Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-11-15
CHAPTER xxxIv.

.Day darxened into night. and still
Grace Hawthorne kept her watch be-
side Harry REYNOLDS sick bed.
5, OF his wife he rever spoke. He
seemed neither to miss her nor note
her absence. But 10 Grace. as the
hours went slowly by. it seemed
strange.
Now and then the sick man opened
his eyes with a. start. but when his
glance rested ON her, ne closed them
again. to fall into quiet sleep. with d
sinile about his lips.
He was sl1eping when. at o'clock.
she stole away from him. only to find
the lower part OF the house deserted. I,
Where Ia. Mrs. REYNOLDS" she
asked Andrew Has ssshe gone out
again. III 40 F8Y III ar 4 !
Mrs. Rernolds wsnt away sorne-
where this afternoon. think. Miss
Graee.se answered the servant. she
hau two large trunks carried to the de-
pot. but she left the house herself on
foot. She was writing In the library.
Miss Grace" the man added. as he
noted the amazeinent on her face.
Maybe she left a message for YOU"
Will sense of some new trouble in
store for, her. Grace hurried to the IL
brarY. and on the rnantel shelf found a
letter addressed to herself.
1t Was verv short. - T*
II am going away" Helen wrote.
You see : leave the way open for you
70 win your love, and, since have won
xx.fv I rot
You and Harry are suited to each 9TH
er. Forget me, and--rood-
Over and over the girl read the hur-
ried scrawl. She failed utterly to COM
prehend it's meaning beyond the fact
that Helen had failed I'm her duty as a
wife tsg ~
- But who was her companion In her
Night? Was 1t Harvey? Was she free? ?
But at what cost since her freedom
brought DISGRACE to the man she
loved! s@h&
And however Helen might drag his
name into the dust. 1t could avail her
nothing, for was she not his wife,
But how should she break the news
20 him? How should she, tell him that
the wife he adored had left him? !.
Over and over she revolyed the q,ies-
tion in her mind, as. returning to his
bedside she tried to fill as best she
might the place Helen had left vacant.
Her eyes were very heavv and worn
next morning with her watch when
Andrew brought her, Harvey Barclays
card M
she started as her ewes fell on the
name She had been so sure that he
had been the companion Of Helen's
night. To whom. then. had Helen's
note referred?
she went. almost eagerly. to meet
him, hoping, through him. to solve the
problem.
where Is HeIen?" were the first
words OF her greeting.
Helen" he answered. in amaze
ment. "Why do YOU ask me for Hell
en-? Is she not heref"
No. She left the house yesterday.
She left this letter for me-"
And she held out the paper toward
him.
His face palea. How far had she be-
tfayed him? But the clotd lightened
as one hastv glance told him he had
nothing TO fear.
Where can she have Gonea'' he
asked. as IL speaking rather to himself
than to her, "whAra can she have
gone-and with whsms"
''Since you know nothing OF her pur-
pose" answered Grace, she must have
gone alone. Thank God for that.
Harry has enough to bear without the
added torture of the knowledge that
she had a COMPANION in her flight"
.'He is better?"
'Yes-~so much better that every time
he turns his eyes toward me / fear he
will ask me why Helen does not come;
bur strange as 1t NAV seem. her name
has not once ESCAPED HIS Inns. Uncle
Edgar speaks OF her constantly, but
Harry. never. II What is 1t. And.
fewe. For the old servant with hor-
ror-strickea face. stood making gest'
ures in the doorway. rs uncle
s.No no. Miss Grace.r gasped the
old man. ..It's not him. But we've
been robbed. rs my day for clean.
ing and counting the silver, but wher
I onened the safe I found 1t nearl,
empty: and not onlv the silver. Miss
Grace hut the diamonds"
you are sure. Andrew. sure?" cried
Grace. excitedlv.
Come and look for yourself, Miss
Grace
''Is this house doomed to misfor
tune?" she asked. weariedly. "Sead Il
Che notice atsonce. and let one OF thei
most experienced men come here i'm
mediately.'
"wait. Andrew" spoke in Harvey
3efore giving the order. Grace, let m
spsak with you a few minutes alone.
She looked at him N surprise: but
telling Andrew to await further orders
dismissed him from the room.
you have not guessed the thief
asked Harvey. when they found them
selves alone.
"No. How should I? The servant
are old and trusted. would as sool
suspect myself
"OrS- HeIen?"
The name. as he uttered II. wa
freie hted with suspicion.
Grace started back. horrified.
Helen. she gasped.
Yes. Grace. 1 have no doubt II wa
she who in her desperation. commit
ted this theft. II Won sAna Cor a de
tective. her flight of yesterday must b
made public. DOUBTLESS the mans sus
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