Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-08-17

'HaV YOU IOTgOIteu tut hiSht 49,
passed In the ruins of the temple on
the Mountain Beomah!"
Certainly not"
"You remember your dreamF'
| George could not repress an exciama-
ton OF establishment.
"I remember it." he answered.
"And how does this memory impress
your"
my heart beats with exaltation."
IF one should offer you this dream
againr'
who could make me such an onerF
81, perhaps answered the un-
known. 'Would you accept.
with Joy, i~ntoxication, delirium! II
is the dearest of my wishes!
"Well. it remains but with you wheth
err this wish shall b Fulfilled"
"Wheng"
Tonight"
"And I-what must l do:'
"You belong 10 the privileged class
| known in England as gentlemen
Yes
"Give me. then. your word as a gem
tleman to accept all the conditions
which may be imposed"
Before binding myself with an oath,
I have the right and the wish TO know
these conditions"
Agreed! First, you must allow your
eyes to be tightly bandaged."
But suppose this is a trapT'
"You have nothing TO fear. That
your life is not at stake is proved by
the fact that a moment g | could
have struck you dead at my feet with
a blow of a knife from behind
"It is true" murmured the young
Englishman to himself. This path
fills all an assassin's wish"
Then, aloud:
81 agree TO the bandaged eyes"
"You will make No attempt 10 lit
the bandage? and you will seek, mel
Their tomorrow nor ever, to find the
way through which you win be ledE'
Agreed
"You will respect the velvet mask or
her who wishes TO remain TO you un-
Known
"whatl still the mask he cried, in
disappointment.
Always"
'It is very hard, but if il Is an abSo-
lutte requirement. / swear 10 respect t..
There remains yet another condi-
tion-that no one in the world, neither
your father. your brother nor your ser
want. shall know of this adventure"
81 engage that they shall not
''If,' continued the unknown. "your
absence during the night is discovered,
you will invent some pretext TO explain
it,"
~ premise ALL"
"You swear it, on the honor of a gen.
tlemanT'
II swear it."
cit is well. Conner
ALREADY? This %instant?'
"Yau hesitateT'
mo, / do not hesitate; but my faith
er, knowing | have gone out, viii be
uneasy If l do not return"
go. then. Say a goodnight to your
father. Pretend to retire TO your room.
and rejoin me here"
Il viii be with you IL fifteen min
utes.'
"Go. then. / wait"
A half-hour later the two men, hay
ing walked for twenty minutes in alb
solute silence, stopped beside two
| horses tethered together.
"The hour has come" said the guide.
BEND your head."
George obeyed. He felt a silk hand
kerchief bound about his eyes. con.
demning him to momentary but abso-
lutte blindness.
"Ycur horse can run with the swift
ness of the wind or the shooting star.
Lift your left hand and take the rein.
L will show you the stirup.''
81 am in saddle called George,
springing. unassiSted, to his horse with
the easy skill of an accomplished rider.
The man mounted the second steed.
and, making a cultural exclamation,
the noble beasts darted forward. or,
rather. seemed to f1y, for their gallop,
deyouring space, scarcely permitted
their hoofs to touch the ground. Sir
George could determine neither time
nor distance when the horses stopped.
"Alightr' said his guide. give me
your hand. / will lead you"
Obeying, he felt a sand soft as a vel
vet carpet beneath his feet: the deli
cious odor exhaled from flowers az
night filled the atmosphere. He heard
the sweet, monotonous murmur of fall.
ing waters. Evidently, he was in the
midst of sumptuous gardens, belonging
to some palace.
Silently they crossed several apart
ments, and then the unknown released
Malcolm's hand from his strong clasp.
When you shall have counted TWEEN
ty." he said. remove your bandage."