Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-03-17
CHAPTER v.-,Continuca.,

rings through the Stiffness. II scarcely
thought You would play the hypocritc,
MIR. tharlcris. Have you forgotten the
insui; of the fourteenth of February? II
so. ! have not. l vowed then to bring
you Ia my feet soonc or later and give
back 10 you the humiliation You dealt me.
u la;e j did not think it possible l should
ever do so. for you have treated me with
scint courtesy: and, to Your credit. 1
must confess / never dreamed you would
declare yourself IL lover of mine. l was
hut II tlioishtlcss child when you first
saw me. My faults were only the faults
Of youth and observation-disclosures. When you
let mo see yomr opinion of these and of
myself OH that-tliat morning. I grew
hardened. I almost hated YOU then. OH,
why do l speak of it," she goes on pas
siona:ely. as She looks at the stern. cold
face before l,cr. NO one ever dared find
fault With me before. not even those who
had the right. And l am not Il tlirt. what
ever you may please to think. III people
like rae and care for my society. that is
their lookout. l have never tried to catch
any one yet. How can l help it il they
make fools of thcmsclvcs:"
las | have DONE he intcrposcs quietly.
't.ne half of what you have said. Miss
MervyM. l do not understand: the other
half is the unreasonable uttcrancc of an
angry chiil. In amy ease l ought to thank
You for opening my eyes 10 your real opii-
ion of me. ! feel BATTERED TO think your
vow-whaiever it waS-has been mt last
accomplished through my instrninen;aliiy.
l suppose there is nothing more to be said
between Us now!'
He signs and looks again at the trow-
blcd. downcast face of the girl who has
wronscd him so cruelty. misjudgcd him
so hasciy.
Perhaps it is as WE'LL" he goes on. in n
strange dreamy voice, as of one who talks
in LIS sleep. We should never have been
happy. cvcn-cvcn il You had loved me.
/ do not think YOU could be constant, even
if You tried
"Your opinions of me are always flat
terins," says Yolande scornfu!ly.
He smiles family.
Won have been fed on sugar so long
that all honest food is distasteful," he
remarks. II wish l could feel more angry
with you than 1 do: for heaven knows
your little hand has stabbed me deep
enough to-day! How deep you will never
know. unless o too learn what it is to
lay Your whole life down ut the foot of
one being in the world. and see the folly
and uSelcssness of such n sacrifice"
Yolandc shivcrs, as if the breath of
winter were upon her instead of the warm
lnxuriancc of summcr. Does she not feel
even now in her hearts depths the sting
of his words? Does she not know that
even at this very moment their truth is
being painfully realized, in the bitter ag-
cny that fills her proud and willful heart:
Then he moves away. with no other
word or look at the motionlcss figure and
lovely face that in all his days, be they
long or short. he knows he can never for.
get.
Yolandc stands where Dcnzil Charters
has left her, listening to the last echo OF
his footsteps as they die away in the dis.
tancc. A curious. faint smile comes over
her face-a smile that has no mirth, and
looks ~stranscl. out of place OH those
sweet rcd lips.
80 have Won my triumph ard kept
my vow after all..' she says. i'll a slow,
harsh voice, all unlike her own. But ]
seem to understand no@ what people
mean by Dead Sea fruit"
y shamcd streak of red tingcs her pale
checks. Her eyes wander aimlcssly over
the green moss, the bubblins water, the
sunset shadows. n strange dull pain fills
her heart and racks her with an agony she
has never before known.
What nave | donc-oh. what nave ]
done:' she means. and s;raightwny
throws herself down upon the cool, sof,
grass and buries her face in her hands.
The evening shadows are falling softly
across the woodland as Yolande mt last
takes her way home. The leaves rustic
overhead, the birds songs are silent
through the interstices of the closely wov.
en- boushs the sky looks darkly down
ovcrshadowed by heavy clouds. the por
tents of a storm. y low heavy roll OF
distant thunder comes pealing across TIL.
stiffness. Yolandc starts and shivcrs n.
she hears it, and hurrics on with auickc,
steps.
\ tongue of lightning suddenly leap.
from the black heavy clouds and plays il
CHASTITY brilliancc over the dark water n
her feet. Inyoluntarily she starts back
AT the same moment the boughs part OF
the opposite side of the pool, and II fac
looks mt her through the screen of leave
the same awful face, with wild eye
and unkempt locks that once before me
Ter terrified gaze in the turret of tn,
vuined castle.
Flying in headlong speed she comes full
tilt against the figure of u man advancin,
TO meet her. Recoiling, she cried aloud
Her nerves are all unstrung, her face j
white. her eyes are wild.
''Yolande!"
ooh. Lance, dear Lance" she cries. a
she clings like a frightened child to hi
strong young arm, save me, for heaven
sake! 1t is coming--I know it is!'
= What is coming?' he exclaims in be
wif1nrunnnf 1oaEiNy from tho rirl'S tnrri
fed face to the path up which she points
THAT thing-that FACET she cries. hid
ing her eyes on his shoulder, and shudder
ing from head to foot.
Poor child. poor Yolande! he says
pityingly. "There is nothing to frightel
you now"