The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1899-08-04

had once before attacked me had dogged
ment warned me of my danger, no guar
dian angel caused me to look ~ and be
prepared to meet my foe.
| "Oh, my dear child, what followed was
| too cruel and wholly Understandable
served! Without an instant for prepara-
tion. found myself suddenly called upon
| to battle with my drest foe, and that for
life
| "He sprang upon me-his hold was
fierce as that of a madman-yelling out
defiance and threats; he swore to have my
| life's blood. What could l do but defend
myself? My opponent, however, was the
| more powerful man of the two-the COM
| bat was very unequal; but in such straits
one fights till the last, My strength was
giving wayne was aiming to grip my
throat. 1 made a despairing effort and
hurled him from me; and he fell-fell
| backward, and did not rise again."
You had killed him, father" gasped
Mabel
Rather say that he had killed himself,
Mabel. His own fierce anger had made
him refuse to listen to any explanation"
"You are guiltless, then, father?" said
Mabel, softly, when she could speak.
"Guiltless? Yes, my child. The diff
Guilty was to make men think so. l was
arraigned for the murder, as it was called,
and I was weak enough to give false
name in order that the ancient name of
Charford should not be dragged into
court"
ooh, father:' murmured Mabel.
"It was an error, not crime," said Mr..
Charlford, with sigh. 81 have lived to
understand since then that all conceal
ment is wrong. But to you, my child
my noble child am confessing all the
truth-the truth l would have spared you.
Under the name of Filton stood my trial.
There was full inquiry, and the medi-
cal man called to give evidence expressed
his opinion that the violent excitement of
the struggle had caused Arthur Lanes
death, the man being in an advanced
stage Of heart disease. My story would
have been believed, and / should have
been released, but that brother of the
wretched man who had attacked me came
forward with false evidence. He swore
that he had witnessed our quarrel, which,
be said, I had provoked. This asserva-
tion was fatal to my cause. was con-
demned."
Poor, dear father!" whispered Mabel,
clinging to him. ''But you were saved!'
"Uncle John contrived my escape. l
fed, Mabel-hed from what was called
justice. No one suspected that the So
called criminal Fiton was in reality Rich
ard Charlfo-d, a wealthy English gentle
man, for during my trial my poor cousin
had died. and 1 had succeeded to half of
his enormous wealth. 1 escaped-gold
will do much-and I was preparing to en-
bark for England, when Lanes brother
traced me, stopped me; and declared he
would again denounce me. And your
mother meanwhile lay dying without see
ing me by her side. For a few thousand
leave me unmolested and to settle in the
far West. And yielded"
"Poor, poor father" murmured Mabel,
with tender compassion.
Mabel, that man has gone on increas-
ing his demands, till now he asks fifteen
thousand pounds more, and ten thousand
from your Uncle John, because he knows
that he is wealthy and loves me and that
he is sensitive about the family name"
Mabel gave weary sigh. Alas for her
hopes! With this accusation hanging over
her father, baseless though it was, she
| COulu uOI Wtu ANeNlile w
"Ne~ille-oh, my love!' she cried to her.
! self. 'It is goodby forever in this world!"
Her father watched her narrowly.
mabel" he sai0, presently, "look up,
my dear girl! You said yourself that 1
| was unfortunate, but not disgraced''
"Yes-yes, father, because you are inno-
cent" she answered. softly, but in pa
thetic tone. 'Still do you not see that 1
cannot consent to marry Neville? I will
be forever silent-slent as the grave-but
he end 1 must not meet again.
She rose tremblingly to her feet as she
concluded, and her father kissed and
blessed her, then led her from the room,
watching till her graceful form and woe
begone face disappeared in the gloom over
head.
$50 that danger-as great a one as ]
have ever encountered-is over!" he NUT
tered emptying a glass Of brandy, and
passing his hand over his knitted brow
II have converted her from a horror
stricken child, silent only from duty, into
warm ally full of compassion and trust
Well done! And now for the future. II
will be too annoying if she sticks to her re
solve, and I lose the position it would give
me in the county to have daughter mar
ried to a man like Lord Wynmore."