The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-07-18
CHAPTER XIV

Fulton stood lost and hewjldcr"d in Il
storm Of feeling and thought. lie knew
not whether to be- pleased. or curse his
fate. What Il SouIr" al pride ana JOY for
him, his daughter. his OWL rhild-ou" of
the lovellcSi and iair">t women il. Eng
LAND gifted with graz" ANA dignity lifting
for a queen married To- = nohleman high
In rank. position and wealth; one with
whom II was an honor 10 associate. To
b. known rs Lady Rayncham's father
would b. 10 secure Al one" position ana
standing VIVA; IA proud moment for him
when h. could speak of my Son-in-laW ilr
earl. my daughter the countess, lie had
been longing for the p~restig" of rank;
here i was. almost thrust upon him. And
yet cooler reflection told him thar his OWN
folly stood an impossible barrier between
his child and himslf. In claiming hcr
he would lose far more than he could
gain. He must proclaim himself 10 be the
%ex-convi't. Stephen Hurst; no spurious
Statement would hold good in a matter SO
impo.tant. He must destroy the new rep
utstion so proudly built on the wretched
past lie must acknowledge to Lady
Grahame that, in telling her he had never
been married, he had been guilty of a de-
uoerate lie, ana so lose ali cnalcc Oh
making her his wife.
It maddened Paul Fulton to see 70
many and such great advantages in his
grasp, yet not to be able 10 reach them.
His daughter, who could reflect such
honor and distinction upon him. was as
far from him as though she were dead.
He did not dare to claim her. Calm re-
Election told him such a step would bring
nothing but disgrace upon him, for it
would entail the revelation of his past
life.
Paul Fulton resolved 10 fly. He had
met and conquered all his enemies; but
one stole upon him uIawares: and that
was, love for the fair and gentle lady
who was his only child. When the cleo
ton was ended he determined to leave,
and not come near Bayneham for some
time.
The election did end at last. and AL
bert Carlyon, Esq, was returned by a
triumphant majority. thanks to the untir-
Ing energy of Lord Bayneham and Mr..
Fulton Then the guests who had been
together began to speak Of leaving. Ber-
"a had duties-he must go; Mr.. Fulton
declared that he had imperative business,
but he yielded to his hosts entreaties,
and promised to remain for four days
longer.
That promise altered Paul Fulton's
life. aud brought years of sorrow and
misery - his innocent daughter. He
began 20 love her: men may be blind,
foolish or cruel. but nature must speak;
there were times when the strong, false
man lDuged for one word from his daugh-
ter's lips .0nged to clasp her in his arms
and tell her she was his own. only child.
He rav"i al himself for the thought.
Should he wreck the reputation he had SO
carefully and assiduously won, by one
inpnleuts weakness: No. he would leave
danger and B~ayneham far behind him.
That very afternoon Lord Bayneham
and BERTHE Carlyon had gone out for a
ramble together. and Mr.. Fulton had been
assisting Miss Earle in transplanting
some very choice slips given her. BY
some unknown accident, he contrived to
infict a pretty severe wound upon n of
his fingers whilst Lady Hilda was stand
lng near.
The wound, slight though it was, bled
profusely. Mr.. Fulton, like many other
people, could bear pain, but the sight of
blood unnervcd him. He turned sick and
faint, and leaned against the wall for
support
Il have some adhesive plaster said
Barbara Earle. Il will fetch it in a
moment" And she disappeared as She
spoke
Lady fIilia Saz.l pityingly at the
handsome face hlanrhcd with fear.
"L't "a, rad it up for YOU" she said.
until Alt>> Earle returns"
Size went up 10 him and took the
WouAlei hand In hcr own. As she stoop-
.i to !'stru ,hc handkerchief round it,
her 4ori,u hair touched him, and the con-
'lc1 va Iih au electric shock 10 him;
the WlrU.. -,'t fingers held his own 50
gently tIr far face was SO sweet with
u> pilyIa. hook AMI she was his own.
only child He torgoI all danger and
everything else in I'll" world, save thai
SIC Wa, the iittlc child whom he had held
il hi, arms. he bent down and kissed the
.,5Ian bead dropping near him. Then
..s hrurt HE'D within him when he found
what ie had lone.
Lady !li!Il started up, her face glow
ing with 4 Burning blush. her eyes full of
Indignant tirr, but il was no look of love
'hatmrth hers Mr.. Fulton face was unut-
tcrahly ,ai She WAS about To cxclaim.
when H. said. flush. my dear; as you
value y,Ir own happiness be silent. II
knew your mother years ago, and you
luok~i ike her then
Miss Earle returned before Lady Bslda
had time to speak. She looked with
,mazement ut the strange expression of
hat fair young face, but made 10 re-
mark, she ~baniaged the wound carefully,
nd then both ladies Withdrew, leaving
> nc perplexed Mr.. Fulton to find a way out
Of his difficulties.
..Th,t l should have been SD mad!' he