The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-08-02
q1Hl|'B 'CASEOF MR.IOCRAFT
A NOVEL.
" WALTER BEsANT AND JAMES RICE
CHAPTER VII.

~ OSSAh6H AA1u III WllA W AOlCht -
sore throat that he could not even
swallow. What was M joy at being
able to so to bed sober, to wake with
out a headache, to feelamy bad symp-
toms slowly disappearing, to recover
my nerves! For a whole fortnight |
was happy-so happy that / believed
the improvement would last, and that
the old man was penitent. One day,
after IA days of q veritable earthly
paradise, l was walking along the
Strand-for I was no longer afraid OF
v~enturing out-and met my old man
ager, Juliet's father. He greeted me
with q warmth that was quite touch
ing under all the circumstances. MY
dear boy, 1 have been longing to know
your whereabouts. Come, and tell me
all about it. Have you dined! Let
us have some dinner together
I excused myself, and asked for Jul
liet.
Juliet is but $3.50. All, do you know
Lucraft, sometimes I think that ala
wrong to part you. And yet, you know,
you had no money. Make some, my
boy, and come back to u.s."
This was hearty. / forgot my
troubles and my state Of bondage n
everything, except Juliet.
Ill have money" l said. 81 have
come into q little money unexpectedly.
"Have your" he replied, clasping me
by the hand. ''Then come down II
see Juliet. Or-stay; no. The day al
ter tomorrow is Juliet's ben. we are
playing at Richmond. We have one OF
your own parts-you shall be Sir Harry
Wildair. I will alter the bills. You
are sure to Gomez?
"Sure to Gomez" I said, with ANNA
ton. capital! I know every line IN
the part. Tell Juliet an old friend Will
act with her"
We made a few arrangements n
parted. l bought a copy Of the play
at I4acy's and studied the part over
again.
Next day l got over to Richmond
in good time. The day was fine, re
member; my spirits were rapidly rls-
ing, because it was the fifteenth day
since l had had n Of my usual at
tacks. l was in great hopes that the
old man was really going to change
his life, and behave with considera-
ton towards me. With the birth OF
hope, there revived in my heart some
Of my old feelings. l had q real desire
to see Juliet again, but yet, the old
warmth seemed gone. 1t was a desire
to see one in whom | had once been
Interested; the desire to awake Ole
memories, which, 1 think, principally
actuated me.
l found the dear girl waiting for me
with an Impotence that ought to
have touched my heart, but which,
somehow only seemed to remind me of
old times. My heart was gone-sOld
to my master with everything else.
Mechanically / took her hands in mine
and kissed on the lips as I used to do.
She threw both arms around my neck.
kissed me again and again, and burst
into tears of joy.
"Oh. Luke, Luke!" she said. II have
SO longed to see you again. The time
has been weary, weary, without you
We sat together for half an hour; she
all the time talking to me, and I, re-
membering what l used to be with her.
wondering where the old feelings were
gone, and trying to- act as l used to.
Luke, you are not growing cold to
me, r your" she asked, as some little
gesture or word Of hers passed me I'M
noticed.
NaCold, JulietY' I replied. syNhat
should make you think 500"
81 will not think So" she said. cit is
too great happiness to meet again, is
1t not? And you are silent because
you feel too happy to speak. Is not
that so?"
Presently it became time to go and
dress.
"Let me look at you. Sir Henry Will
dair," she said. Eyes, we shall do it
very well tonight. You are not look
ing, somehow, quite SO wen as YOU
used to, Luke, dear Istit that Lon
don does not agree with you? Are you
working too hard? Your face is
swollen and Il fancy-Mrs. Mould
says you look as If you had been drink
ing.
Mrs. Mould vas the dresser.
lie Mrs. Mould had seen me a fort
night before she might we'll have said
I had been drinking. A fortnight, how
ever, of rest had done wonders for me,
i laughed, but felt little uneasy.
The house was quite full. because
my Juliet a s.popular at Richmond.
I began with all my former fire4and
vigor, because I wassacting again Will
her The old life came back5to me: I
forgot my troubles; / was really hapnv
and I believe I acted we'll, At. All
events, the house applauded. Between
the first and second acts a Sudden ter.
ror seized me. / felt that tile old man
sWas eating again. That terror passed
on, because he ate very little. But
then he began to drink, ana to drini
fast. 81
It was nd use fighting against it. ]
believe the villain must have beer
drinking raw brandy. because L va,
drunk IN five minutes. / staggered ani
reeled about the stage. Iiaughed wild
IL and sang foolishly, and then