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

MT. 1acheHnam sat alOue. Tn tHe
table beside him lay Il letter from lie
girl with whom he had gone Through
hampered them both for life. Divorce
would be easy IL there was cause for
it: but She did not look like a girl who
would give him any reason for com
plant. He threw the letter to the far.
thest end of the table aiia, rising, rang
his bell.
The Don was fil!eI with those costly
knick-kraclis which bespeak the pos
session of wealth. The man hami-
s0nce. well Set-up-lOoked an IDEAL I'm
giiShman of good standing; but his
chin was more rounded than a mans
should be. and his eyes, if bright and
clear. had II somewhat shallow ex-
preston.
Il dine with Lady Groby." he told
his valet.
Her ladyship was his aunt, only Sis
ter to the dashing Hugh P~ackenham,
Lord Mount Sorrel. whose second mar
riage with Annabella. half-sister OF the
w~eli-kGown contractor, Alexander Jug
gins. set the family up again after be-
ing for years very low in the world.
1t was thought that JugginS would
have left his enormous wealth 10 "a
hospital; but he be~queathed it all TO
his nephew, a graceless boy who had
never underworld TO please him. Lady
Groby, widow of a famous ~iinancier,
cfildless and wealthy, adored her
.n, n~, ,,,,l,nr,r ,rl ,s,1s =, Ipntl -
plotting for him.
''Dereck must marry wcll,' she con
fided 10 Miss Mercer, who lived with
her and looked after the decorations Of
her dinner table.
With a bland smile, Miss Mercer re-
sponded that Mr.. Packenham could
please himself.
Lady Groby gave Dereck the dainti-
est of dinners. with mo II but Miss
Mercer present.
Her ladyship began by Informing her
darling that he must have a whole his
tory To relate, and he must tell her ey-
erything. And then her ladyship said
that Alexander JugginS had been an
old dear. She was glad he had done
the right thing with his money. and
her dear sister was very pleased about
il, having written TO say that the great
wish of her heart had been fulfilled.
New continued Lady Gr0by-"nOw
for the next step-matrimony. my dear
boy. | only wish that we could man
age These matters as they do in France
lit is so much more sensible. Never
thelesS, you will meet some charming
girls ut my house. Don't be too Inn
petuous. for remember that money is
no object. You are To marry rank to
marry up, Dereck, forgive me, hut
your good father. when he made his
second marriage with your most
worthy mother-one Of tie sweetest OF
women-did not marry up-eXcept
from a monetary point of view. The
duty is thrust upon you-you must
marry blood
Cant be done, Aunt ~Judy'-her Ia
0yshlp's name was Juliet.
"Dereck! Are you mad?"
Perhaps so-but-I'm married al
ready
His admission fell like a thunder
clap, and her ladyship sat staring at
him.
Married. she gasped at last. Wis
ions of coryphes and music hall art
isttes floating before her. Married? 2"
Even So he admitted, and pro-
ceeded to relate his story.
When Dereck left his aunt it was
with such terms as "artful!" brutal"
crafty wretch" and miserable,
scheming mink" ringing in his ears.
Until that night Mr.. Packenham had
not actually realized his position as it
appeared in the eyes of the world 70
which he now belonged. Yes, he had
been duped-heartlessly. cleyerly,
duped into marrying Hartrigg's sister.
Now he ragged against brother ana sis
ter to his hearts content.
Dereck threw off his dress coat and
sat down to mediate. He had been
obliged TO leave on the evening of the
day that followed his most miserable
and fatal mistake. He remembered
the eyes which he told cleayiand had
a ''wild-thing' expression in them. as
he asked her To accompany him To
England. There had been just the one
startled glance, aud then the unhesitat-
ing reply, II will stay with my broth
err"
The words had been spoken with a
determination that startled him. She
had not left Hartrigg's bedside during
the whole of the night following the
mere ceremonial form of words"
which bound them together. Her
brothers life had hung in the balance,
and the two had watched together.
The firm. decided utterance-'I will
stay with my brother remained
with him and tainted him. She had
capabilities and deep affection. for her
eyes told him so. Yet her love-he
thought she loved him then-and her
interest-he had told her that he was
wealthy-both called her away from
the duty she owed her only relation.
but she chose to stay and perform Ii.
Although there was something in H.
not very lattering to his vanity. he
could not help admiring her for it,
But then the sequel-Hartrigg had re-
covered. For all Dereck knew, that
illness and anticipated death might
have been no more than a part of the
plot-the best-acted bit Of the scheme
Of the parson. At any rate, they had
followed him here, the three of them
followed him to insist upon his ac-
knowledging his share in the transac-
ton, 10 rivet his chain, and to render
him ridiculous in the eyes of all men
their prisoner. their Gagged gull. No. he
would not submit. He would not see
49, H.