Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-09-23

CHAPTER NNIV-(C0ntinucd.)
Very glad to find you ut last he cried,
i'll his usual genial. pleasant voice. as he
advanced, with ou,stretchcl hand; II am
longing to iuOw---"
He stopped. siicnccd and astonished by
the aspect Of Stalrlish, his stern face. and
the sight of his hand closed and resting
ON III" table. quite ~irrcsponsive to Eyer
Ions friendly gesture.
what is tho matter. S:andish!'
II will explain. You must hear mo
without interruption. for what l am going
4" say is II sufficient strain on my self
control. i have heard the whole truth
which underlay the tragedy in which we
have both played Il part. know the
brutal villainy of your conduct toward
your friends wife. l know that the sls-
PIGEONS which should have fallen OF You
wore directed to me. and l have it from
Callandcr himself that he, too, had learn
cd the truth. that he was nwarc of the
debt he owed you. and was resolved to
pay i; in full; therefore, you are unfit to
touch the hanl of II gentleman, to sit i'll
the room with IL decent woman! You took
The heart. the will. of Il weak. innocent
child by falscSt stratcgem into YOU iron.
l~iti,eS. hands, and for the qualification of
u base passion, destroyed her souls life
as certainly as her murderer struck her
dcad!'
White he spoke Egcrton's large. dark
eyes grew larger. %ticrcrr, and fixed them
selves unilinchingly on those of Standish.
Yes" he returned, in a hard voice.
"This is how, 1 suppose, Il moral. blame
less man like yourself looks upon me-. and
this is how 1 look upon myself: 1 found
one of the sweetest. faircst creatures my
eyes eyer rested on. whose indefinable
charm fascinated my heart and thrilled
my senses as no other woman among the
numbers l have known ever did before.
i found her tied to a cold. half-inditfcren
man, whose age, whose dull nature check
"l and rcprcssel hers. She feared him,
she wanted tho companionship of Il young
or. Il more sympathetic man! She was
formch for me. aud al that was needed to
secure such happiness as men and women
rarely taste WAS that she should take
courage and burst hcr bonds. 1t would
have Seen but Il nine days wonder. soon
forgotten. and l could have given her cv-
crytl,iug. But she dared not! Heaven
ncvcr rr"atc! an angel purer or more self
denying than Mabel. Whether right or
wrong. | have hut ono rcgrrt-tllat l did
not snccnrd in CARRYING her away from the
oppression OF icr home 10 the heaven my
low. could have crca,ed-from the cruel
mailman who destroyed her sweet life to
the shelter of my arms. My love for her
gave mc superior rights! i shall never
repent or regret my share in the past!'
You. too. are i%nsanet" exclaimed Stan
dish. amazed at his self-dcccption and
struck 10y his allusi0n to Callander.
"Ferling convinced" continued Eyer
ton. from some strange innate convic-
ton that Calfander murdered his wife, 1
forced myself to endure his company
rather than give cruel tongues any chance
of touching the truth. ! bore the bitter
rcrruai-hes of her sister. l will bear in
silcloe--no breath from me shall ever
tarrish the pure name OF my beloved
dead! But you and l have the honor of
lCe%allander's M,,me. the safety of his life
in our hands, and though We shall keep
fur apart in the future We must guard it
wei"
Ills honor. yes! for the rest-no earthly
judge can touch him now"
"Nhai!!' cried Egerton. with n sudden
rcynls:on Of feeling. "Is he dcad?"
II have reason to believe So" and Stan
dish told the occurrences of the day as
rapidly as he could.
"Iheu thnt chapter is fnished!" cx-
claimed H%srrton. I'VE can never meet
again rs friends: hut for the sake of the
dead we must not seem enemies. Dorothy
may rest satisfied with her work" he add
ed with y siHcr.
She has reason to be satisfied" ~
turned S.am.ish gravcly. Better mourn
over hoy sisters early grave than blush
10: u fait!..css wife. 81 d%ishonorcd moth.
or"
Es"r.nn stood a moment in silence
Tlrn il" said, more to himself than to
Strnl;>l.. II shall leave England to-mor
row." With one steady. defiant look into
Tx. f,cr ~ his accuscr he left the roon
and the '.nl;sr.