Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-04-28
TIE SECRET
EOF A LONELY HOUSE.
a


With this reply Pansy had TO be con-
tent. She vas burning TO commune
cate her news, for Geoffry had prom
ised that when they We're married, FL
sic should come and make their house
her home. That the lonely girl would
be happy with them, was evident 10
both, her life mt Craigeerie having been
unsupportable for years.
On the third day. Mordant passed
Pansy in the oak hall, and laid Il de-
tanning hand upon her arm.
You have not played for me lately.
Come. now: | am In the mood 10 listen
to you-nay. it is all right. Salome has
given me the keys"
He led the way, as he spoke, TO the
drawing room, opened the massive
door, and beckoned Iansy TO follow
him. She had u strong inclination TO
refuse, for she could not endure tete-
a-tetes with one whom she so feared
and disliked .as she did Mordant Cain:
but his authoritative manner left her
me- option.
He closed the door behind her, and,
in silence, they crossed The spacious
room.
You are unusually quiet, Mistress
Philipra.' remarked Mordant, as he
sank into an easy chair near the piano,
and fixed his luminous eyes upon the
girls avefted face. What has put you
out the u%neventful life at Black
Farm"
"fes-no." she said, obviously. Il
feel duh: possibly Ii Is because miss
Elsie, and am not allowed access to
her room. She Is very childish in hei
ways: but her occasional company is
better than none at all
THE girl Is "A natural; she can be no
companion to YOU" said Mordant,
harshiy. You are pale, too: you are
losing your spirits, What ails you?'
Nothing" said Pansy, evasively. Il
am dull; | have told you so. Then
again. | cannot sleep we'll at night.
The house she paused and shud-
dered as she made this confession
1.-THE house is haunted, l believe. 1
hear the most dreadful noises. The
other night | had a good mind TO go TO
Salome's room, only | was afraid she
would be angry at being disturbed"
Mordant shot n glance at her from
under his heavy brows-keen, pene-
trating, but was somewhat reassured
by her unconscious manner.
What alarmed YOU" he asked.
1T al n stormy night, and l awoke
with a start. | thought | heard the re-
port of a pistol"
BAH exclaimed Mordant, contempt
uously. "A bad dream; your Owl i'm
agination supplied the rest. Come,
play something"
He spike SO harshly that Pansy
looked at him. ~involuntarily. His face
was even paler than usual, and his
eyes gl0wed as with an inward fire.
She commenced to play at his bidding,
although her thoughts were busy and
disturbed.
Ry-aEd-by she rose and opened a
! portfolio of music. which had stood.
dusty and unused, by the piano, for
years. and began TO look over it's con
tents with desultory interest. She Sc
lected n few conccrtos of Weber and
Beethoven, and was about to close the
ease. when her eyes fell upon a deli
cately water-color drawing of n young
ana pretty m
Who is thisT' she asked, busting the
! face of the picture. why, / need not
| ask-it must be Elsie's mother. How
like her.. She continued TO regard the
portrait, although Mordant sat silently
! watching her. How strange" she
| said. puckcring her brows in perplexi-
! ~. II had a nightmare the other
night. l dreamed that / was looking
up at the side of a ruined castle. when,
suddely. a window right up in the tow
er was opened. and a woman's face ap
peared. The face in my dream was
| years older than this-thin,
Withholding, but it was this face
grown old, Even as | looked. and
would have called 10 her, someone
with red hair like Salome, drew her
back. and she CAV n shrek so terrible.
SO heartrending. that / awoke, trem-
bling with terror"
You're n fool. girl. exclaimed Nor
dant. rising hurriedly. You have no
mere courage than a child six years
old. Salome is right-you are no tit
companion for that mo0n-struck girI,
Elsie. You would terrify her into fits
Pansy was silent. Her fingers wan
dered desultorily over the keys. Sud
denly Mordant paused. just behind her.
"Philippa.' he said. laying his hand
upon her shoulder with a grasp under
which she WINGED. lit is clear to me
that the life here is unsuited to YOU
Your guardian is quite determined that
you shall remain here until you are OF
age. There Is, however. n alterna-
tive open TO you. You shall leave here,
and live in any place most c%ongenial IL
you, on one condition.
And that?" she asked. struck with
the fierce energy of his manner.
is that you will become my wife,
AS he spoke, Pansy sprung from the
piano and confronted him with start
led eyes and parted lips.
Marry you, Become your wife"
she exclaimed. You must be mad
Not so mad as you. young lady. to
run counter to me- he said. his eyes
cleaning like those OF a panther about
to spring. II tell you that you shall not
leave this house except as my wife.
am no poor dependent, but a rich man
well able TO maintain IA wife in luxury
even supposing her TO be penniless
i Think well-thlnk deeply. before yo,
refuse my offer" Despite her resist
ance his arms closed around her. III,
was irresistibly powerful. notwith
standing his deformity. II have grown
to love you. Philippa, and | have mad,
up my mind to marry you, or make
your life here IA living purgatory."
Closer and closer he drew her, his