. than TO know that
the same blood flows in our veins? Lis
ten, Arnold. and answer me truly. or.
as Heaven is my witness. | will not stir
hand or foot TO save you from justice.
When you wrote that line to me yester-
day, when You said, lie will be away
did you mediate wrong against Walter?
Was your thought that Philip would be
sent for. because OF his brother death?
The truth, remember
II swear to you.' he said. eagerly,
and she knew this time that he spoke
truth, II had not an idea to harm him.
"Was it you that brought him to
Rington?"
II asked him to go Will, me three
weeks ago" Arnold answered, and in
the ready mixture of lies, and what
Erica knew by Walters letters to be
truth. how could she separate the wheat
from the chafI? S"lIad he refused, or
cited his brother Again. with a
sheer. But he anne after all, worse
luck for him and me-"
Aye aye, Heaven knows it," the
girl said, covering her face with such
awful bitter anguish in movement and
tone as held ever Arnold silent. sOh,
is this burden laid on me too? Does
my brothers slayer, deceive still. live 4
lie to him? And OH" she bowed her
head down. falling on her knees beside
the table, he loves me; must | bet:ay
his love. or betray II | have sworn to
protect?"
In that fierce conflict Erica seemed
indeed to have forgotten Arpold'S pres
cnce till he touched her lightly on the
shoulder, and then she lifted a white
rigid face to his and rose to her feet, aud
in the burning dark eyes lay a fixed re-
solve. Cost what it might that VOW lay
on her still, 50 i'll her blindness she
( deemed ii.
why do yon shake and tremble SOP
She said, and he fel. back. gazing at her,
tsc she looked SO strangely quiet and