Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-04-20

HktSsS imprecationS that
'1a-I~ continually reach
| 49,. ed her ears, laid
her head back
wearlly against the railing. too dizzy
| and stunned with rapidly accumulat-
| ing horrors, to realize her own emo
tions. Closing her eyes she tried to
cease thinking, and to calm her nerves
to steadiness that should be able to
| endure what further lay before her.
before she should reach safety. Crow
shouting, she did not notice approach
ing steps. nor suspect the presence Of
any one in the arbor, until a rude
hand was laid upon her shoulder.
"Who Is this?" exclaimed a sinister,
ferocious-looking man, clad In a butch
er's blouse, with two women at his
side. "I'll venture to swear that is a
Beauvais profile. Who said they were
sure Lady Violante was not that Sob
bing, puny girl clinging TO the count?"
and then seeing the wild terror with
which violante sprang up, he added,
"rll be bound this puny stripping will
turn out to be the naughty wench.
Here, Lizette, come and see.'
He laid his huge hand upon the col
lar of her jacket to tear 1t open, but
with the energy Of desperation, Vio-
lante sprang away from him, slipped
between the gaping women.
With a loud whoop the butcher
started after her. At first fear lent
her new power of endurance, but soon
an iron clog seemed to drag her back,
her limbs grew weak, trees, sky and
roadside swan dlzzily before her eyes.
She heard the heavy changing steps of
| her pursuer close behind her, his ex-
| uiting shout echoed like thunder re-
yerberations In her ears. But the
cliff was before her. On she sped, wa
vering, staggering, sinking. A short
by-path, which Bernard had shown
her, gave her few moments advan-
tage; the shrubbery hid her crouching
form, and the fierce citizen paused a
moment in doubt. That was her safe
ty. With desperate exertion of expir-
ing strength she sank on her knees
before the rock, and gave low, faint
blast.
Low and faint as 1t was, 1t reached
I the strained ear behind the rocky
wall. The stony door swung open; a
tender pair Of arms seized the faint.
ing figure, and drew 1t in: the rock
closed 10 its place, and when, painting
and cursing, butcher Jean came to the
summit of the crag, utter silence
reigned there. Searching diligently
but fruitlessly, with the aid of Others
who came up, upon receiving the alarm
| he peered down at length into the riv.
er rolling TRANQUILITY beneath, as the
stars were shining peacefully above or
I this night Of horrors, and exclaimed:
| "She has thrown herself into thu
water. 1t is more decent grave thar
. an aristocrat deserves, but 1t can't b,
helped"
And within, in the rocky saloon with
it's crimson hung walls, and huge sup
porting pillars, knelt Valerie, chat
ing the cold ha2ds and using ever,
, / tender means to recall the life tha
: seemed forever fed from the beaute
Gus form. q .--s,
III violante had Just recovered con
, sriousBess. and had flung herself sob
bing and weeping into the arms OF tn
r pale and beautiful woman, whose his
tory she had heard In such burnin
, words that very night, but who claime
I her warmest affection as the mother o
Bernard, when Bernard himself cam
! hurriediy from the low and tardy GOV
, entrance st so
, You are here" exclaimed he, wit
| an exclamation of intense relief. ''
| dare not tell you what narrowing sus
pense | have endured. They told m
I you were drowned | had hoped of
D better fate, but my fears were painful
|, acute. They are searching on the clii
: even yet, so came through the cove
/ crawling on my hands and knee
through the Shiny water added he
: smilingly to violante, (which account
/ for my having such a face and toile,
All, mother dear, II has been terribl
r night. You must send Lady Violant
5 with an opiate to yorr own couch. Sh
has undergone enough to prostrat
I an iron constitution. Do not ask m
to repeat anything in her presence"
8 Heaven bless you for your kind
ness sobbed violante; "oh, Bernard
; Bernard, what of my father?"
Take courage, my beloved one. yol
Il have seen for yourself what infiuenc