Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-07-09

answer to my questions tells inc that
| had tainted. that l was alone when Sir
Ralph terribly frightened. appeared on
the scene. and had me brought into the
room. He had remained with me until l
| lad como out of my swoo:i only to fall into
IL deep sleep. and then had gone into the
garden for :, smoke.
Al this moment | catch sounds of fa-
miliar voices from tl.c garden below. and
sprins;ng ont of brd. rush to the Will
low. Yes. they are the voices of Sir
Ralph and Hor!ic. They are talking in
quiet friendly fashion. there is no faint
es' trace OF anger or resentment il either
''oicr. and trcmblr. and draw back and
*>k ia1scli. 'Whnt can ii nlcan?" In
si'''c OF my maids rcmonstrancc. order
rcr 10 help me put on my bodice. and
SMa'chins up Il shawl, rush down Into the
| Garden.
| My appearance causes my husband great
a'aiiii: bat tell him that 1 tecl better
H""'. although my CHASTITY face bellies the
iari. lie asks NE why ! fui!i;c,l. and
answer ;':at | WAS fatigucd and ailiy.
10 tlirn turns to Yorkc and introduces
no 4" him as The l:.t.rr's new aunt No.kc
"oki:c Wedges the intraG;;ction. meant
v':iy .ci' ~: car. He has. then. not told
h:' ;'':cia THAT lie had met me before.
.i',E:hc ;l:' think what his purpose may
y" by this cnnccalmcit. ar lis assumed
iiicndlinrs' for the IMAM whom. only II
few hours ago. he had told mo he hated.
81: Kilpi, tells me that Yorl:c had in
formed him that he did not get my hus-
hand's letter announcing our marriage.
;s:d thai his meeting us here in Salzbury
VAS purely accidental
can bear it no longer. I faltcr out
that am tired-tlat would like to go
indoors. and Sir Ralph turns his bucl; on
the garden. and the starlight. aud the at
fractions of the nocturnal cigar. and ac-
companies me.
AT Tie portal we pause for a moment
iie turns To his nephew.
"Arr you coming in also:" hr asks.
IL and Norkc laughs Il siiGrt. mrtl-
less laugh. "Oh. no. ann not so fond of
my pillow as all that. I'm going for IL
walk: lis Il glorious night. mean to
get to the top of The tiuishcrg." pointing
Il" the great peak with it's cap of snow.
He lifts his hat with all courtesy. bnt,
oh. the mocking SMILE the look of hate
and fury in tho brief glance that meets;
my own. Then hc is gone. lie has moi
offered TO take Sir ltalph's hand or mine,
and we go into the hotel and up to our
rooms in silence.
''Yorkc is very much changed" says
Sir Ralph. as he moves to and fro in the
room in restless man-faShion: every much
changed; but think he seems inclined to
bc better friends with me than of old.
and llc certainly took the news of my
marriage in very good part
"In very good part!' echo the words
in IL vague. frightened way-ccho Them
and hear them multiplied and repeated
by voices of fear and shame Till they lose
sense and meaning in the b;,illcd fury of
Il curse that has struck tn the very roots
of my life.
The next morning woke up refreshed
by slecp-for. strange To say did sleep
and ncrvcd by resolution. ! knew what
la: before me. There could lie no question
of divided duty. of right or wrong. Hard
as was the task. it mrst be performed at
the COS! of everything. oven life itself.
| Sir Ralph came in to announce that
breakfast WAS ready. and that after hat
meal he had arranged for trip to Co
nigsscr. IL wonderful inland lake in the
vicinity. Yorkc and Il German friend of
his was to bc of the party. would
rather only Darby and went with my
husband. but l could offer M reasonable
objection. After breakfast WAS over the
carriage came around and wc We're off
for our trip. On our arrival ut the lake,
which we reached about noon. wc had
luncheon. and then some of our party. /
believe it was the German friend, pro-
posed Il row on the waters. We were
bundled into two boats. our party being
too large for onc-I. Darby and Yorke in
| Al, 81.
German in the other. \ stalwart peasant
girl takes her seat in the how. an equally
stalwart peasant youth takes his scat in
the stern.
".Arc the others coming:" l cry out,
paling with sudden terror. for Il few
rapid strokes carry us right away into IL
solitude. vast. gloomy. :lwc-inspiring. the
like of which had never imagined or be-
held
Yes" Yorkc answers curtly.
"Oh. don't like it, 1t is horrible" l
cry. and cover my face with my hands.
''rcll them to turn back! 1 can't bear it
it makes me i'll: it is like the Styx. or
whatever that awful place was. Do-do
tell them to turn bnck!'
"Unfortunatcly." says Yorke, with what
looks like grim enjoyment of my terror,
IL can't speak word of German
'Then call the others!' l cry frantic
ally. Tell your friend want to so
back! l must go back! shall die of
fear! never saw such an awful place
in my !ife!"
ut is as good Il place as any other to
die in" says Yorkc. coolly. "if--as you
said just now-you are inclined to do that.
| am sorry can't assist you. The other
boat isn't even in sight; l fancy they
cant get rover"
l drop my hands. look at him with
a sort of horror. He faces the shore: l
have my back to it.
"Is it true?" 1 cry. "Arc we the only
people on the lake: Isn't Sir Ralph be-
hind us:''
NO" he says with snecr. I'VE are
quite alone"
My eyes turn from his face to the deep,
still water. Oh, the awful silence and
gloom of this place! feel as if were
in new world. The waving branches of