Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-10-18
CHATTER xxII.

clock upon the ~i.antel, was unbroken.
In vain Grace strove TO think. She
could only follow the monotonous sound
which recorded that the time for which
she had prayei was swiftly dying.
She pressed her hands to her eyes TO
strive for calm and thought. At last
she let them fall, and, with a shudder,
allowed her gaze to rest upon the man
whose dark eyes had not for an instant
been withdrawn from her face.
She had felt their glance burn even
while her own eyes had been hidden.
"You speak Of PROOF" she said. What
Is your proof2"
Harry Reynolds confession" was
the quiet answer.
The moments for which she had
pleaded with Harvey Barclay had not
beer lost to him He had planned his
campaign; he had drawn up his forces;
and now he had given the first fire
which opened the battle-the battle
where defeat ment death, and victory,
life and honor. They were high stakes
Ind not to be lightly forfeited.
Nor had the fire failed of its aim.
The shot had sped straight to it's mark
Grace quivered convulsively as it tore
Its way through her poor armor and
buried itself In her shrinking flesh.
'Harry's confcssion!' she repeated.
1t could not be. argued her reason.
Why should he make confession? This
was but a new ruse TO extort the truth
from her.
Her indignation lent her ~momentary
strength. She proudly threw back her
head.
II tell you that I signed the note, Mr..
Barclay. What, then, could Harry con-
fess?"
Her listener smiled.
Poor child! How poor were the wea-
pons she had at her command! Only
her innocence. and youth, and candor
against experience, and subtelty. and
guile.
As well might q swordsman use a
woode sword against a blade of Da-
nascus steel, ond hope to win the day.
Let me tell you the story, Miss
Grace" he said. Perhaps then you
will Judge me more fairly, and viii give
me the confidence / shall esteem so high
a gift. / have not been, / am not, a
sanity man. 1 nave led, as perhaps
you know, a somewhat wild and dissl-
pated life. There has been, perhaps,
some little excuse for this, In the alb.
sence OF home ties and woman's in1u-
ence.
But let that pass. I will not here
make excuses for my faults, only bold
iy avow them. 1t is for you. Grace. to
wipe out their record, If you win.
We'll, among them, first and fore
most. was the vice Of gambling. First
played FOR small stakes, but / lost and
got heavily In dcbt-so heavily hat I
saw no way to escape from its conse.
quences and cntailcd disgrace.
AT last, n night / grew desperate.
n determined to HOARD alto win
all or lose all. I played more recklessly
than l had ever PLAYED before; but luck
a turned. Every card / touched
turned into gold.
Beside mo stood a man who lost as
I won. 1t WIS the man of whom we
have been speaking. 1t was Harry
Reynolds. Hc was no STRANGER at the
gaming table. I had met him often be-
fore. Blu this night he was pale, and.
like myself, played with a reckless
abandon which proved some strong me-
cessity.
AS the pile of gold grew at my place,
from time to time he drew upon 1t. L
signifying my consent by a nod. I did
not fear him as a creditor. I rose from
the table ten thousand dollars richer.
He was my debtor half that amount.
Next day he sent me a check for the en-
tire sum-
Grace involuntarily moaned.
Piece by piece the proof was fitting
into place. and forcing out the doubt
which made so brave a fight against II.
eco on!" she said.
II will make the story short" he con-
tinued. my, luck, from that night
turned for the better-his for the worse.
From time TO time he borrowed money
from me until he owed me ten thousand
dollars.
Once my debtor, he seemed I
most dislike and avoid me. l bore VITA
this, for reasons, Grace. perhaps you
can understand. At last my luck, too,
changed, and / lost-lost-lost. / need
ed the money l had loaned him. / was
forced to ask him for 1t. He put me
off, until / threatened to demand it of
his father. He promised then TO pay 1t
that same night.
Again he played. and again he lost.
He rose owing the bank a large sum 1t
was tier that he drew this note from
his pocketbook and rendered 1t in pay
ment of the mount. He YVES well
known to the bank officials, and they
had n hesitation In accepting II. We
were : 7th somewhat under the inhu-
ence Of wine. and at the same time the
whole transaction seemed natural TO
me-; but. as we walked out together into
the open air, the cold. clear atmosphere
sobered him, and dissipated the fumes
of alcohol and tobacco which had
clouded my brain. We walked a few
blocks in silence. and then / turned and.
selling his arm, forced him to face me.
Harry Reynolds ! said. that r
you gave he bank just now was j
forgery!'
THE moon was shining above us, and
by Its light | could see the deathly PAL
1or on his face.
You lie!' he answered.
"'You shall answer to me for that
was my reply; but first l viii prove
good my assertion. i will go to Grace
Hawthorne in the morning, and tell her
the facts In the case
His whole expression changed then.
His mask of boldness fell. / never saw