Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-11-15
CHATTER xxxIy.

her absence But to Grace. as the
hours went slowly by. st seemed
strange
Now and then the sick man 0peBs1
lis eyes w3th q start. but when mis-
glance rested on her, he closed them
again. 70 fail into q quiet sleep. with q
Ersile about his HIS
he was sleeping when- al 7 O'Clock.
rae stole away from him. only 70 ind
tie lover BART o. the b01se deserted
Where il Mrs R=ynol9s= she
asked Andrew. Has M gon out
sgaEn~
Mrs Reyno1as went away some
where this Afternoon. ] think. Miss
Ggare answered the servant she
Rad two large trunks carried q the d.
BOT. bot she left the house herself on
fo@E. She EaS writlng in the library.
Nies Grz@e-" the ma added. az he
noted the SEEazement On her face.
Maybe she left q raesSage for you"
With a sense Of some new trouble in
store for her. Grace hurried 20 n H.
brary. and on the nantel shelf found a
actter add-eseed 10 herself.
II was very short.
IT am going away.v Helen wrote.
You see I leave the way open for you
20 win your love. and, since / have won
mine. I can afford 10 let my hate die.
You and Harry are suited TO each 9TH
err. Forget me. and-Gnod-
Over and over the girl read the hur-
ried scrawl. She failed utterly TO COM
prehend Its meaning beyond the fact
that Helen had failed in her duty as a
wife.
But who was her companion In her
flight? Was 1t Harvey? Was she free?
But at what cost. since her freedom
brought disgrace TO the man she
lovadi
And however Helen might drag his
name into the dust. IL could avail her
nothing. for was She not his wife?
But how should she break the news
% him. How should she tell him that
the wife he adored had left him?
over and over she revolved the ques-
fion In Ter mind. as. returning to his
bedside. she tried 10 iii as best she
might the place Helen had left vacant
Her eyes were very heavv and worn
next morning with her watch when
Andrew brought her Harvey Barclays
card.
She started as her ewes fell on the
name. She had been so sure that he
had been the companion of Helen's
flight. To whom, then. had Helen's
note referred7
She went. almost eagerly. TO meet
him. hoping. through him, to solve the
problem,
sexxyln~n A. Ill., ~ x.or1 49, Amak
words of her greeting.
"Helen?" he answered. In amaze
ment. why do YOU ask me for Hell
en-? Is she not here?"
mo. She left the house yesterday.
She left this letter for me-"
And she held out the paper toward
him.
His face paled. How far had she be-
trayed him? But the cloud lightened
as one hasty glance told him he had
nothing to fear.
Where can she have rone?" he
asked. as IL speaking rather to himself
than to her. fwhera oap she have
%gone-and with whom"
"Since you know nothing Of her pur-
pose" answered Grace. she must have
gone alone. Thank God for thatI
Harry has enough to bear without the
added torture OF the knowledge that
she had a companion In her flight"
"He Ia better?"
'FYes-so much better that every time
he turns his eyes toward me fear he
will ask me why Helen does not come;
but, strange as IL NAV seem. her name
has not once ESCAPED his Inns. Uncle
Edgar speaks of her constantly, but
Harry, never. l. What Is 1t, And
rew?" For the old servant, with hor-
ror-stricken face. stood making gest-
,res in the doorway. rs uncle
"No. no. Miss Grace," gasped the
old man. ITS not him. But we've
been robbed. rs my day for clean
ing and counting the silver, but when
I opened the safe I found 1t nearly
empty; and not only the silver. Miss
Grace. hut the diamonds"
"You are sure. Andrew. sure?" cried
Grace. excitedlv.
Come and look for yourself, Miss
Grace"
rs this house doomed to misfor-
tuner" she asked. weariedly. Send to
the police at once. and let one of their
most experienced men come here i'm
mediately."
Wait. Andrew" smoke In Harvey.
Before giving the order, Grace, let me
speak with you a few minutes alone"
She looked at him in sunrise; but,
telling Andrew to await further orders,
dismissed him from the room.
"Y on have not guessed the thief?'
asked Harvey. when they found them
selves alone.
mo! How should I? The servants
are old and trusted. I would as soon
suspect myself"
~Or-Helen?"
The name. as he uttered it, was
freighted with suspicion.
Grace started back. Mortified.
"Heleni" she gasned.
Yes, Grace. I have no doubt Il was
she who. I'm her desperation, commit
ted this theft. n Won send for a de-
tective. her flight or Yesterday must be
made public. Doubtless the mans sus-
picions viii fall upon her. 1t seems to
me better to submit to the loss
Wait" cried the girl. My head Is
Keeling. I cannot think"
f. j mus think for YOU. Grace. I
will tell Andrew TO say nothing for the
present Of this discovery. But I must