Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-04-16
CHAPTER XVI.

Meanwhile Amelia had entered tile
cell OF the young prisoner, whom she
found extended upon the outside of
the bed, looking more like Il corpse
than like a living creature. Mrs. Bar
ton was sitting near her.
Amelia nodded to the warder, and
then, with that hushed awe with which
one approaches death or deep atiic-
ton, she drew near Eudora, whisper
ing:
How do you find yourself this
morning?"
Eudora, whose eyes were covered
with her left hand, put out her right
hand, and silently pressed that of An
nella, bur made no other answer.
Amelia stopped and kissed her
chilled lips, and after a few minutes,
repeated her question:
How do you find yourself this morn
ing. dear Eudora?"
Drifting, drifting down the dark
river towards the horrible fall | shall
500 go over and be dashed to pieces!
That will be well. There will be a
catching of the breath, a SILVER of
fear, a shock of death, and all will be
over" murmured the sufferer.
Again Amelia stopped and pressed
her lips to those of Eudora, and then,
turning to the warder, she asked:
How has she seemed since l was
here yesterday"
'Oh, Miss, it Almost breaks my heart
to be with her and see her-it do. she
bore up well enough, even after Mr..
Montrose told her her petition had
been refused, and she kenew there was
no hope at all. She heard all that as
Qniet as possible, and then took leave
of him quite calm when he went away.
You see, l think she tried to bear up
for his sake, TO spare his feelings; for
the moment he was gone, she turned
and sank down in a deep swoon, poor
dear!H and that's the second time she's
gone into N O. them since she has
been here. And it was a longer hit
than the first, and we only brought her
to this morning about sunrise, and she
has been lying as you see her, ever
since. And. what makes matters
worse, the chaplain, as might ha'
spoke some words o. comfort to her, is
i'll in bed" replied Mrs. Barton.
Amelia would have given much for
the privilege OF whispering into the
ear Of the despairing sufferer a few
words of hope, but eve her sanguine
nature felt that the communication
would now be premature, as it might,
also, be cruel and dangerous. And, as
she might not speak of hope, Amelia
felt that all other words were worse
than mockery in a woe like this.
She sat down beside the bed and
took the prisoners poor, little, wasted
hand, and held it in silence, sometimes
pressing it tenderly, or kissing it, while
she sat in breathless suspense for the
appearance of Malcolm Montrose.
More than two hours passed in this
silent, dreary misery, and still Nal
colin did not appear. And now every
passing minute seemed to tread with n
leaden foot upon the sinking heart of
Amelia, that every moment grew
heavier, more fearful and more impa-
tient.
"Oh. l cannot stand this! / shall
lose my breath presently she inward
~ exclaimed, feeling the protracted
suspense growing almost suffocating.
At length footsteps were heard ap-
preaching, the cell door was unlocked,
and Malcolm Montrose was ushered in
by a turnkey, who, as usual, retired.
Amelia bounded forward to meet
him, and raised her eyes, dilated and
blazing with burning anxiety, to his
face.
She read the death warrant of Eudo-
IN Leaton.
lie has failedv' she said TO herself,
as she sank, shuddering, down into the
nearest seat. where she sat during the
remainder Of the interview. like n
spell-bound in some awful trance,
with her elbow resting on the little ia
BILE. her chin leaning on the palm of
her hand. her face white as death, her
lips compressed, her eyes contracted,
glittering and fixed apparently upon
some far-distant, visionary, fearful
scene in which, perhaps, she saw her
sci fthe principal actor.
Malcolm, meanwhile, passed her
quickly, and sank upon his knees be-
side the bed, and took Eudora's pale
hand. inqulring, in a low tone OF rev
~erential tenderness:
'How is my dearest Eudora nowy'
almost resigned, Malcolm, IL /
could suffer alcTe.-thinking less OF