The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-04-20

THANK YOU" said Laura, but i
don't think / win walk this afternoon.
| am rather tired
'Rason de plus, the air will refresh
you. / shall talk to Mrs. Patterson
while you put on your bonnet"
This was more than Eeyerard could
stand. He was a quiet, pea caable man;
but his longing to pick quarrel with
the Russian was irresistible. Il hope
he said, that you will not think Of
going out if you are tired, Miss Den
| ham,
1T is not worth disputing about re-
piled Laura, leaving the room.
She returned almost Immediately
with her bonnet on.
Il am ready when you are" she said
to the count.
She was dra wing on her gloves, one
Of which she had a momentary difficult
ty in bslttoning Turning suddenly
to Everard. who was watching her with
Il gloomy face-"Will you fasten it for
me- she asked, and held out her wrist
to him.
why are you doing this" he whs-
pered, as he obeyed her
"Recause--" she replied With
which unsatisfactory answer she moved
away. followed by Souratkin.
/ Eyerard was greatly annoyed. and
did not care who knew it. who and
what is that fellow" he asked, a sec
ond before the door had closed.
| Hush exclaimed Mrs. Patterson,
! holding up her finger warningly. Then
| she beckoned to her uuastioner to draw
nearer, and answered in 4 low, solemn
voice. Sometimes l think he is the
devilr'
My dear lady" returned Everard,
| impatiently, you must excuse my say
| ing that that is very great nonsense
How can any man be the devil?
| suppose what you mean is that he is
4 spiritualist, or some charlatan Of that
kind. He evidently wishes to convey
that impression"
He does not wish to convey the i'm
preston that he is charlatan," said
Mrs. Patterson. smiling family. IF
you will sit down l will tell you what
he is, SO far as | know. But / do not
know much"
Il shall be glad to hear what you
know"
''Well-but first let me ask you a
question. It is rather an unusual one.
but perhaps you will pardon an old
woman for thinking more about her
Am wrong in faneying that you take
Il special interest in her."
80 special an interest, Mrs Patter-
son, that l would ask her to be my
wife tomorrow If | thought there was
chance of her accepting me-
THAT was what l imagined: and
glad and thankful shall I be il
she ever does accept you But
| think you must not ask
her tomorrow, nor even the next
day. Now I will tell you about that
terrible man. We met him first some
years ago, during Mr.. Denham's life
time. Mr. Denham was a great gam
bier, and so Is the count so that they
were drawn together in that way, and
he used to come often to the house. I
was immensely interested in him, be-
cause he told me more about the un-
seen world than I had ever been able
to learn from books, and because
though that is comparatively small mat
ter-he has the gift of second sight in
remarkable degree Perhaps you
don't believe in second sight, but | can
give you instances
Some other time, Mrs. Patterson. if |
YOU don't mind. And was Miss Den
ham as much interested in this man as
you Were;'
No, she always disliked him, al |
though he took a great deal Of trouble I
to ingratiate himself with her She
even doubted his powers, poor child, |
One evening when he was telling lis |
how he had imposed his will upon diff |
ferent people, she very foolishly deiied |
him to make her do anything that she +
did not choose to do. Not five minutes I
afterWaTu she got UP from her chair,
crossed the room and kissed him on the
forehead. He laughed and asked her
whether she was convinced now. Was I
it not horrible of him.
''Her father kicked him out Of the
house, | suppose" exclaimed Everard |
Indignantly.
''Oh, no; Mr. Dcnham was not that |
kind OF a man. Besides, Count Sourat- /
kin did what he liked with him. For |
some reason or other, he chose to pre- I
vent Laura from playing in public, I
though both she and her father wished
that she should do so. Mr.. Denham |
was very much yexed about it, yet he I
gave III. And ever since that day poor |
Laura has been completely in that ter I
rible mans power. She has fought and I
struggled, but it has always been use
less
i should have thought you might /
have helped a little. In what way dos f
he propose to use his power over Miss t
Denham? Does he wish her to marry
him.
"Ah, that / can't tell He has never I
said so, but when she came into her
little fortune we feared that that might /
be his aim; for he is extravagant, and / I
believe he is poor. And lie is utterly /
INSCRIPTIONS. You see, we have gained I
nothing by running away from him and T
concealing our address,