Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-22

she'd started from winchester she told
mo TO walk 10 Portsmouth. Poor little
thlngl She'd ha' dropped long before
she'd got there, If | hadn't given her
a lift" -.
Despite the pain he was In, John
Gridley could not help smiling at nnd.
ing he was so close upon the track OF
her he was pursuing.
Where did you take her In Ports
MOUTH
.sThe Golden Lion
'Driye me to the same place.
But when John Gridley reached the
Golden Lion" early In the morning,
he was in no condition to carry out
the threats Of a few hours since.
The pain Of his broken arm, coupled
with the excitement and the wetuns,
had conquered even his strong constltu-
ton; and, helpless and unconscious, ne
was carried into the inn, where ms
wife was at that very moment.
Happily for her she little knew how
closely ne mad followed her. In bliss
full ignorance, she left the inn, little
dreaming that, in a chamber close TO
the one she had occupied, lay the maj
with whom she had stood at the altar
ONLY a few hours since, and who a
sworn to be revenged upon her for he
deception she had practised upon him.
At the end Of the secofd day after
John Gridley's accident, when he was
still confined to his bed, he fancied,
as he lay between sleeping and waking,
that a figure Of a woman was hitting
about the room.
His eyes were dim, and his brain was
l....., l,,% q, N faahln ynioA hn asked
who was there.
The form of a tall and graceful girl
passed the foot Of his bed. and then
his hand, which lay outside the counter
pane. was raised quietly n tenderiy,
and he felt it pressed by her SOFT lips.
WHO is itT" he asked.
Then. as the face came nearer TO
him, he recognized 1t.
Lucy" he exclaimed, angrily; what
ill-luck brought me here!"
do not be angry" answered n soft
voice, pleading piteously. Il meant
no harm. Do not turn me away; L
will nurse you better than any one
else. Oh, John, John! you used to
love me once! For mercy's sake. In
remembrance of the time that has gone,
do not look so angrily at me-
Get hence! You must be mad!'
mo, no, John; not mad-only loving!
I would die as l have lived, for you
alone
Il tell you it was an evil hour for
you when you came here to seek me
out. 1t was a foolish action, and you
will rue TIE consequences"
Let me stay with your" pleaded the
tall girl.
NO, no, / tell you, Leave me, or
it will be the worse for you. Leave
me, l say!!'
She made no reply: but her beautiful,
well-formed head dropped lower and
lower. till it rested on her hands, and
then between the thin, delicate fingers
came trickling faster and faster the
bitter tears Of sorrow.
She spoke no word Of complaint-she
made no sOrrowfui lloan, for the al
that was once hers, but was now es-
tranged. She had wasted her entire
soul in love for this cruel, hard, pas
~sionate, sinful man: and he after Il few
weeks had tired Of her. and had flung
her aside, as a child a broken toy; but
yet she loved him still; ny. loved him
so well that she would have suffered
much for him patiently, and without
other reward than a kind smile or an
atfectionate word.
John Gridley lay in bed, still angry
ard ferocious with the world in gen
eral: and as no one was present To
whom he could show his ill-humor but
Lucy. he let her have the full benefit
of his evil passions.
Come, come" he cried, roughly; Il
want TO hear none Of this whimpering
and signing. Be off with you"
'tOh, anything rather than that, Let
me stay with you. Who has a better
right than | to do soE"
MY wife has" answered Gridley.
slowly at the same time fixing his eyes
steadfastly on Luey's face, to see
whether she quailed at the words.
Your wife-your wife," said the tall
girl, dreamily. for the sound fell almost
without meaning upon her ears.
"Yes-my wife. You need not repeat
the words after me. L have married
since l last saw you"
Married, oh, John. what do you
mean? Tell me you are jokingl / am
your wife. am | not? What means this
ring upon my finger-this plain gold
circlet placed there by you yourself,
II it be not that / am your lawful
wife,"
John Gridley laughed low in reply.
Speak, speak. l must and will have
an answer. Tell mean l not your
wife,"
In her feverish eagerness she had
thrown herself upon her knees by the
bedside, and held forth her arms in
an attitude of supplication.
Am | not your wife, she repeated.
NO. The marriage was Il false
one" answered the model young man.
with that GOODNESS which characterized
his speeches and actions when with
those whom he knew he might safely
bully.
False! false she muttered after
him; and the words sounded dismally
even to John Gridley's hardened on
science.
"Oh. John. but you hayc not married
anotherl Only tell me this. and / can
bear the rest. Tell me you love me
IA iittle-iust a littler'
She threw her arms about his neck
as she spoke, and. leaning her head
upon his shoulder. sObbed aloud.
'Out with you." cried John Gridley.
angrily; cant you leave me alone?''
With his sound arm no p,,chal H..