Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-04-14

1 could not resist her charms. How
u prevail with her-that is the CUES
ton. | am inclined TO think she Eaay
be awed into submission; she IS des'
peraielv afraid OF me now-I can See
that in her changeful color and start
led eyes. Yes. by some power. human
or occult he thought. with a slumber-
ing intensity in his lustrous eyes, $ q
must be drawn TO ne: nay, she shall
wed me before this year is nut! She
in her youth and beauty. shall call me.
a cripple and a misanthrope. her lord
and master. | swear it."
Pansy. as soon as she had left the
room. hurried away down the long. tor
tuous passages, toward the back e.
trance. and from thence into the gar
den. As she passed the massive door
always locked and ~padlocked-
which led TO the West Wing OF the
house, she fancied she heard a strange
noise distant and indistinct. which
sounded like someone in mysteries.
Pansy stood and listened for a mo
ment. trembling like a leaf: there was
something So uncanny in the unearthly
ly merriment.
How strange, I know there can be
HI OEAt IA AAlt 4BONNE IAANN~
Cair and myself. Surely. my imagin-
alton must have played me false. The
silence and solitude in this gruesome
house would make anyone nervous.
There il il again. She paused ard
listened. with dilated eyes and parted
lips. Horrible. IL eannot be Elsie
She wrenched ut the massive door.
bur. as usual. it was locked. She halt
-. .-~.,-r e. Md ny AMI
ask the meaning of the anomalous
sounds she had just heard; but a mo-
ment's thought decided her To abandon
the idea. 1t would N do for him 70
think she was Of an inquisitive turn
OF mind, lest a closer watch should be
put upon her movements.
Just at that moment she heard his
footstep-the heavy. uneven footstep
that she had grow to regard with dis
like and fear. She ~instinctively step
ped back into the shadow OF the hall,
and he. all unwilling that she was 50
close an observer OF her movements,
halted at the entrance door or the
West Wing, and stood listening for a
moment, as she had done.
Again came the sound of that wild
though distant merrfment. and Pansy
heard him utter. sayagely:
Plague take your vagaries. There
is only one thing that will silence you.
Confound Saiome! Why isn't she az
home..-
As these words escaped him, Parsy
saw him take a key from his pocket,
turn it in the lock Of the heavy door,
enter the dark portal, and close il
noiselesSly behind him.
Directly he had disappeared. Pansy
turned and fled. That there was some
secret connected with the West Wing,
she no longer had a doubt: but her
first thought was 70 escape from a Sec
ond encounter with Mordant Cain.
She wandered out into the garden
and was pacing along thoughtfully
under the trees in the orchard, when
she heard Elsie calling softly to her.
"Philippal stay-I want you. Here
am IL
Pansy glanced around her, but
could not see from whence the soucd
carie.
Where are you:- she asked, in con-
siderable ~perplexisy.
"Here-up in the apple tree. Now
the leaves are coming out, I often get
mp here out OF sight. They never
think Of looking for me here. Come,
1t is quite easy, and there IS plenty OF
between the boughs."
Pansy reached up and grasped the
outstretched hand. and I'm a few 20.
ments was seated next To Elsie, SUP
ported by the thick bole of the veteran
apple tree.
II am glad we have met. Elsie. I
think l understand your motives for
keepin out of my way lately, so did
not follow you up. Salome and her
father have gone into the village.
When do you expect them homey"
Not yet. Salome, when she does
venture OUT said Elsie. stroking her
cousins hand contentedly. seldom re
turns for hours. She will not be home
yet | suppose you came out here TO
look for me. But where have you been
since father and Salome went out2 |
have waited for you such a time
she spoke more commercially, and ap-
peared more rational than Pansy had
ever seen her. CrOuching among the
fruit blossoms, with the sunlight fieck-
ing her hair, and glancing into her
large. restless eyes. Pansy thought she
had the making of a pretty girl, were
she less unkempt and uncanny-looking.
What has startled your asked FL
sic. bending down to peer into her
cousins pale face. You have lost
your color-you look almost, yes. al
most as frightened as / feel when |
meet Mordant Cain suddenly i'm the
dark corridors at night. All, how /
fear and hate him."
$50 do l." admitted Pansy. speaking
In n low, hpshed voice, as though the
very leaves had ears. Hush. is any
n comiIgT
mo, no. From where I am sitting.
l a see the road. and directly | see
the gig approaching we will separate.
You go your way and l will go mine.
And MordantC Cain-where is hey"
HE Is In the West Wing" Pansy
said. at which Information Elsie turned
an indescribably CHASTITY hue. and
threw up her hands.
The West Wing" she gasped.
CHAPTER vi.
Pansy paused to regard her cousin