Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-11-08
CHAPTER v

For fully an hour after she a left
him. Harvey Barclays measured foot
steps never ceased as he paced TO and
fro up and down the length of his
| rooms. He had not breakfasted, but he
| had forgotten that such was the case.
Full well he knew that the deadliest
sin committed by che woman who had
Just left him had been the sin OF loving
him. 1t was the magnet which had led
her. step by step, down the path whose
end at last was reached
There had been a time when she had
| awakened an answering passion in his
breast. And. in fact. to-day, were all
things equal, he would have chosen her
| from all the world, TO be his wife. But
things were not equal. Marriage vas
! impossible between them. To take the
step she proposed would make his de-
! graduation public and complete. he
would be ranked, too, as a deserter In
the army. since he had no leave &C
corded him. and was on active duty.
But she would have listened TO no rea
son, no excuse. She had presented to
| him the alternative she was fully pre-
pared to carry out. and which would re-
! suit equally in disgrace and the over
whelming defeat of his most cherished
schemes.
No. There was but one way. She
must be banished from his path. He
must so contrive his future action that
from her he might have nothing more to
fear.
He had won Grace Hawthorne's Elom-
! Use 10 become his wife, and, though the
truth was known to Harry Reynolds.
he believed it still possible to force her
TO redeem her word. He had not yet
exhausted the weapon at his com
mand TO attain this end. Beyond Hell
ems interference. he feared nothing.
and to-morrow-to-morrow from Helen
he would have nothing to fear.
A grim smile wreathed his pale lips
as at last he descended the steps and
went out into the air.
He remembered then that he had not
breakfasted. and strolling into Belch-
er's, he ordered an laborate repast.
Barclays in luck said one man to
another. seated at a table close by.
Evidently he's not lost his appetite
this morning"
The meal finished, again he sauntered
out into the street. Going to his office,
he prepared his accounts and complet-
ed the few duties necessary. He order
ed his horse; and when, two hours lat
er. he returned, his horses TANKS were
white with foam. and the groom. as he
led him to the stable, shook his head.
Another such ride would kill the
best beast as ever stood" he muttered,
under his breath.
Taking off his spurs. one of which
was fiecked with blood. the young Off
Ger glanced at the clock.
"I must know if she goes" he said to
himself. II must be sure that she car
ries out her portion of the agreement"
| 1t wanted then but half an hour to 4
o'clock.
Once more leaving .his office, ne
walked rapidly down the avenue in the
direction of the depot. Here he took
his position where. probably, unnoticed
himself. he could watch the passengers
on their way to the outgoing train.
He had not long to wait. Closely
yelled and simply dressed though she
was. there was an indescribable ele-
gance to Helen Reynolds grace and
bearing not to be disguised.
She walked hurriedly past him. so
| close that he might have stretched out
his han and touched her: then. all I'M
suspecting his presence. she took a seat
in an ordinary car.
He waited until the engine steamed
out of the station, then, turning, he
slowly retraced his steps to his own
rooms.
Evidently there was no further need
of hesitating as to his course of action;
evidently, in his own mind, ii was al
ready fully determined upon. No color
a returned to his cheeks: but neither
was there any trembling in his hands,
as, seating himself before his table, he
deliberately drew writing materials to-
ward him, and. without a moments
pause for thought, dipped the pen into
the ink n began to write. A few
minutes sufIiced to fill the paper. He
took 1t up, and, slowly n critically,
he read it. 1t possessed neither begin
ming nor signature, and contained only
| these words:
Mrs. Helen Reynolds, whom, per-
haps, you might more readily recognize
as Helen Window, sails tomorrow
morning at 4:30 from New York on the
steamer Bothnia. She left Washington
en- route for the steamer his afternoon
at 4. A friend thought this informa-
ton might be possessed of interest"
Taxing another sheet of paper, he
carefully copied the above in an as
hand; then. enclosing II in an
envelope, he addressed IL to Thomas
Window. adding street and number
where formerly he had sent the cheaue.
Before Helen was halfway IN bar
journey. the note was in Tom Wind
om's hands. She had purchased time
by falsehood n by treachery. BY the
same weapons she, the betrayer. had
been betrayed.
CTo BE C~ontinuedJ