The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-12-14

49, ~-S@-~~ 10y
He picked up the tatntipa oma
fell fainting to the ground. For the Pho
tograph waS nothing less than that of her
husband. dead. III his white grave-clothes,
his hands composed, his eyes closed, his
cheek WnXen.
The cry fell upon the ears of Lord Harry,
who was in the garden below. He rushed
into the house aud lifted his wife upon the
bed. The photograph showed him plainly
what had happened.
She came to her senses again, but seeing
her husband alive before her, mud remem-
bering what She had seen, she shrieked
again, aud fell iuto another swoon.
"WGat is TO be done now?h asked the
husband. What shall | tell her? How
shall | make her understand? What can
l 10 for herS' .
AS FOR help, there was none: the nurse
was gone on some errand; the doctor was
arranging for the funeral of Oxbye under
the name of Lord Harry Norland; the cot
tage was empty.
Such a f~ailting fit does not last forever.
Iris came round, and sat up, looking wild.
ly around.
What is it?" she cried. "What does it
mean?"
1T means, my love, that you have re-
turned to your husbana.n He laid an
arm round her, and kissed her again and
again.
You are my Harry!-livinsl--my own
Harry"
"Yourown Harry, my darling. What
else should | besn
Tell me then, what does it mean-that
picture-that horrid photograph"
That means nothing-nothing--a freak
"A joke of the DOCTORS. What could it
nean!' He took it up. "SNhv. my dear,
am living-living and well. What should
this mean buta joker
- lI,-l,;I to-, ,I-.l.tt L.. .-.. ra..l---.
ward. But her eyes showed that she was
NOT satisfied. Men do not make jokes on
Death; il is q sorry jest indeed to dress up
a man in graye.clothes, aud make II pho.
tograph of him. us Of one dead.
But you-you, my Iris; you are here.
tell me how and why-and when, and
everything. Never mind that stupid pic
turc; tell me-"
my ~letter?"i he repeated. ooh, my dear,
you got my letter. and YOU saw that your
husband loved you stili?p
81 could not keep away from you, Har-
| ny, whatever had happened. | staycl MS
long rs | could. l Thought about you day
and night. And at last Ill came back.
Are YOU angry with me, Harry"
gry2n
He kissed her passionately--not the less
passionately that she had returned at o
time so terrible. What was he to say to
her? How was he to tell h err Wiiie he
showered kisses on her he WAS asking
himself these questions. When She found
out--wheu lie should confess TO her the
whole truth: she would leave him again.
Yet lie did no understand the nature OF
the woman who loves. He held her in his
arms: his kisses pleaded for him. they
mastered her-slle was ready 10 believe.
to accept, to surrender even her truth and
honesty: and she was ready, though sht
knew it not, to become the acconpiice OF
u crime. Rather than leave her husband
again she would do anything.
Yet, Lord Harry felt there was one res.
erratiou; he might confess everything, eX
cept the murder of the Dane. No word oil
confession had passed the DOCTORS lips
yet he knew too well that the man ha,
been murdered: and, SO far as the mar
had been chosen for his resemblance Il
himself, That was perfectly useless, be
cause the resemblance, though s~triiina
ut the first, had been gradually disappear
ing as tine man OXbye grew better; and
was now, MS we have seen, wholly lost at
ter death.
81 have Il great deul--. great deal-tt
tell you, dear, said the iiu.baId, holdin2
both her hands tcndctIy. You Mil fayt
to be very patient With me. You mas
MAKE up your mind to be shocked at first
though ! snail be able to convince sou tlat
there was really nothing else to DC done.
nothing else at all.
'Onl 90 on. Harry Tell ME all. Hid
nothing"
81 will tell Won ALL he replied.
First. where is that ponr' man whom
the doctor brougllt here and Fanny nursed'
And where is Fannss"
1.-The poor man." he replied carelesslv
made SO rapid q recover that lie has got
on ht, legs aud gone away believe, tt
report himself to the hospital whence h.
came. 1t is Il great triumph for the doc
tor. whose new treatment is now srovet
to be successful. He will mako n grant
flourish of %trnnpets about it. / dare say
il all he claims for 1t is true. he has takel
q great step in the treatment Of lung dis
eases"
Iris had no disease of the lungs. and con
sequently cared YER little for the scieutifi,
aspect of the question.
Where Is my maid, thenp'
Fanny? She went away-let me see
to-day is Fridny-on Wednesday morning
IT was no use Keeping her here. The mar
was we'll, and she was anxious to get bact
to you. SO she started on Wednesda,
morning, proposing to take the night boa
from Dieppe. She mls5 have stopped
somewhere on the way"
II suppose she will go to see Mrs. Vi1ip
any. will send her ii line there.''
her."
tell mef"
"A great deal" he repeated. s'That pho
tograph, Iris, which frightened you ST
much has been very carefully taken b,
Vimpany for a certain reason"
"Nhat r%eason?"
Their are occasions" he replied, "whel
the very best thing that can happen to
man is the belief that he is dead. Such
Juncture:o OF affairs has happened to mysel
and to sou-at this moment. II is con
Cnninnf--nvnr n 81 ~ - .. mn fh,t I IA.
world should believe me dead. In poin
OF fact. | must be dead ~henecsorGh. No
for anything that I have done, OF that
am afraid of-dou't think that. No; 1t j
for the simple reason that | have no long
er any money or any resources whatever
That is why must be dead. Had VOL
not returned in this unexpected manner
my dear, yon would have heard of m!
death from the doctor, aud he woulahavi
left 1t to nance TO find a convenient on
. portunity OF letting you know the ruth
am, however, deeply grieyed that l wa!
SO careless rs to leave that photograph
upon the table"
u do not understand" she said. "Yol
pretend to be dead?"
Eyes. | must have money. / hay
some ieft--a very little. l must hay
nsoaS and in order to get it, I must b
Elbow will that helpsn
"Why, my dear, / am insured, and m,
assurances Will be paid after my death
but not before"
"Ohi must you get money-even by a.
She hasitated.
"Call it aconspiracy, my dear, If 20,
please. As there is no other way .thai
ever left, j must get money that Way
"Oh, this is dreadful! a conspiracy,
Harry? a-a-fraud?o
III you please. That is the name whiGi
!awyers give toit."