Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1900-09-20
CHAPTER XIII.


A week passed by--a week during
whose passage the very minutes, as
they dragged. made Themselves into
avengers of the past Of the .wretched
woman. whose sin, indeed, had found
her out. ."a +h
Her miserable secret was fast locked
in her own breast. She feared TO
laugh, lest laughter should end In a
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. ..f"
But Grace alone noted any change,
She was on the alert for some misfor-
tune concerning Harry--belieyed that
he had laid again upon his wife's
shoulders the burden of his fault-and
SO she grew more tender to Helen
whom she fancied a sufferer through
her husbands sin. ...,
Harvey Barclay had not been near
the house. To it's every inmate except
one his absence was a relief; out 10
Helen, who had herself decreed MS
banishment. II became another lash In
the scourge which memory so relent-
lessly applied upon her bare and quiv-
ering soul. To Harvey she might nave
poured out some of the thoughts which
were surging and seething within her
To touch his hand, knowing tnat It's
answering pressure would denote 81
lent sympathy with and knowledge Oh
her suffering: to hear his voice. ana
trace in words of Indifferent meaning
some subtle intonation which wouid
convey some comfort; to look into MS
eyes and discover beneath their lashes
one quick glance from heart to heart
would have been as mamma in the Wild
erness; but 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, IL the
game Of fortune turned its tide against
the re-en bodied 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. RandoIph's
ball. She made a low courtesy to her
reflection In the pier glass. as She
stood, fully dressed. before 1t.
''You are the embodiment of living
iie,'' she said to her reflected self, as
she saw before her beautiful, young
and smiling 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 viii
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 II from meg'
Ready, Helen?" called gay voice.
She uttered slight scream as II
Jared upon her ear. then rapidly re-
covered her calm.
"Quite ready. Harry, You startled
me By your sudden entrance. I be-
.lieve / am weak enough to be admiring
my own reflection in the glass. Shall
confess to such vanity?"
F
er looked more beautiful. Let me kiss
you once. Stand off, that may not
sdisarrange this sumptuous toilet,Ah.,
my love. shall be proud and jealous
at once tonight Of every eye that falls
upon you. Comet Grace is already
awaiting us in the library"
1T was late, and Mrs. Randolphs
rooms were crowded when tiny en-
tered them. " fsstit@ Ftt
Helen,s eyes sought restle5sly 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 tail
figure advancing to meet them.
AT last" he said, as she approached.
II had begun to despair of Your conf
ing"
All, she was not the only one who
could act a part. was the swift thought
which crossed her brain. Who could
dream that this young mans hand
some, smiling face was mask? VINO
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 a mo-
ment he was alone,
by Jove! What a beautifui wo-
mani" he overheard one man say 10
his companion. Looks as IL she had
history, too. Who is she?"
"a woman with history. as you say.
IA history. fancy, unsuspected by
the man she has beguiled. She Is the
wife Of Edgar Reynolds son. A beau
tiful adventuress. 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 ne went about and paid
all his debts. understand somewhere
In the neIghborhood Of thirty thousand
dollars. They were just about 70
make an investigation into some FUNDS
committed to his care, when he rem
dered full account. or course. these
facts are not generally known, but he
| is getting I'm had odor and don't be-