Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-02-24

E
ice,r' The tears sprang to her eyes
and rolled down her cheeks; her sobs
burst forth. Clovis seized her hand in
mute expression of sympathy, and she
did not try TO withdraw il. She had
forgotten that Clovis had ever spoken
a word OF love to her. She only felt
glad that this faithful friend-Frank's
friend. too.-should be with her. TO
help her TO bear the burden that was
/ crushing her into the very dust. His
| sympathy, the sympathy of anyone.
was little consolation but it was bet
ter than blank loneliness.
There can never be anything more
between Frank aud me now" said the
girl. with a look of mournfulness that
would have moved the pity Of a Turk
in her tear-laden eyes. Even he sees
! that Ii is impossible. He acknowledge
es that il Is better that we hould not
meet again. He is quite right-he Is
right, Of course, but-but- Her
heart cried: '.Oh, Frank. Frank. My
dear heart, not one other look st you!
Not one word TO carry in my heart all
these terrible. empty years that are to
conner
For one moment Clovis was shaken.
He had always hated TO see n woman
cry. He had expected a few tears, but
he had not ~bargained for a despair
like this.
The thought that with a word he
could turn her sorrow into Joy. her
misery into thanksgiving, was all but
i%ntoIerable. But. he reflected. il he
were to speak that word, he must not
only lose wealth, greater. in all proba-
bility, than he had ever before
dreamed OF possessing. but he must
lose Ursula herself, who would surely
turn to him when tie stress and tu-
multi of the hour were past.
Before he left the house. Clovis put
n question which he had longed 10 put
the day before.
Don't you think he said. 1T would
be well. now that there is no man
about the house. 10 send anything OF
value TO the bank for safe ~custodyg
There is nothing of value in the
house, said Ursula; ''even the silver
we use every day is electro-piate."
I Clovis looked at her admiringly. No
one. he thought. could have dreamt
that she was not speaking the literal
truth.
Pardon me- he said" with a re-
spectful Smile. II vas here with a
friend. on the day your poor father
left home. and he showed us quite a
number of uncut diamonds. | see you
know all about them. Your father
showed them to you. | dare say"
"Yes. he did; and he told me they
were OF enormous value
II fancy he was mistaken on that
| point. Judging from what my friend
said. for I know next to nothing Of
|; such matters myself. But he told us
that he would have taken them to the
bank for safe custody, il he had had
time before catching his train. and
that as he had not time, he would ask
you to take them" Gle was able to
tell this lie safely. seeing that there
was no one to contradict him. and the
fact he knew from the letter he had
picked up in the library.)
WAS 1t the diamonds papa meant
me 10 take TO the bank?" asked the
girl, opening her eyes. Again Clovis
did rot believe that she was speaking
| the truth. But he did not think any
the less Of her on that account. 1t
was only natural he thought, that she
should try to mislead him in a matter
of such moment. And-was Ii possible
that she would want the diamonds for
I herself?
Ursula saw the suspicion reflected
In her companions face. and flushed
with Indignation. Clovis. not unnatu
rally. thought that the blush mean
that she had intended TO say nothing
about the trust her father had contided
to her.
"You were out Mt the time. / remem
ber.' said Clovis. speaking with the
t,.oS waptIapaoc sshrt ha Saf1 ha
would write TO you. Indeed. he wrote
the letter In our presence. telliD'
where you could find the dia4. ia,
/, and begging you to take them 10 the
bank that very day, If possible; or. il
not then, as soon as you could. Sure
ly. you must remember
Yes, I remember said Ursula.
speaking in a voice strangely unlike
her own. II remember getting the
note, and | looked In the drawer father
told me OF, but the diamonds were
certainly not there. BY the way. he
did not tell me it was the diamonds I
was to take TO the bank. l only
guessed that"
But, my dear Miss Joyce, think a
moment. The diamonds must be in
| the house. Your father left with us to
60 to the railway station-you know he
was going to catch a train for the
north. Have you any idea what can
have become Of themy'
He looked fixedly at the girls face
rs he asked the question. and she
blushed again as she met his gaze.
"No," she said. Il have no idea
where they are"
Clovis ven on to speak Of some
thing else. and shortly afterwards left
the house.
THAT girl Is far ~cleverer than /
thought" he said to himself, as he
walked away. Either she suspects
that l mean TO get hold Of the stones.
or she thinks that someone may cone
and claim them. and she does not in
tend TO give them mp without a strug-
gle. | 4 don't believe she has taken them
to the bank. but | will soon find out
l wish | didn't need 10 fight her: but
there Is no help for Ii IL she continues
obstinate. I must try 10 manage ii so
that I shall win. IL possible, without
her knowing that II Is me she has been
fighting all along. Sometimes I almost
feel that a fortune without her woald
hardly be worth having. But I must
get the diamonds all the same"
Aud Ursula was saying to herself, as
she gazed after HIS ~retreating figure: