Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-10-04

ACCIDENT mas betrayed 10 YOU Tic IeS-
direction of my hearts dearest wish, I
cannot relegate the phantom back to q
grave in which it refused to sleep. Is
love so far removed from friendship
that must plead for yours in vain?"
He came forward to take her HAND.
but she drew back, coldly, while over
Helen's face, forced looker-on to so I'M
expected scene, swept flood of GRIM
son, followed by deathly pallor. Her
eyes blazed, her lips quivered. She ap-
peared about to speak, but Grace gave
her no time.
$50 the mask has fallen?" she said.
slowly, land this is what your plea Of
friendship meant. But it is not of my
self would speak. 1t is Of Oh. Hell
en-" turning toward her with gesture
of mingled grief and outraged anger,
what does this man mean?"
For a moment the woman hesitated.
For a moment she was tempted to
avow the truth, in her bitter, jealous
wrath; but not thus could she gain her
end. The pause gave her time to re-
cover herself.
sit means, Grace" she answered,
Harry owes Captain Barclay large
amount of money lost at play. There
are other debtors less merciful than he.
I have asked him to satisfy their de-
mands. Only Harry must not know
must not suspect his agency. Oh,
Grace, be not too hard! Pity his weak
ness, and my wretchedness!"
Trust me, Helen, for both. Why
have you not trusted me more fully?
But does not Mr.. Barclay accompany
his willingness to act in your behalf
with threats uttered against Harry and
against me? And why, and how, so
long as dollar of my fortune remains
to me, can he be threatened with a
PRISON."
And she shuddered as she forced her
self to utter the last word.
at fear, Miss Hawthorne, that MI.
Reynolds has made himself amenable to
the laws in ways all unsupported by
you," interrupted the young officer.
For your sake would save him from
the consequences of his own rashness.
spoke impulsively just now. I was
mad with anger against him, and rebel
lion at my own impotence to convert
ice into the flame of feeling. More
over, I had reason to suspect, on Mr..
Reynolds part. feeling which might
lead him to undermine me in your es-
TEEN. For your sake, and the sake Of
his suffering wife, was willing to aid
him to the full extent of my power;
and, While asking no appreciation Of
my services, at least deserved that it
should not be met by dislike threat
ening to become active hostility. You,
who have already helped him so large
| ly, Miss Hawthorne, should understand
his fatal weakness without forcing me
| to put it into words in my own self-ex-
cuse'
ooh, Grace!" burst in Helen, edo not
let Harry know what you suspect! It
would drive him to desperation. Be-
sides, he told me to-day that he had
| found way out Of the difficulty, and
promised never again to yield to tempt
alton"
"And he trusts me so little!" said the
GIRL sadly-"so little that he shuts me
out from his confidence, refuses to ac-
| cept my aid"
| "Helen!"
It was Harry's voice that called from
the hall. With one glance toward Har-
vey Barclay-a glance half-imploring,
half commanding-the wife fastened
from the room. Grace turned to follow
her, but Mr.. Barclay made quick
movement to arrest her purpose.
"Don't go!" he said. II must speak
with you. told you once, if you need
ed a friend, to come to me. Oh, Grace,
can you not understand that 1t is be-
cause I see the shadows creeping SO
thickly about you, that I long to offer
you closer protection than the claim OF
friendship will permit me to assume
| MY child you do not know how sorely
you stand in need Of a strong arm and
loyal heart. Will you not accept mine?
| May I not once again sue for the most
precious gift Fortune could grant me?''
| "Your tone is somewhat different,
Mr.. Barclay, from that which promised
not many minutes since, to bring me to
terms" answered Grace, with quiet,
cutting scorn. "But whatever tone you
4 might assume" she continued, firmly
my answer could not fail to be the
! same must decline the honor that
| you would confer upon me-"
Gwen though you knew that the
honor of the Reynolds name hinged up
on your"
No whit higher was Harvey Barclays
voice as he put the question, no shade
paler his already pale face; but an evil
light glimmered in his eyes, and about
his mouth were drawn hard, resolute
lines.
A cold shudder passed over Grace, but
weakness.
she did not betray the momentary
ooh, you have thrown aside your
false colors, Mr.. Barclay she said
with smile of irony. you return to
threats. But threats will not sully an
old, untarnished name, and, though
Harry may have been weak. he. has
placed no stain upon his escutcheon
which may not be wiped away or for
gotten"
"You think so? You are wrong. But
forget. It is not your name. Why
should you care what stain it bears?
| "It is dearer, for dearer to me than
my own!" retorted the girl passionate
lly There is nothing would not do to
i save it from disgrace, should disgrace
/ threaten til"
Nothing, Grace?" replied the man
the old tenderness creeping back into
| his tone. well, suppose I tell you that
disgrace threatens mot from afar; but
close, close at hand; disgrace can