Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-29

hourly. and, despite the assurances .,
L,nd Miss uenwood, and awful credu
that he would force his way 10 ner
chamber and drag her by main force
away from the kind-hearted OLD iau
Who had SO humanely sheltered her,
took possession Of her.
With bated breath she listened TOT
any, sounds ascending from the lower
rooms to tell her what was passing.
She would not for the world nave
faced her husband; her courage was
insufficient Tor that.
I'm her excited Imagination she
ono only Of his seizing her round
the waist and forcibly carrying her
back to Winchester. =.
Every moment seemed a hie'ine ~
her after she saw the chaise drive
away u%noccupied from the @ ior
from that she knew that the Visitors
had obtained admission. 49,,
Her hope had been that they might
be refused an entrance, for MISS hen
wood had told her that the
had strict orders to close the door III
the face of John Gridley. AND SO tney
had: but not when he came under the
protection Of a baronet I'M q niaSis-
trate.
Could May only have known now
Miss Henwood had been occupied since
she left her in that little room; could
she but have heard a CO. fersatlon
which ,had-taken place betweeG~sllar'
kind protector and a visitor whose ar
rival she had not seen, her mine would
have been somewhat easier; but she
knew nothing of this.
She was only cognizant OF the fact
that the man she dreaded most In the
world was beneath the same roof win
her: and she knew well enough, 700,
upon what errand he had come.
Her breath came quick and fast. her
heart palpitated quickly. as she still
sat gazing from the window but see
ing nothing.
She no longer had eyes for the n
tiful panorama of wooded hills stretch
ed before her, with the magnificent
foreground of the Blackjack lawn anu
trees. She could feel no interest In a
landscape, from which she expected
every moment to be torn away.
She heard the sound OF voices below
ever and anon rising, as II In angry
diScussiolK but ii told her nothing, Ii
only increased her fears.
AS she gazed tremblingly and fear
fully from the window her
was for a few minutes distracted by
the approach of two horsemen riding
rapidly up the steep hill where the
cha riot which had borne her husband
to the house had assembled a short
time before.
One sat his horse easily and grace
fully as IL accustomed to- the saddle,
but his companion cut such an absurd
figure that any other time n could
not have helped smiling at his appear
ance, as, rolling first Oh one side and
then on the other, he could hardly mani
age TO retain his seat by graspinG the
pommels of the saddle.
As he approached nearer she per-
ceiyed that he was 4 negro. and then
in the other, with a little scream OF
joy, she recognized Ernest Hartrey!
Yes. despite the bronZed face and
bushy beard she knew her lover and
hailed his advent with delight.
All her resolutions 10 forget him, or
TO Look upon him only as a dear friend,
were gone in a moment. She saw,
close 10 her, the only man she ever had
or could love; and her heart bounded
IupLuEttlSlN dlli u lttilh- vi SttlA ltN
which Miss Benwood's promises could
not give, filled her breast.
Ernest was in the house, so what
harm could come 10 herr
So size thought and felt, as, leaning
from the window, she saw him spring
from the saddle, and, throwing the
reinS careleSsly To Caleb, enter the
house.
What was about 10 happen?
She felt as iC no evil could affect her
now that Ernest vas there to shield
her with his strong arm.
Surely be was all-powerful; and even
il the news Of her marriage, compul-
sorry though ii had been. angered him,
still his love could not depart y sud-
denly as to suffer him to leave her TO
the tender mercies of John Gridley.
She knew the meeting between the
nen would lee Il terrible one; for
the villain she vas forced 10 call h3is-
band had done the other griey0us
and Ernest vas not the man TO let it
go upatoned.
She listened eagerly for some sound
from the lower rooms, but all was
The suspense became almost unbear-
able.
After some time OF anxious waiting
she resolved that come what might she
must ascertain what was passing at
the conference which was 10 affect the
whole OF her future life-tha debate
which was life and death 10 her-fcf,
rs b wife OF John Gridley, she knew
she could not live.
She was very feeble yet. and hardly
able 10 walk unassisted; bur, by the
help of the furniture. she made her
way to the door OF the room ami open-
ed il.
Then the sound OF voices i'm angry
fell on her listening ears.
She determined 10 descend the stairs,
but before she could 10 10 the sound
Il fierce cry, followed by the sharp
OF u pistol, echoed through the
passage.
Then came n shrifl cry of pain aud
as OF sc1itffing in the hall.
May staggered rather than walked
to the window of her room and
reached it in time ~ see John Gridley
rush from the door of the house.
With one blow he felled the negro.
who stood holding the horses,
to the ground. and. vaulting into the
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