Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-06-02

who lived with her so well that the lat.
ter was obtaining big prices for her
replicas OF subjects In the National gal
lery, besides having exhibited a picture
or two OF her w inspiration? Per-
haps 1t would not be too much to say
that Afra was as happy in her new life
as ever she had been in that old one.
the memory of which was fraught with
such terrible recollections:
MIR. Cleavland was her devoted friend
-Afra could pick and choose her
friends now. Although she limited her
friendships. she always had a bright
smile n a CHEEKY word for the man
who acted as medium between her and
her shadowy husband. Not that Mr..
~Packenham ever wrote to his legal ad-
wiser; but letters of credit came home
and were duly acknowledged.
So the time went by, and it seemed
impossible to predict how it would all
end.
You tell me she is altered. I dare
say L shall not know her"
Mr.. Packenham had returned with
out a word OF warning, and walked
into Cleavland's rooms as coolly as il
he had left only on the previous day.
although more than two years had
passed since he had suddenly departed
for America.
The already-popular barrister noted
with mingled sensations how much his
friend had changed. Two years wild
w~anderings, with unlimited wealth at
his command, had brought out all that
xxruC haze 10. a. 49, A.
Cleavland saw with sorrow.
Mrs. Packenham has adapted her
self to her condition. he replied.
Her c~ondition-eh? It's a queer one,
isn't it? About as odd as they make
then. in books. nowadays, ehg'
Observation-Disclosures unexampled."
What does she pose as-maid Oh
wifeT'
"She never p0ses-she has not in
formed the world of your treatment"
Dereck leaned back to laugh.
by Jover7 he exclaimed. "SLe won't
look upon my return as an unmixed
blessing" he added, after a pause.
I'VE have not discussed the question.
She is beginning to make her way"
"Ah, she wants to support herself!
Soon be able to do ity
"Hardly-wemen's work is badly
paid"
"She can live on precious Iittle,' Der
eek said-"about as much as l usually
drop in night at nap"
'She has had SUFFICIENT saw to
that
Dereck's hard and ~evil-looking eyes
scanned the set face for something he
did not find.
"You see her often?v Mr. Packenham
queried.
"Not oftener than necessary. I occa-
sionally attend Miss Mansfiehs' AT
Homes One meets very clever people
there"
"Humph! She can hold her own
then, amongst them
'She can-and something more.'
"1andsome-she had a kind of wild
beauty, l remember"
Mrs. Paekenham is a lovely young
woman"
III suppose l must see her, Dereck
said, Us If he were granting q favor.
ut would be only just to her and TO
yourself"
The lawyers blood was boiling with
In him. For nearly three years this
man had ignored the woman he had
vowed to love and cherish. She had
lived blamelessly in the sight of the
world, worked hard at an art for which
she had developed an unexpected apti-
tude. and been seemingly happy. Now
this wreck had returned to trouble her.
and Observation-Disclosures powerless to
help her.
'She does not know l 4 have returned"
Mr.. Packenham remarked.
"Did you inform hery' inquired the
other.
"No. How could I, when / did no
know where she was to be foundr"
Mr.. Cleavland was silent, and the
other continued:
Look here, Harry. / treated that
girl badly-too badly to hope for for
~giveness."
Il have never heard her say So"
"But ! did-and you know I did"
you thought differently when we
last spoke upon the subject
Dereck rose and paced the room. His
nature and an enfeebled physique was
upon him, and was silent.
"Will you come along with me? I
iuust SEE HcT, dltuouSH 1 LII almost
ashamed to do So"
The reply did not come with the bar
rister's usual celebrity. 1t was hard to
comply with a request which seemed to
awaken a lot Of conflicting emotions.
After a pause of a few minutes he
replied, coldly:
A your man of business, ard one
who has hitherto acted between you
| yes. I will 60"
THANK you, old man! I don't care
In what capacity, so that you do come.
Harry Cleavland. I acted like a fool"
"You did" the lawyer agreed; n In
his heart he thought him a fool still for
expecting, as he undoubtedly appeared
to do. that the oma whom he had so
cruelty wronged would accept the re-
compense he had to offer for that
wrong.
"You did not ask me what I did with
myself In the Wild Westy' Mr.. Pack
enham remarked, as IL dismissing all
other matters from his thoughts.
did you give me timer his friend
asked.