Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-02-03

Come back with me-" said Barbara,
drawing her sisters hand through her
arm. Now. then. Eve, there must be no
secrets with me. You have no mother; |
stand 10 You in the place of mother and
sister in one. Was that Jaspcr::"
Ewes hand Iuivercd ON her sisters arm;
in Il faint voice she answered, "Ycs, it was
Mr.. Habb. Barbara" Had Miss Jordan
looked round she would have seer her sis
tiers face crimson with shame. But Bar
bara turned her eyes way TO the far-off
pcarly range of Cornish mountains, sighed
and said nothing.
Miss Jordan's bosom was hcaving. Per-
'iaps she could not speak. She WAS angry.
troubled. distracted. Before she reached
nome SHE had made up her mind. and on
reaching Morwrll she acted on it with
lromptitudn. leaving Eve to go 10 her
room or stay below as suited her hest.
She went direct to her father. lie had
been i'll with 81 scythc wound for several
days. aud looked distressed; his pale fore
head Was beaded with pcrspiration.
Dear lal;a.s said Barbara, II have
something very unpleasant to communi-
cate. Father. am afraid for Eve"
"What:' His face was full of terror.
What of her: What is there to fear:
Is she ill.,"
lit is. dearest papa. as l forcsaw. She
has set her heart ON MIR. Jasper. and she
MEETS him secretly. He asked leave of
you Yesterday 10 go home TO Buckfast-
leigh: hut lie has not gonc there. He has
not left this nci=iborhood. He is secret
ing himself somewhere. and this evening
he met ,!ar!in. Eve ON the Raven Rock.
whom tn t:,.w- v,,I wnrn hprn ill aud Il
vas i'll the house with you."
II cafno; believe it, said Mr.. Jordan.
with every token of distress. wiping his
wet brow with his thin hands. clasping
his hands, piuckilg at his waistcoat, bit
his luivering lips.
ut is true, dearest papa. Eve took
Jane with her as far as the gate, and there
an ugly boy, who. Eve tells me. is JAS
hurried off To the Rock as soon as told of
Inc trees someone with Eve. and heard a
charged Eve with having met him, she
could not deny it,
"Wila. docs he want: Why did he ask
to leave:'
II can pm, but one Interpretation on his
conduct. j have for some time suspected
81 growing attachment between him and
Eve. ] suppose he knows that you never
would c~onSCnt-
Never. ncvcr..' He clcnchcd his hands,
raised them over his head, uttered u cry,
and dropped them.
do be careful, dear papa said Bar
hara. You forget your wound: you must
iot raise your right arm"
ut cannot be. Ii cannot be! Never.
i'evrr..'
NO. papa. as you say, it never. never
can be. There is an impossible barrier
between them. 1 know more than you
suppose. dear papa. Knowing what / do
] have wondered at your permitting his
presence in this house."
.Icu know IIc looked at her. and
pressed! his brow. ".tnd Eve, does she
know
"Shc knows nothing" answered Bar
hara; II alonc-that is. you and l to-
gc%ther--alonc know all about him. l
found ont when he first came here. and
was i'll
"From anything he said:'
mol found Il bundle of his clothcs.'
II do not understand"
ut cane about this way. There was a
roll on the saddle of his horse. and when
| came to undo ii. thai / might put it
away. ! found that i, VAS IL convict suit"
! Mr.. jordan stared. YES" continued Bar
bara. speaking quickly. anxious to get
the miserable tale told. "Yes. papa. /
found the garments which betrayed him.
When he came 10 himself l showed them
10 him. and asked if tl:cy were his. After
ward ] heard all The particulars; how he
had robbed his own father of the money
laid by TO repay You an old loan. how his
father had prosecuted him. and how he
had been sent TO prison: how also he had
escaped from prison. 1t was as he was
flying TO The lamar 10 cross it. and get as
far a.; he could from pursuit. that he met
with his accident. and remained here"
"Mcrciful heavcn!" exclaimed Mr.. .Jor-
dan: "yot knew all this. and never told
me-
II Told 10 one answered Barbara. ..bc-
cause ] promised him that l would not
bc:ray him. and even now / would have
said nothing about it hut that you tell me
that you know it as well as i. No" she
added. after having drawn n long breath.
II not even after all the provocation he
has given would | bctray him.
Where. then, are these clothes-,his
convict suit! Let me see them. | cannot
yet undcrs.anl.'
barbara left the room. and shortly re,
turned with the bundle. She unfoldcd it.
and spread the garments before her faith
or. He rubbed his eyes. pressed his
knucklcs against his temples. and stared
at them with astonishment.
so. then. ii WAS hc-Jascr Bahh-who
stole Ewes money: and he was taken and
locked up for doing 50 in Princes Town
PRISON."
'lcs. papa. As was on my way to
.Asllbur;oa. ! passed through Princes
Town, and thus heard of it,"
Barbara. why did you keep this secret
from me? If / had known it, l would
have run and taken the news myself to
She rn.itc and tho wa.lcrs, and have had
Aim rccap,ured while he was i'll in bed.
anable to escape
1t was now Barbara's turn to express
surprise.
But, dear papa, what do you mean:
You have told me yourself that you knew
NIL ahout Mr.. ,Jasncr."