Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-05-12

DeGu loTN1Tu UOE tlA uSt hNi7NN
ms company: and when they bad oeei
thrown together she had disarineu nm
by tie frank camarderie or hef man
ner. She had seemed strangely uhso-
p~histieated. with IA breezy freshness
about her born of her wild, lonely ne
in the African solitudes.
Eut his aunt's bitter words, "Artlul
minX..' required. chasing the fair WIS.,
ion away. She was uneducated. ac'
cortiing 10 the measure of
needed for a position like his own. III
Africa she would have doist very Wen
for her gifts were precisely those
adapted TO her unciyil!zed
ings. but London, A vision OF her
arose mOngSt his aunt's set-coid, sl'
percilious women, with their shIpoo'
lethS Of class,
The very qualities which had made
her attractive in Africa would render
her ridiculous in town: and If there
was one thing on earth from when
Dereck Packenham shrank 1t was rla-
icu.e. Besides, he was well aware ina
even for himself the vast fortune
which he had just inherited-a
which was still a novelty 10 hlm-WaS
the only thing that lifted him above
aH remembrance of the contractor.
Mr.. Pdckenham could not very well
afford 10 introduce a wife to the wOrii
whose manners did not bear the im-
PRESS Of We're dc We're.
Eut then there was another side TO
this question. Hartrigg's sister had
dared 10 follow him home-uaparallel-
ed audacity,-yentured to assert her
self. with the Scheming brother and
pars0n M her back. How could he
best defeat their plot, and repay them
in his own coinI He started to his
feet, resolved TO start for Ireland in
the morning, sec the mater, and tell
her everything. Aithougi the govern
or was not actually heart-broken e
the loss Of his eldest sOn-in fact. As
Dereck well knew, there had been
very bad blood between them-still he
was conventionallv grieyed. and, for
appearance sake. his heir should be
with him in his sorrow. Yes-he ought
to be at home.
lie uttered an imprecation. not loud
but deep; for there upon the table lay
the girls unopened letter facing him
in mute reproach. He took up the mis-
Sive. ami his hand lowered over 1t hes
itatiLgly. He seemed TO divine its con
tents. But why should he read her
demands? He knew that she vas no
m"eau-Spirited girl. to make an abject
appeal. but one To assert her rights
and adhere To them.
For an instant the wish To read what
She had written asserted itself, and
then, with n sudden impulse, he flung
the missiye into the heart of the roar
ing fire.
"Iil have nothing 10 do with her"
he said, alOud-'no remporizing, no
half-and-half measures. I'll not see
either of them. Cleavland shall deal
With ttem-give them fifty thousand
10 be rid of them
He rang the bell f~uriouSly.
Il leave for Ireland in the morning"
he told the aStoniShed servant.
Kemp made some inaudible mutter-
ing. cnly TO be sworn ut for his pains;
and then Dereck Packenham went TO
bed.
When ne awoke his servant sat at
his bedside with a telegram in his
hand.
JNSl tOilt, SIIy SIiI tiit liih.
Yawning drowsily, Dereck tore the
envelope open. The few words il o II
tanned caused him TO spring from his
bed. What freakish trick was life
playing With him?
My brother died during the night"
"-Afra Packenham.'
That was all. But the words trou-
bled him Sorely.
Died? Died during the night? Then
there had been some truth in what he
had considered an exaggerated story
of the injury to his late partner. Afra
could not be lying when she told him
that her brother was dead. Surely no,
Perhaps they had not meant To trick
him-or could il be q further move ia
the conspiracy-a fresh bait TO catch
him with a vision of fearful eyes and
Il desolate young girl hanging over a
death-bedE Was that the news that
her letter brought overnight? His
brain was whirling, and, through its
confusion. came his aunt's softly-mod-
ulated voice. "Artful mink" she had
called her; and Lady CODY knew her
sex. And she sent to tell him Of her
brothers death? Bah, It was that
she might claim him-might rivet his
letters forever.
Defeck paced the Don and wrestled
with his better self. 1t was Il fight be
tween the good and evil portions Of his
nature. Some malign influence. how
ever was abroad. for the latter won.
Mr.. Packenham sent for his friend,
Cleayland. and they had a long. and
not very tranquil, debate. Dereck was
doggedly obstinate. and against this
~obstinancy the other mans arguments
and advice were like dashing spray
against a rock. and the two parted, un.
der conditions which We're, to say the
least, strained.
Dereck Packenham left for Ireland
that night by the mail express.
CfO be Continued.)
yAhv ArehIa Cnf Md