The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1897-05-22
The Evil Genius.
ADOMEsr1C STORY.
By w1LKIE

resisting power breaks its way through the
surface which exhibits q gentleman and
shows the naked nature which claims kin.
dred with our ancestor, the savage.
do you feel better, Herbert"
He put down the empty glass, taking no
notice of his brothers question. "Raldal, u
he said, "'you know where Sydney IS"
Randall admitted it.
solve me her address. My minds in such
state / can't remember It; write it down.
mo, Herbert"
"You won't write It? and you won't give
itp"
II will do neither the one nor the other.
Keep your seat, Herbert! fierce looks and
clinched fists don't brighten me. .Aiss West
eraeld is quite right in separating herself
from you. And you are quite wrong in wish
ing to go back to her. There are my reasons.
Try to understand them. And, once again,
SIT down."
He spoke sternly-with his heart aching
for his brother all the time. He was right
The one way Is the positive way, when q
man who suffers trouble is degraded by 1t.
The poor wretch shrank under RandaPs
firm voice and steady eye.
Don't be hard on me-" he said; II think
. man In my situation Is to be pitied-es-
pecially by his brother. Pm not like YOU;
Pm not accustomed to live alone. Pye been
used to having q kind woman to talk to me
and take care Of me. You don't know what
1t is to be used to seeing q pretty creature,
always nicely dressed, always about the
room-thinking so much of you and SO little
Of herself;-and then to be left alone as l am
left, out In the dark. l haven't got my wife;
she has thrown me over and taken my child
away from me. And now Sydney's taken
away from me next. I'm alone. DO you
hear thatp Alone! Take the poker there
out Of the fireplace. Give ne back Sydney,
or knock out my brains. l haven't courage
enough to do 1t for myself. Oh, why did l
engage that g%overness! l was SO happy,
Randall, with Catherine and little Kitty"
He laid his head YEARLY on the back OF
his chair. Randall offered him more wine;
he refused 1t.
Pm afraid" he said. wine maddens
me II / take too much of it OF have heard
Of men forgetting their SORROWS In drink. l
tried 1t yesterday; 1t set my brains on fire;
Pm feeling that glass l took just now. No!
I'm not faint 1t eases my head when | rest
like this. Shake hands, Randall; we have
never had any unfriendly words; we mustn't
begin now. There's something perverse
about me. l didn't know how fond l was Of
Sydney till I lost her; l didn't know how
fond l was of my wife till left her" He
paused, and put his hand to his fevered
head. Was his mind wandering into some
other train of thought? He astonished his
brother by a new entreaty-the last imagin-
able entreaty that Randall expected to hear.
dear old fellow, l want you to do me a
favor. Tell me where my wife is living
now"
Surely" Randall answered, you know
that she is no longer your wife,"
Never mind thatl l have something to
say to her"
"You can't do it, Herbert"
Can you do 1t? Will you give her a mes.
sage2"
"Let me hear what 1t Is first"
He lifted his head, and laid his hand ear.
nestly on his brothers arm. When he said
his next words he was almost like his old
self again.
Say that Pm lonely; say that Pm dying
for want of a little oomfort-ask her to let
mt see Kitty"
His tone touched Randall TO the quick. II
feel for you, Herbert" he said, warmly
''She shall have your message; all that l car
do to persuade her shall be DONE"
"As soon as possibleP"
"Yes; as soon as possible"
"And you won't forget? No, no; of course
you won't forget. He tried to rise, and fel
back again into bis chair. Let me rest s
little" he pleaded, iii Pm not In the way
I'll 70 when you tell me-"
Randall refused to let him go at all. "You
will stay hero with me; and IL l happen Il
be away there will be somebody in the house
who is almost as fond of you as l am" Hi
mentioned the name of one OF the old serv
ants at Mount Morven, who had attached
himself to Randall after the breakup of the
family. And now rest" he said; land lie
me put this cushion under your head" Her
bert answered: TITS like being q. home
again"-and composed himself to rest
CHAPTER XII.
On the next day but one Randall arrange
his departure for Sydenham, 30 as to arrive
at the hotel an hour before the time appoint
ed for the dinner. His prospects for success.
III pleading for q favorable reception of hi!
brothers message were SO uncertain that HI
r~efrained-in fear OF raising hopes which hi
might not be able to justify-from takint
Herbert into his confidence. No one knew
on what GRAND he was bent when he lef
the house. AS he took his place in the car
riage the newspaper boy appeared at til,
window as usual. The new number of
popular weekly journal had that day beef
published. Randall bought it
After reading one or two of the political
articles he arrived at tho columns specially
devoted to Fashionable Intelligence" Car.
Ing nothing for that sort of news, he wal
turning over the pages in search of the lit
erary and dramatic articles, when q nam.
not unfamiliar to him caught his eye. II,
read the paragraph in which it appeared.
1.-THE charming widow, Mrs. Ormond, is
we hear, among the distinguished guest
staying at Bucks hotel. 1t Is whispered tina
the lady is TO be shortly united to q retired
naval officer of arctic fame-now bette
known, perhaps, as one OF our leading phi
lahthropists."
The allusion to Bennydeck was too plair
to be mistaken. Randall looked again at thu
mist words in the paragraph. "The charm
Ing widowW Was 1t possible that this las
word referred to Catherine! Tosuppose he
capable OF assuming to be a widow, and-i
the child asked questions-of telling Kit,
that her father was dead, was, in Randall
cSttMaIlOn, 10 wrong ner cruelty. WIN III
own suspicious steadily contradicting him
he arrived at the hotel obstinately believing
that "the charming widow" would prove t
be . stranger.
A first disappointment was In store 70: hin
when he entered the house. Mrs. Ormon,
and her little girl were out driving with
friend, mi were expected to return in goo
time for dinner. Mrs. Presty was at home
she was reported to be In the garden Of tn,
hotel.
Randall found her comfortably establishe'
In q summer house, with her knitting In he
hands and a newspaper on her lap. She ad
vanced to meet him, all smiles and amia
billy. How nice Of you to come so soon,'
she began. Her keen penetration discover
cd something in his face which checked tn
gayety Of her welcome. you don't mea
to say that you are going to spoil our pleas
ant little dinner by bringing bad newsP" sh
added, looking at him suspiclously.
ut depends on you to decide that" Ran
dal replied.
Sow very complimentary to q poor, use
les I'D woman! Don't be mysterious, IN
dear. / don't belong to the generation whic
raises storms In teacups and calls skirmishe
with savages battles. Out with itw
Randall handed his paper to her, open Z
"A - ItFr =