Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-06-28
FIGHT FOR
AN HEIRESS.

Fairleigh awaited ner III Lhe leeep'"h
room.
HE has come to bid you goodbye
said Roth, who had followed her up the
long flight Of marble steps.
only that?" said Muriel, lightly.
"only that, you don't believe itT'
do your
Eyes; / know the man.
She frowned ever SO little and made
a movement toward the reception
room.
1--WE shall see. Meanwhile, Mr.. Roth
Il may go? Yes, but 1 shall not go
far. See here, Miss May, you think L
am doing Farleigh an injustice, but L
am not. I'll wager a box of gloves
against that rose you wear that things
will turn out as / have predicted
You can have the rose now, II you
wish: il is of no value. For the rest,
the stake is not high enough; L would
take far heavier odds. l, too, know the
man"
Roth drew his breath quickly.
Suppose l say the rose and It's wear
err"
This is too serious a theme for jest
ing, sir" said Miss May, flushing.
Il was never more in earnest n
my life. You must have seen how well
/ love you, Muriel-how earnestly l
desire you for my wife,
What, even now, when you know l
am poor?" she interrupted, almost
mockingly.
Now more than ever, for you need
a protector. And I have enough for
both. oh, my darling
Il take the wager" she said, cutting
him short. You will never claim it,
and with a nod she left him.
Farleigh was ~restlessly walking the
room when she entered it. He seemed
i'll at ease, and wholly unlike his cool,
impassiye self.
AT last he exclaimed, advancing
to meet her. II feared / should be
obliged to go without seeing YOU
And then?" she returned, looking
at him with brilliant eyes.
Have you not heard? / start for
the West tonight; this is u last meet
ing"
She sat down before she answered,
motioning him to do the same. Her
face was turned from the window, but
he saw it had lost color.
rs not this very sudden?" she asked
after a perceptible pause.
In one way, yes. l knew Travers
| thought of sending me to Chicago to
look after the Brown case, but / hard
ly expected to go so soon"
She sat quite still, looking at him ex-
pectantly. He went on with some coz
straint:
80 1 came to say goodbye, Muriel.
1 suppose you will have left town long
before l return"
Il hardly know-my plans for the
future are not definitely arranged. You
have heard that l have lost my
money!"
Yes. and I feel for you deeply
deeply" He spoke with feeling. The
misfortune must be an overwhelming
one"
lit is not the worst that can befall a
woman" said Miss May, and there
was no mistaking her meaning.
Fairleigh flushed all over his dark,
smooth face.
Il know / am acting like a cad and a
villain, Muriel; but what can l do? /
am poor. Even if you were willing to
take me / can not afford to marry a
girl without money. 1t would not be
fair to her. 1 had hoped to make you
mine, for before God, L love you, dear"
He essayed to take her hand, but she
proudly drew herself away from him.
AS things have fallen out, it is better
for your sake as well as my own, that
our intimacy should end here and
now"
She rose from the chair. Her face
was white. but there was q naughty
fire in her eyes.
Il agree with you, Mr.. Fairleigh. No
one can doubt the wisdom of your
course nor the disinterestedness of
your prompt action. You have lost no
time. 1t was yesterday, / believe, that
you became acquainted with the fact
that / was no longer the rich Miss May
yesterday at the clubY'
He could only stare at her for a mo
ment in surprise.
"How-how did you know" he STAN
mered.
"Mr. Roth also heard the story"
He has been to you with it al
readyy
Yes. News OF that sort travels
fast" "
There was something in Miss Mays
self-contained n that embarrass-
| cd Fairleigh, mar Of the world, though
he was, With a lower order of women
he knew how to deal. R~eproaches
could be met with explanations, even
some sort of defiance. But a lady re-
quires a different treatment. He stood
facing her uncomfortably, longing to go,
yet dreading the final word.
ut is q pity you did not try to verify
the rumor before placing implicit conf
dence in it." Miss May went on, with
a smile she tried to render contemp-
tuous, but could not; her wound was
fresh; 'for it is not true"
Farleigh uttered a startled exclama-
ton.
1T was my cousin Lucy's idea. She
has always said you were a fortune
hunter, but / would not believe it.
/ had faith in you, Farleigh." Muriel
made the above avowal unfalteringly,
with the frank fearlessness of a proud
woman. Then Lucy resolved 10 make
use Of some or two club gossips,
and told them confidentially that / had
lost my money. They repeated the tale
even more quickly than she hoped: yes
terday it was the talk OF the clubs"
A variety of emotions were depicted
| an LrotrJairh,c f,,n -