Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-02-18

II could not say, really. There are
always plenty of opportunities for
if she wants secret interviews
when q woman has as much
freedom as you accord your wife,"
YES" groaned Alan, uncOvering his
face, which had grown white as death.
Il have never been hard on her, have 1,
Ralph? You used to think me hard on
poor Marie; but Stella-Stella-neve I
was never harsh or unkind to Stella, I
am sure" There was . strange tone Of
repressed anguish in his voice.
"Unkind! Certainly not" said King
scott. 1T was a harmless interview
enough, no doubt Women are a little
nervous and cowardly sometimes, you
know; fancy that your wife imagined
that poor Harrington might send you the
documents to look at"
II have no doubt the letters contained
only what was perfectly justifable," said
Moncrieff. with a somewhat distant air.
He would not hear Stella sighted, he told
himself, although his heart was wrung
with jealous pain and rage. "Of course,
II she was engaged to him"
I'VE must make allowance for women's
whims," said Kingscott, laughing. 1.-THE
letters are probably rather tender effu-
sions, and she is ashamed Of them now"
Goodnight, Ralph" said Alan, sud-
denly rising from his chair. II think I
won't hear any more, thanks. Stella is
going to tell me the whole story herself,
and I would rather hear it from her."
II won't anticipate the recital" an
swered Kingscott, with q careless smile.
"Are you going? Goodnight"
Stella was painfully conscious Of the
change In her husbands manners during
the next few days. 1t was a. though he
were holding himself back, trying to be
patient and courteous while sufferine
from constant sense Of injury and an
ger. A sort Of half-suppressed irritation
and resentment showed itself in his man.
ner. She could not understand it. She
knew that she had vexed him by her re-
fusal to divulge the secret of her inter.
view with John Harrington, but she
felt that he ought to trust her a little
especially when she had said that she
would tell him everything 5; and by.
She spoke gently and alphabetically
to Molly, telling her that she had prom.
Used MI. Harrington . weeks grace, and
that she hoped he would then speak t.
Mr.. Moncrief. Molly tossed her graceful
head, and looked at her stepmother witt
scornful eyes.
An air Of gloom and mystery seemed t.
have settled over the household. No two
persons were happy In each Others com
pany. Misunderstandings abounded OF
every side. The whole family appeared
to be at cross-purposes. Berthe was nm
der the impression that Molly's inter
course with Harrington had been broke,
of; and although he had not known mucl
Of II, he had known enough to make him
| vaguely uneasy.
At the same time he was q little pux
sled by the new friendliness which seem
ed to obtain between Molly and Uncl,
Ralph. He came upon them once o.
twice in deep converse; once he was Ger
tain that he saw his uncle hand her
letter, and it struck him as odd, when b,
went into the octagon room one day, tina
Ralph was standing in the middle Of tn,
room, with ring in his hand which b.
was idly fitting on his little finger. A,
soon as he saw BERTHE he thrust his han,
into his pocket, 20 a. to conceal the ring
why have You got Molly's ring?'' ex
claimed BERTHE.
"You are quite mistaken" said Kings
colt. ''The ring I am wearing never be
longed to Molly at all; it was an heir
loom in our family, and I was trying /
on in sheer absence of mind. I wish, m,
dear boy, that you would mind your owl
business"
And then he left the room, but-as Ber
tie noticed-without offering to convinc
him Of his mistake by showing him tn
ring, which must have hung very loosel,
on his finger, for he drew his hand out o
his pocket without it.
These vague suspicious. these sensa
tons Of something unexplained, suffice'
to make BERTHE wakeful for the next tw'
nights. Az he lay sleepless, he could no
rid himself OF the idea that there wer
strange sounds In the house, stealth,
footsteps going to and fro, light CLEAN
ing for q moment where no light shoul'
be. On the second night this impression
was 30 strong that he got up and partl
dressed himself and went out into tn
corridor. He had armed himself with
revolver-a pretty, dangerous toy, whic
he had bought in London, and was boy
ishly proud Of keeping loaded beside hi
bed.
He felt something like thrill Of posi-
tive satisfaction when at last he wa
certain that he did hear footstep, tina
he did 80 glimmer Of light beneath tn
dooe q his fathers study-where no ligh
was usually to be seen between tn
hours Of one and two in the morning. H
drew back into dark recess and waite
for the footsteps that were drawing neal
The study door opened, fash Of ligh
came forth. It came from q lantern in
mans hand, and The light cleaned upo
the mans face, q he walked. Berti
STARTED; his revolver nearly fell from hi