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

frightful pale and delicate-looking
she'd started from Winchester she told
me 10 walk 10 Portsmouth. Poor little
thing, She'd ha' dropped long before
she'd got there, IL hadn't given her
a lift"
Despite the pain he was In, John
Gridley could not help smiling al liz
ing he was so close upon the track OF
her he was pursuing.
Where did you take her in Ports
MOUTH"
The Golden Lion
.1Driye 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 q few hours since.
The pain Of his broken arm, coupled
with the excitement and the wettnS,
had conquered even his strong constltu-
I ton; and, helpless and unconscious, he
was carried into the inn, where his
wife was mt that very moment.
Happily for her she little knew how
closely he had 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 man
with whom she had stood at the altar
only q few hours since, and who 4
sworn to be revenged upon her for the
deception she. had practised upon him.
At the end OF the second day after
John Gr.dley's accident. when he was
still confined to his bed, he farcied,
as he lay between sleeping and waking.
that a figure OF a woman was Hitting
about the
His eyes were dim. and his brain was
dizzy; but in a feeble voice, he 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 and tenderly,
and he felt it pressed by her soft lips.
who is it," he asked.
Then, as the face came nearer to
him. he recognized it.
Lucy" he exclaimed, angrily: what
iii-iuck brought HE 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,
up lpI IpDh ~ dh-Abs az mt
"Get hence! You must be mad
mo. no, John; not m~ad-only loving!
I would die as l have lived, for you
alone"
II tell you il was an evil hour for
you when you came here TO seek me
out. 1t was a foolish action, and you
will rue the consequences"
Let me stay with youf" pleaded the
tall girl.
mo, no, / tell you, Leave me. or
IL will be the worse for you. Leave
me, / say
She made no reply: but her beautiful.
well-formed head drooped lower and
lower, till IL 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 comp4aint-she
made no sorrowful moan, for the heart
that was once hers, but was now es-
tranged. She had wasted her entire
soul in love for this cruel, hard. pas
s~ionate, 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 Il kind smile or an
affectionate word.
John Gridley lay in bed, still angry
and ~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" be cried. roughly; II
want TO hear non of this whimpering
and signing. Be off with YOU"
"Oh, anything rather than that, Let
me stay with you. Who has u better
right than | 10 do so?"
My wife has" answered Grldley.
slowly at the same time fixing his eyes
steadfastly on Lucy.'s face, to see
whether she quailed at the words.
Your w~ife-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 ne. l have married
since | 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.
if 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 moi your
wifef"
In her feverish eagerness she had
thrown herself upon her knees by the
bedside, and held forth her arms In
an attitude OF s~upplication.
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. faise." she muttered after
him: and the words sounded dismally
TO John Gridley's hardened con-
science.
"oh, John. but you haYc not married
another? Only tell me this, and / can
Dear the rest. Tell me you love me
lttle-just Il hitler
She threw her arms about his neck
as h spoke, and, leaning her head
upon his shoulder, sobbed aloud.
out with you!" cried John Gridley.
n M