The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-02-25

he laid heavy hand on her Sh0ulder
md bent his dark, fiery eyes upon hers.
She met the gaze without finching.
3 Madam, where have you been?" he
asked. In voice hoarse with anger.
{ She shook herself loose from his
/ grasp.
''You hurt my shoulder" she said.
/ quietly.
II ask you, where you have been?"
"And don't choose to tell you"
"You must tell me. will take no cold
svasions! Tell me, or by the heavens
above US, you will repent it,"
The red leaped into her cheek.
do you commando"
B cay, command! and the sooner you
obey the better!'
"And shall not obey. There is the
bell; am going down."
She rose, lifted her arm to put her
work into a hanging basket. In so doing
her sleeve fell away from the wrist and
her husband noticed that the heavy
garnet bracelet she had always worn
vas missing.
81 don't see you bracelet" he said,
half inquiringly.
II have laid it aside. Garnets are not
. 10 becoming to me as they were before
/ lost my color"
He detained her moment to say, in
voice low and deep with stern deter
mination:
"Imogene, you will consider yourself
an inmate of the Rock for the remain
der Of the winter-for all time, until
you explain to me this mystery. leave
It with you to decide, whether shall
confne you to a single room with bolts
and bars, or give you the liberty of the
whole place, and let your word of honor
be the chain that keeps you here. De-
cider
She looked up into his hard face, and
her own set lineaments softened. She
remembered how she loved him. 1t
made her simple woman, ready to
obey the man she loved.
81 will remain here. I win not go
away. give you my word, and it shall
be chain"
every WE'LL" he said, $50 be it." Then
in a gentler tone, as if suddenly recol-
lecting that she was woman-"Any
time when you deign to explain this
mystery, I will listen gladly, for it goes
against my will to use this sembiance
of cruelty"
Mrs. Trenholme bowed loftily, and
went up to her chamber. After that, she
spent most of her time in her room. In
vain her husbands mother urged her
to come out of her retirement. She al
ways had some reasonable excuse for
her conduct and after while she was
left to herself. Ralph she scarcely saw
now, save at meal time. He never came
q to her; never spoke a soft word to her.
He never looked at her, even when she
4 had spent long hours in making herself
beautiful, hoping to attract his atten-
ton.
Business called him to Boston for a
week He merely announced the fact at
table, and went away without any
leave-taking. He did not see the ghast-
3 " pale face that from her window
watched him ride away: he did not
know that for hours after his depart
ure his wife lay in heap upon the floor.
E not weeping-women like her seldom
but breathing great shuddering
cries.
4$sssO heaven she moaned, "for his
love have risked everything. and be-
I hold he hates me-"
Ralph returned home about IL one
cold stormy, night. He took his horse
Ito the stable himself, without dis
Sturbing the hostler, and came to the
house by path through the garden.
The sound Of his wife's voice from
behind a ciump Of evergreens arrested
him. The night was dark and he stop
ped and listened. He was a man of the
@strictest sense Of honor, but under the
circumstances he felt no scruples about
hearing what was not intended for his
ear.
"a tell yon this must never occur
||8ain!" she said, ina low, firm tone, IF
does The remainder Of the sen-;
les vss Spoken IN . whisper.
Beware how you threaten Kissed
goiee m Q naan; II have the power.
md III you DO not deal softly. mad
~ u not hesitate 70