The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-07-18
Il don't know"

THAT / don't know" he replied de-
jectedly.
1T is not for myself that |
hesitate" he added. seeing the look
of impatient anger gathering on his
mothers face; but the consideration
that kept me from raising an alarm
when Kate fell at my feet is equally
strong now. To give Kate to her IA
ther is, perhaps, to give her back to
the mercy of the person who tried to
destroy her"
: Good heavens! you don't suspect
her father of having tried to murder
her, do you?" exclaimed Mrs. Fair
field in Mortified amaZement.
! II suspect no single person" he re-
piled evasively; but that somebody
did try to destroy Kate's life. and
that the same man or woman believes
her to be lying at the bottom Of the
shaft down which she fell, there can
be no doubt whatever. | expected
that Kate would be able To tell us
who took her to that little room, but
the doctor has dashed that hope to
the ground"
His arms fell listleSsly by his side,
and his hopeless helpleSSneSs seemed
TO infect his mother, for she-having
been standing until now-Sank down
on the nearest chair. and for the mo-
ment seemed oyerpCwerCd by the ter
rible situation.
She was a woman possessing a great
amount of self control however, and
she soon recovered from her temper
airy weakness.
There is another view of the mat
ter which yOu don't seem 10 have
thought about" she said severely. 1T
would have been bad enough for any
man to have brought Kate from her
fathers roof in the middle of the night
but for you to have done so it was
only to bring suspicion upon you and
disgrace upon her.
"Oh, yes; | have thought OF all that"
he replied bitterly; but when life is
at stake one fOrgetS what malicious
tongues may say about ones actions
and though Kate is nothing in kinShip
to us, you are the only mother she
has ever known, and when | brought
her to you 1t was the next best thing
to giving her to her own father"
AYE, If I'd been a lady your argu-
ment might be worth something" re-
torted his mother, severely; but as it
is you've only worked mischief as far
as l can see"
He made no reply. Taunts and re-
proaches might be levelled against
him. but they could not undo the past,
neither could they alter the tragical
aspect of the present.
At length Mrs. Fairfield rose to her
feet remarking emphatically:
well, If you won't go to Lord Lii
burne and tell him what has happened
| will"
Every WELL" Re returned, resigned
ly; 'do as you think best. | am will
ing to suffer any penalty for what l
have done that the severest judge
could infiict upon me. only remember
mother, that Rates life is at stake"
j Rates life!'
The two words took all the tenn
porary courage out of the nurse, and
made her weak and vacillating as her
son.
What would you have me do:' she
asked.
IF you have the nerve to go to Sill
vertOn Castle as though nothing had
happened and ask to see Kate, and lis
ten to all they can tell you. and then
act upon your OWE Judgment as to
what is best for her. he replied,
'tDen WOulu say 40 IL.
mo: If what you have told me is
true l should break down." was her
shuddering reply; land If it is not
true
She paused and he repeated her
words questiOningly.
IF it is not true! Do you doubt me?'
She made no direct reply but said
evasively:
hnI hot 20 al 4
burne: 1t is your duty, not mine, to
do So"
NO" he answered: II will wait and
see if Kate gets better. When her
reason returns there will be no more
will wait"
His mother said no more, she left
him, for at heart she was as unable
to come to any decision as he was.
AS day after day, and week after
week went by, however. the doctors
fear became sad reality.
Hates body recovered from the
shock she had received, and she grew
strong. and able to eat and drink and
walk about like person in ordinary
health.
Mentally however, she was little
better than IN idiot: she had no men,
DRY, and no intellectual consciousness;
her reasoning faculties We're dead or
dormant. and the doctor who attended
her shook his head Wien Fairfield sug-
gested an operation TO remove the
pressure on the brain. " 81
! CHAPTER TX.
"Yet it Is love, IL thoughts Of tender