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

thing. so, father; but a bird Ia the
hand is worth two in the bush. You
can extract nothing but a promise
from Mordant; and what is That
/ erth?-nothing. il he chose TO dispute
it,
"Pshaw, child" exclaimed Fergus,
angrily. Il can really attend To my
own business without any assistan
from your'
Can you. father" sail e.lame,
smiling, bitterly. Gould yo.l have dis.
pensed with my services during the
past twelve years.
There, you are flying off at a tan.
gent. just like Moriant did the other
day, and ~reproaching me with THE
past. when you are both-yes, both,
Salometr-with a stamp that made the
crazy easements rattle-.as much i'm.
plicated rs am-nay. more. Infinitely
more"
In legal terms, / suppose he. Nor
dant, was an accessory before the
fact. and | an an accessory after the
fact-eh. father"
She did o wait for an answer
probably because she deemed it likely
to be profane-but ran UP the broad
oak staircase 10 her bed Dom. She
glanced into Pansy's room as she
passed. The girl was writing by the
open window.
Are you going oHt:" she asked. II
have almost finished my letter. VIII
you post it for me?"
Yes: bring il TO my room whea I
am ready. l shall be away quite IA
short time. BY tile way, have you
seen Elsie to-day
NO" said Pansy. carelessly. adj
dressing her letter. II hardly ever sec
her except at breakfast or dinner. She
seems to get wilder every day"
Yes. She Is a great trouble 70 us.
* would be far better had she died IL
a child. How will you amuse yourself
during my absence?-not that I shall
be away long"
Pansy looked demureIy at her rela-
tive. whom she had grown to regard as
a jailer.
II must repair my dress: / tore il
yesterday getting yer the stile into
the paddock. Don't trouble yourself
about me; | shall manage to pass the
time"
Salome left her, somewhat disarmed:
but when Pansy had watched the gig
turn out of the broad entrance gates.
she sprang up. and actually danced in
the exuberance of her relief.
Now, thank goodness, | shall be
able TO go on a voyage OF discovery,
I'm positively dying 10 look over this
horrible old dungeon
She left her room and stood listening
intently. Not a sound broke the still
ness. Where was Mordant CainT'
she wondered: and then she recoiiect-
Ell that she had seen him cross the
neglected park towards the open couT-
try but an hour before.
HE will not return for hours" she
thought, .and perhaps in my perigin-
ations. l shall find Elsie. poor child. |
we'll know why she mas avoided me
lately-just TO throw dust in their
eyes"
She descended the stairs. with re-
newed confidence. and opened a door
leading out of the square old hall.
Within she found a spacious. though
low-pitched apartment. panelled with
carved oak. The furniture had orig
inaily been handsome, but the dust OF
ages lay upon all: the silken curtains,
the oil paintings in their quaint, mass
i've frames, the once costly upholstery
Of the furniture, had all faded to a
dull, neutral tint of dust and decay.
The girl shuddered with a strange
depression, and softly closed the door
behind her as she stole away, lest the
untoward sound should wake some
ghostly echoes Of the past. This was,
as she judged, the dining room. There
were many rooms on the ground floor,
all equally dull. dusty and depressing.
AT length she stepped into the
drawing room, after fighting a hard
battle with the key in the rusty lock.
The room was large and stately, lighted
by four large windows, which We're
almost overgrown by masses Of ivy,
thereby reducing the apartment to "a
state Of semi-twilight.
The velvet-piled carpet was gray
with dust. and the damp. earthly smell
that assailed Pansy as she crossed the
room made her feel sick with a sense
OF s~uffocation. At the farther end OF
of the room she Va an antique
grand piano, and, being passionately
fond of music, she felt unable to resist
an inclination TO run her fingers ove
the keys. The keys were stiff with
long dIsuse, and at first Pansy's fin
gers faltered as she touched the notes.
What If Mordant Cain We're to re-
turn and find her thus engaged!' she
thought. glancing, startled, behind her
across the dim and ghostly room.
Little by little she forgot her fears,
as the volume Of sound grew and in
tensified under her flying fingers. The
piano, though old. had been a costly
one in it's day, and ever yet, despite
damp and disuse, the tone was fine
and As her fingers fingered
tenderly upon the closing notes Of a
passionate German song, she was
startled at the sound OF a mans voice
close to her:
"PLilippa, your music has given me
great pleasure. Yours is no mere
schoolgirl performance. Nay, go on.
l would hear more"
Pansy turned toward the intruder
with wide, startled eyes.
IL did not know anyone was lis
tening-was In the house." she fall
tered, and attempted to rise.
But Mordant Cain laid his hand on
her shoulder.
do not go-I wish TO hear morer'
he said, with such decisive authority
that she felt compelled to comply.
Mechanically her fingers returned to
the keys. She tried to play something
of hix hiHIinU huf falf v<for1y xn