Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-12-30
"But it doesn't matter" he replied

TO the effect that one of two young
| ladies. who were there together an
! swerad to the description of my wire,
but except the general style and color
| Of hair there was hardly a trace OF
| likeness to Elsie. I went down full or
| hope. and the subsequent dlsappolnt'
| nient upset me. / am ~half-inclined 70
| abandon the search altogether
.Don't do that, Claude. Elsie may
be longing to come back, but Is
afraid"
Afraid OF meg' he asked, in sur
| prise. THAT cannot be, because she
knows that / love her-or she ought 10
know. x she uues not-sae viii "a
| am dead"
Don't talk so lightly of death.
| Claude-you should not lose heart yet;
you have many happy years before
| you, L hope, for you must lind her IN
time"
..In time-yes: but you don't know
the weurifiess OF waiting, judith.
Judith did net answer. She did not
| know the WEAKNESS of waiting. Was
il as bitter as lasting disappointment!
she wondered. for waiting is hedsed
| about 10y hope. while disappointment,
IAbi-Ait NttA AlOAL1. AaihAtON -
"Well, | must 60, Judy, dear he
| said again. and rose. Thank you so
| much for your affectionate solicitude!
If ever Elsie comes back to me, | shall
tell her how often you revived my
fading hopes"
Judith would have made some cheer
full rejoinder, but as Claude moved she
had a full view of a glass door immedl
ately in front of her. He was tanding
so that his profile only was toward II,
but Judith faced it, and, 10 her aston
ishment, the mask in the yellow-and-
white brocade stood gazing so intently
at Claude Townshend that she seemed
oblivious of everything else.
Judith was exceedingly astonished
at the lady's curiosity regarding
Claude: and as he then turned sud
denly TO see why Judith fingered, the
watcher started. d~isarranging her
mask so completely as TO disclose the
frightened face OF Elsie.
1t was so sudden and unexpected
that Judith was thunderstruck. But.
with a sudden realization of the need
for prompt action. she made a violent
effort TO command herself and took
Claade's arm.
My dear girl. what is the matter:'
he inquired, putting his right hand
over hers with affectionate regard.
You were staring as If you had seen
q ghost..'
Elsie is here, Claude..'
He started violently, clutching her
arm painfully.
Elsie here, DO you know what you
are saying?'
.Yes; calm yourself. Let me take
your arm, and we will walk out. as if
nothing had happened. / saw her face
only for an instant, but | am making
no mistake. She is wearing powder
and u yellow-and-white gown, with
yellow roses in her hair. She was
looking at YOU: but think-I hope
she does not know that saw her. She
is in that little room. Let us wait un-
til she comes out. Do not make a
scene. Claude."
There was need for this exhortation,
for he was trembling and breathing in
such u labored fashion that she al
most feared he would faint. Just a
they passed into the hall they saw the
girl in the yellow gown disappear
round a bend in the staircase.
eIt - oOALS L0l htl "AhI tAp
leaving. We must follow, Claude-or
would you rather 90 alone?'
"Yes-yes!' he said, brokenly. Il
will 90 outside and wait for her-she
shall not escape me this time"
She watched him walk unsteadily to
the door, and he passed out into the
night, while Judith drew back into the
dimly-lignted little room L watch for
Elsie. Shortly after "A masked yellow
domino came stealing down the stair
case, and, passing by Judith in her
hiding place, swept through the hall
out into the street.
Judith stood with bent head, her
hands clasped over her throbbing
heart. How was Claude progressing?
Had he spoken to Elsie? Was she
happy and glad? Judith hoped so.
The strain of thought grew too much
for her, and, hardly knowing what she
did, she emerged from the little
At that moment there was a single
knock ut the door, which n of the
m~en-servants opened.
THE military gent what left here
just now ran after the lady's carriage,
and l think the coachman struck him.
Anyway, he fell down, and is a-lying
in the road now, you can see him
from here" the link-boy told the foot
nan
Judith, regardless Of appearances,
dashed past the astonished man ard
RAJ TO the spot where lay the PROSTATE
form of Claude. A policeman came
up, and one or two idlers. who stared
wonderingly at the good-looking girl i'm
her fancifulr dress. In a few words
Judith explained to A 121. that he was
her brother-iIi-law, adding that he had,
no doubt, tainted, and that il he--the
policeman-would call a cab she would
see him home. But, some brandy hay
ing been procured. Claude revived suf-
ficiently TO enable him TO rise to his
feet and get into the cab. although, APP
parently, too dazed 10 speak or to rec-
ognize Judith.
The girl ordered the man TO drive to
the Sycamores, determining to disre-
gard Grace's within and 10 remember
that the house was percy's. She felt
sure that Mr.. Fletcher would welcome
Claude, and that he would not have
gone to rest. although 1t was nearly 1
O'Clock. Indeed, he answered the door.
explaining, in his good-ratured way,
that he had let the servants go to bed.
He heard with surprise that Claude
was In the cab i'll, and went down ana