Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-08-18
CHAPTER X, tContinuea1

lh- girl HtiTu HIN WITHOUT Ouct re
moving her eyes from his face. Her
right hand was tightly clenched; in heJ
left she crumpled the slip Of paper con
tanning the pseudo-parson's address
Attitude and manner alike denoted the
transition stage between the first shock
of an unexpected, life-ruining wrong
and the formation of a resolve to ell.
dure or to ayenge 1t. To a skillful ply.
siognomist like Stephen Deane, this
was abundantly plain; and his immedi,
ate purpose now was to incline his vic.
TINS thoughts to endurance. rather
than revenge. The results of any out
cry in public, on her part. would GER
tainly be unpleasant, and might posi-.
bly, be serious.
II shall verify these proofs which
YOU offer of your own baseness." she
replied, presently; ''and then | shall de-
eide upon my course OF action. Now
leave me-"
stephen scarcely knew what to make
OF this decision. 1t certainly left him
free 10 go, but Ii also left him quite In
the dark as to her future movements;
and. for his own sake. he was deeply
Interested Ia these latter.
viii dtttpt hothlnS " Sobs
she broke In, .either now or hereafter.
Men make provision for their wives and
their mistresses. You assume | am not
your wife. You shall certainly have
no opportunity Of treating me as
though | were your mistress. And
now, go. Your presence is but an add
ed Insult to the woman you have be-
trayed. Col. tell you. co.
'Oh. very wellr he rejoined. '.Ill
go, IL you wish 1t. You will find my
present address and a checque for fi0O
in this envelope. Let me know when
you have cooled down sufficiently to
take a reasonable view OF the situa-
ton
She took the proffered envelope. open,
ed 1t and tore the cheque into frag-
ments. Stephen shrugged his shout
ders, with a Multiplying smile. but said
nothing. Then he moved slowly to-
wards the door, as though to afford her
a chance of withdrawing her dismissal.
II see from your face That you have
still. something to say to me-" he re-
marked, with his hand upon the knob
OF the door. What is it?"
There liz something which | meant
w A bto IVN III " hiFt NhttlCAA
the room. she made answer, Il deep
flush ~momentarily suffusing her pale
features, land a knowledge of which
may pierce even your cold. cruel heart.
Listen, Stephen Deane. whom | swore
10 love and honor as a husband! A
son may live to ayenge his own sullied
birth and the foul trickery practiced
upon his motheri"
Stephen started. This was a com
plication he had never dreamed OF TAX
ing into account. But he instantly de-
cided that, although 1t might hereafter
be a source of additional annoyance
and expense, 1t could have no immedi-
ate bearing upon his plans.
you were always imaginative, AL
ice,' he rejolned. affecting TO discredit
her statement. 'and just at present
fear you hardly know what you are
talking about. Take my advice. like n
sensible girl. Pull yourself together,
look the position fairly In the face, and
We'll come TO a satisfactory arrange
ment, never fear"
Does the prospect Of blighting your
unborn child's life, as well as mine,
count as nothing in your eyes, she de-
h-HtatDhf tdtththS hdih AA nti a
My dear Alice. l belong 10 a pro-
verbally unromantic profession, and
am essentially a practical man. When
you talk like that, my mind fes back
10 the Adelphl melodrama, dear to my
boyhOod, and. 49,. | cannot take you
seriously. Are you, by any chance,
suggesting that | would marry you be-
tause you deem it possible you may be-
come a mother"
-Yes: and that is now the only G a
son that could induce me to become
your wife, she retorted, quickly.
-sYou are a scoundrel, In the lowest,
meanest sense of the word, and -, you
know 1t! You are unworthy to be the
husband Of the yilest woman who ever
drowned her shame in the river, and
....you know 1t! Yet L. Alice Rem
nett. who am as pure. in the sight of
Heaven. as any girl in England, am
willing TO be your wife for the sake OF
my unborn babe. For once and all.
Stephen Deane. will you undo your
fiendish work, and make me your law
full wifeY'
He wanted no open rupture; there
fore, he tenporized.
"If you were not beside yourself" he
retorted, with well-affected indigna-
ton. you would know that scurrilous
abuse is a poor weapon to employ In
a case like this. But you are beside
yourself, and, therefore. this discussion
had best be dropped for the present"
.f demand your answer. Yes or no.
You Will have 1t. and now?'
Eyes. 1 will have 1t. and now
'sThen my answer Is. No." he ex-
claim ed, angrily.
CO.
Their eyes met. His face fell before
hers, and lie went.
Accidentally. OF course. Mrs. Dobbs
was upon the landing as lie emerged
from the bed ROOM
Are you going to stay, siry' she in
auired. with n ring Of grim humor IN.
her voice that stultified the question.
mo. nm not" he answered, savage
~. II am going back 10 town. Are
your accounts paidg'
.lAll but the current week" she re-
piled. "Are you thinking Of taking the
lady away
Good afternoon" retained stephen,
curtly. He sprang into the cab and
was driven off ere the irate landlady
could frame q retort.