Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-09-06
Barclay leaned forward and took the

| paper from Grace's hand.
.sThe exact counterpart of your own
signature, Miss Hawthorne" ne saio'
wonderingly. and 1t is not a mana SO
readily TO be counterfeited."
ats an old accomplishment OF Har-
rvs He can copy anything thai ne
sees. The counterfeiters missed a val
uable acquisition to their number when
no was born an honest man.
"yyhen I get hard up. Pussie, III put
that name on the bottom of a check.
you.I honor IL when it comes In, wont
YOU? Even IL you recognize n an
ference, you won't give me up 10 the
clutches Of the w
A strange eect this idle, careless
laughing speech made on the little
group.
Helen, IL she had even heard, made
no movement, but went on PLAYING
with the tiny boy. A dark-red flush
overspread Harvey Barclays face SO
dark. so red. that he bent his head to
hide Il. A singular, almost lurid Hght,
sparkled in his eyes: his mouth
twitched nervously. his hand instinct
,veIv clenched. From Grace's face the
smile died. A momentary shock showed
itself on her features, and then she an
swered, haIf-laughingly, half-serious-
ly:
at think, Harry" she said, you
vouId only have to ask for me to sign
nv own name to the remuneration Of
my entire fortune IL you needed 1T. NO.
I would not give you up to the law.
Afterwards she remembered question
and answer, the scene, the time, the
place, until II seemed as II that mo
ment had forever indelibly impress2d
itself upon her memory.
Reaching over, Harry took the paper
Mr.. Barclay had restored to her, and
tore II into fragments.
80 I nou my fortune" he said
still laughing, and then the converse
ton changed to other themes.
A few moments later, and only one
of them remembered that it had ever
taken place, and little he rocked who
so unwittingly had sown the seed. the
bitter harvest IL shouly reap for him.
One Of the most brilliant parties of
the season was to take place that
night. 1t was given by the wife of the
secretary of state, and the cards had
been out more than a fortnight.
Peerlessly, regally beautiful looked
Helen Reynolds, as she turned from the
pier glass to meet her husbands fond,
admiring glance.
She wore a gown lone of Worth's
creationsl which had been Grace's gift
to her. 1t revealed the faultless per-
lection Of her form, and disdained to
conceal the snowy neck and arms.
AZ l.-sf,.I I.-ls.~Hss A1nIofpnn6
the young husband. r~apturously; you
grow more beautiful every day"
'In your eyes, Harry" she an
swered, sweetly.
And just then a knock sounded on
the door, and to the summons to enter,
Grace advanced into the room. Har-
RVS eyes dwelt on her wonderingly.
She seemed to him the butterfly burst
from the chrysalis in an hour. Even
beside Helen's brilliant loneliness. hers
demanded equal right of recognition.
She was a fairer, less brilliant type.
Her skin vas colorless as a lily's-col-
orless as the dress she wore of crepe,
which glimmered over satin, likewise
of ivory Wilderness; her yes were blue
as the8 heart of the iris; the light
glimmered on the red gold of her hair;
but there was a change beyond all this,
in which there was no change-the
beautiful child he had eve thought
her had gone to-night-forever van
ished! In her stead a beautiful wo.
man stood. Long months ago, through
bitter throes, her soul had wakened;
but only tonight it burst upon him
like a revelation of the moment.
A E1ttIa ,r.,rpn,,r nv tArnttnh fhA al
ready crowded rooms, as Harry Rey-
nolds entered them with his wife and
fathers ward. Instantly they were
surrounded by a little host of appli-
cants for coveted positions on their
cords. On Helen's, Harvey Barclay
wrote his name twice; then he took
that Of Grace from her hand.
"rOnly one little place vacant?" he
said, reproachfully, 'and hat not a
waltz"
II am sorry" she answered. '"You
see, 1t is my loss missing so good a
partner as Mr.. Barclay; but. really, I
have had very little to say about the
natter
He wrote his name upon the vacant
space.
"At least 1t will give me an opportu-
nifty for a few words" he murmured,
IN a low. impressive tone; land there
is something, Miss Hawthorne, / must
say to you tonight"
The girl glanced up with startled
eyes, and half-parted her lips to speak.
In that moment she remembered Har-
rvs warning to n, and part of the
meaning which had escaped her now
returned to her; and her impulse died
a hasty death, as the band, from it's
hidden recess, clashed forth the sum-
mons to another dance, and it's FORUM
ate possessor approached to assert his
claim.
"And what is it you have to say to
Grace tonight" whisered a voice in
his ear.
He turped-Helen, standing directly
behind them, had heard all. Without
answering, he slipped her hand within
his arm and led her through the bril-
liantly-lighted rooms, across the spa
cious halls, through the apartments
opposite, until they reached the con-
servatory, whose cool shadow already
appeared a relief-no weary dancers
having yet found their way there. For
the moment 1t vas as deserted as some
tropical isle. The sound of the music
was borne but family to their ears.