Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-08-03
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CHAPTER VIM.
On the Threshold.

sAtN ANoAN VI ibthtlttt lItEIGI SllliC IilG
moment that Raymond Marshall's dis
coyery OF her duplicity had crushed her
with humiliation. A bitter, cruel re-
solve that. come what might, he should
never again see the face of the woman
he loved.
"Patience,' her fierce heart had
throbbed out. He loves her yet; he
knows her To be true. He despises me
but-he shall yet love me. l cannot
lose him. He shall never find or wed
Edna Deane.'
Then calming her fierce, resolute ma
ture to subtle, sinister regard of all the
issues in the ease in which mingled love
and jealousy involved her. Beatrice
Mercer fell TO studying the chances in
her favor.
She knew where Edna had gone; the
letter that Edna had only half-read.
amid her excitement and anxiety, had
been conned over and over again by
the plotting Beatrice.
Its contents gave her an insight of
the character of the father who had
sent for his beloved child, into his Sc
crets as well, and she knew one Of two
things would happen when Edna reach
ed home-her father would order her
to forget all friends of the past, or, If
any letter or word was SEM TO Ray
mond Marshall, il would be through her
friends.
As the days passed by, however. and
no word was received, she grew puz-
zled, disturbed. and finally anxious.
The evening preceding that upon which
Raymond Marshal appeared at the sem
mary TO find her gone, however, she
made a discovery that startled her into
a new train of thought and action, I'M
expected, vivid, exciting.
A student living at quite n distance
received regularly the weekly paper
published at her home, and glancing
over this, Beatrice felt the blood rush
from her heart through icy channels,
as she noted an item that told her in
tuitively that she had found a trace of
the missing Edna at last.
1t was the record Of the death by
drowning of a man and a girl: the ac-
count of the scene at the broken bridge,
where the two villagers had seen Edna
Deane's companion plunge to his death,
and had accredited Edna herself with
falling a victim to the same fate.
Within an hour, from a careful study
Of the item and from a knowledge Of
the route taken by Edna and her guide,
Beatrice knew that she no longer had a
rival. Edna Deane was dead,
She knew something more. She knew
that with the death Of these two had
persisted a mighty secret-that some
where-and she knew where, an anx-
ious father was awaiting the return of
his beloved daughter, to lay ut her feet,
- -, f~~ tI. fn~anl AnlAu
Of years, a royal fortune.
The e morning Beatrice MERGERS
mind was mad" up. All night long she
had plotted and planned. The jealous
minded school girl of the night previous
had become in a few brief hours a will
full, wicked siren, imbued with schemes
as bold and cruel as the hardest heart
ever yet designed.
She ven straight TO the town where
Edna and her companion had disap-
peared. Within tw~enty-four hours she
was satisfied that both had met their
fate in the turbulent torrent that
flowed beneath the broken rustic
For w~ealth--for Raymond Mar
shalIs love-" she murmured resolutely,
as, q few hours later, she took a train
for the next station.
Evening shadows were creeping Owe
the autumnal landscape as Beatrice
Mercer left the little depot and walked
toward the outskirts of the village.
bridge.
In the dim light she made out an an
tique but magnificent mansion, occupy
ing elaborate grounds, but surrounded
by great, high walls.
so near to home and then TO lose
life. fortune and love- murmured the
steely -hearted siren. Poor Edna. but
/ cannot miss this royal chance"
Her yes sparkled rs she drew from
her pocket a little chain and locket that
Edna had worn at school and which
she lad left behind her In her hurry TO
so to seek her father.
She Gained herself. as if for a mighty
ordeal. as she seized the bell-knob at
the iron gate and sounded one resonant.
d%iscordant peal through the gloomy
structure beyond.
Fairly on the Threshold she breath
ed wildly, yet exultantly, as she await
cd a reply TO her summons-"one bold
stroke, a single resolute assumption,
and l shall be mistress of wealth I'M
told, 10 pave the way to the heart OF
the man / love-Raymond Marshall,'