Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-09-20
CHATTER XIII.

| whose passage the very minutes, DIS
they dragged. made themselves into
avengers of the past of the wretched
woman whose sin, indeed, had found
her out.
Her miserable secret was fast locked
in her own breast. She feared to
laugh, lest laughter should end in
sob or shrek; she feared to sleep, lest
she should betray herself by some un-
conscious whisper; her voice, to her
own ears, sounded harsh and unnatur-
al.
But Grace alone noted any change.
She was on the alert for some mlsfof-
tune concerning Harry-believed that
he had laid again upon his wife's
shoulders the burden of his falkland
so she grew more tender to Helen,
whom she fancied sufferer through
her husbands sin.
Harvey Barclay had not been near
| the house. To it's every inmate except
| one his absence was relief; but to
Helen, who had herself decreed his
Punishment, it became another lash IN
| the scourge which memory so relent-
lessly applied upon her bare and qulv-
erinr. soul. To Harvey she might nave
poured out some of the thoughts winch
were surging and seething within her.
To touch his hand, knowing tnat lts
answering pressure would denote 81
lent sympathy with and knowiedge OF
her suffering; to hear his voice, and
trace in words of Indifferent meaning
some subtle intonation which would
convey some comfort; to look into his
ewes and discover beneath their lashes
heart
would have been as mama in the Wild
erness. hut even this poor comfort
was denied her.
OF the man she had seen in the
square she had heard nothing more:
therefore she knew that his silence had
been bought; and, to buy it Harvey
had made use of the signature she had
sent him-a signature which granted
her three months respite-since, if the
game of fortune turned its tide against
the re-embodied skeleton of her past,
how long before the petty thousands
she had given him would be swept In
to the maelstrom, and he come clamor-
ing for more?"
It was the night of Mrs. Randolph's
reflection in the pier glass, as she
'You are the embodiment of living
lie," she said to her reflected self, as
she saw before her beautiful, young
and srniling woman, with diamonds
glittering in her ears, and her robe of
exquisite fabric faultlessly outlining
the perfect form. "And tonight" she
continued, mentally-"to-night you will
be greeted everywhere as the wife of
Edgar Reynolds son. You-you are
the possessor of that proud old name!
You Helen-' She paused. A hard
light came into her eyes; her hand
clenched. "Helen Reynolds" she said,
aloud. "Ah! the name is mine! who
shall wrest it from me?"
Ready, Helen?" called gay voice.
She uttered a slight scream as it
Jared upon her ear, then rapidly re-
covered her calm.
"Quite ready. Harry! You startled
me by your sudden entrance. be-
lieve am weak enough to be admiring
my own reflection in the glass. Shall
confess to such vanity?"
'tIt is pardonable, darling. You new
er looked more beautiful. Let me kiss
you once. Stand off, that I may not
disarrange this sumptuous toilet.Ah,
my love! I shall be proud and jealous
at once tonight Of every eye that falls
upon you. Come! Grace is already
awaiting us in the library"
1t was late, and Mrs. Randolph's
rooms were crowded when they en-
tered them.
Helen's eyes sought restlessly for one
face, one form. Surely, Harvey would
be here tonight, and where she could
see and speak with him alone.
Yes, he was there. She saw his tall
figure advancing to meet them.
cat last!' he said, as she approached.
II had begun to despair of your COM
ing"
All, she was not the only one who
could act part, was the swift thought
which crossed her brain. Who could
dream that this young mans hand
some, smiling face was mask? Who
could suspect that he had perpetrated
a monstrous wrong toward the friend
to whom he outstretched his hand in
greeting?
Harry took it. but coldly, and felt
shade of annoyance as his wife accept
ed the young officers arm, and was lost
to sight amid the throng.
Grace had already joined the dancers
in the ball room beyond. For mo-
ment he was alone.
"By Jove! What beautiful wo-
mani" he overheard one man say to
his companion. Looks as if she had
a history, too. Who is she?"
"a woman with history, as you say.
"a history, fancy, unsupported by
the man she has beguiled. She is the
wife of Edgar Reynolds son. A beau
tiful adventures. The man with her
is Harvey Barclay, of the army. He
is one OF the boldest gamblers in the
city. He must have broken some bank
last week, for he went about and paid
all his debts, understand somewhere
in the neighborhood of thirty thousand
dollars. They were just about to
make an investigation into some funds
committed to his care, when he rem
dered full account. OF course. these
facts are not generally known. but he
is getting in bad odor, and don't be-
lieve the army will consider him de-
sirable acquisition much longer. How
ever, it requires some overt act on his
part to eject him. He's a great favor