Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-10-11
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: A SIRENS VICTIMS ;
y By Frances Warner Walker *
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BY Frances Warner Walker.
CHAPTER Xxx.

name, as 1t penetrated through the
closed door of Grace Hawthorne's room.
caused her to spring quickly from her
chair, where she had been wrapped in
idle reverie, and running across the
floor, respond in person to the sum-
mons.
1t was the morning of the day that
Harry Reynolds and his wife We're to
sail. They had reached New York the
evening previous. Had some disaster
befallen them? Was their second we'd
ding journey to be rudely interrupted?
"Grace!" called Edgar Reynolds
voice again, and again the girl shud-
dered as it's note of alarm, mingled
with excitment and Impotence fell, up
on her ear.
Her guardian stood at the foot Of the
broad staircase.
Her first glance proved to her that
her fears We're not within foun dalton.
He was very PALE and white paper
trembled visibly in the trembling hand
which held it.
She felt the blood desert her own face
as she FASTENED down to his side.
Doubtless it was telegram from the
absent ones. Harry was i'll, dying, per-
haps, and she had parted from him in
coldness, if not in anger Her heart
stood still as the shadow of an awful
dread fell upon 1t.
Come into my study quickly spoke
her guardian.
Mechanically she followed him. Why
did he delay by holding back the blow?
Why not let it fall at once? Another
moments suspense would drive her
mad! Why did he first carefully close
the door, and draw the bolt, befor tell
ing her the awful truth? Must not the
whole household know it soon?
Harry was dead! Harry was dead!
and she had told him yesterday that
it was he who, on moonlight night,
in a little, simple allegory, had taught
her loves lesson, and that she loved
him still.
White and trembling with the awful
| pallor, and the nervous trembling of
| old age, Edgar Reynolds held out to
| her the piece Of paper that he held.
| Why should he force her to look?
Did she not know Its contents?
Read" she cried, aloud, and the
young voice had lost its youth, and
| held only the vibration Of Her souls
agony. 'He is dead! I know-I know!
Oh, my love-my love!"
She did not know that this last bitter
| cry would escape her. She scarcely
| knew she uttered it, but Edgar Rey-
nolds listening, learned the truth. His
fears of long ago had been no idle fan
cy. Bravely as the child had hid her
heart, her heart-wound had been NOR
tai.
Her betrayal, unconscious though 1t
was. was to him so pitiful, that, for this
instant, it shut out the present-its
own terrible-enoUgh realities. He hast
ened to reassure her.
"My darling, no harm has happened
to Harry. "I wished you, dear, on an
other errand. Read this paper, and you
will understand. The bank to which 1t
was presented for payment held no such
balance, and, closely examining your
signature, they send the note to me to
verify it, with the usual notice accom-
| panying 1t"
His voice, as he addressed to his ward
this explanation, sounded like some
one speaking from afar.
Her eyes were fixed on the slip of pa
per he held toward her, but and 1t was
cloud Of darkness.
She could distinguish no line, no
word. Harry was not dead; no harm
had happened to him. Was she not,
then, strong enough to meet whatever
else fate held in store for her?
Slowly the blood came back to her
heart, from which 1t had receded; slow
qy it let the pulse once more beat under
its strong tide, which for the moment
it's want had palsied.
The sight returned to her eyes, and
this was what she saw:
A premise, three months from date Of
January 2, to pay $4,000 to one Moses
Abraham, and signed "Grace Haw-
thorne."
Once having read the paper, though
failing utterly to comprehend its pur-.
port, she found in it singular fascE
nation.
She read it and re-read it; but al
ways on the signature her glance rested
longest. -
When and where had she signed such
a note? What did, it mean? Was it
her promise to pay this amount, and to
whom?
But the bank, with keener eyes than
hers, had doubted that her hand had
traced the letters Of her own name.
What, then, did it mean? How came
it there? If not her own, it was forg-
ery-a forgery some hardened criminal
had perpetrated.
She opened her lips to speak. Her
reason was returning. A sense of in
dignation at this outrage was making
itself felt and inspired her with new
strength.
IT never saw this paper; the bank is
right" she was about to say, when her
uncle spoke again, and. turning the pa
per over, revealed to her the first of the
names by which 1t was endorsed-the
signature Of Harvey Barclay.
To Grace the name was revelation
of the whole. All Mr.. Barclays insin-
uations--his threats. his profters Of aid
were explained to her.
Her mind, a minute before clouded
and misty, was now as clear as before
it had been dark.
Looking back upon the one awful mo-
ment when the supposed truth had
burst upon her, It seemed to have
stretched itself into an eternity.
She was as one who falls asleep and
dreams dream, In which they live
ling vna ,.a--f11od with incidnnf MI -