Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-09-20
CHAPTER Nj.

unarmed. u~nprepared. The odds We're
too terrible. They palsied even The ef-
fort of her thought to combat them.
"come," said the man. I'm wait
Ing. and the word you uttered just row
was not a bad one to hear to a man
who's been homeless for five years. It
brings up a picture Of light, and COM
fort and warmth
Does it2" she CRED, rolsing herself
does ii? I should think o imag-
nation would paint a different back
ground TO the word-a scene OF revelry
and rioting, of clinking glasses. and the
turn of a wheel. Of men 10 BE- ALFRED to
their fate. and wosnen to allure then!"
And again she ~shudde~ed. II have but
10 close my eyes to see IL ALI"
'fYou were treated wei enough he
answered. You've no cause 10 com
plain. and in the futare-
The future?' she INTERRUPTED him.
fcrce,y. In mercy's name. let there
be no future. Go away from me, oh.
IL you have one spark Of { cling in
your soul go back into the grave whers
I believed you"
$50 you heard that story. en-? and
a v Ii credence. You heard that I
was murdered in a fight To tell the
truth. I had an ugly knire-wound. and
was not quite sire for a while but that
the end had come. DO you know what
was my one regret? That / hadn't
found you and that I hadn't killed him.
This, / think. was what gave me
strength TO slowly recover and this.
or'-with a harsh, forced laugh-"be-
cause the devil wasn't quite ready to
claim his own. / can hardly believe
now in my W lucE-can har5ly credit
that once more we two stand faca TO
face. It's growing dark. ! cant see
o well now. But the first glimpse I
had showed how little you were
changed. You've not lost your beauty.
girl, and you've been In luck.
You're dresscl In furs and ~velvcts.
with diamonds in your ears. but it's a
strange place. and a strange hour for
SO fine a lady to be alone. Come, let's
go home: but first. tell me'-and he
fairly Kissed the question-"are you
afraid because he is there? viii wait
no longer. Let us he Off,
LISTEN she cried. You nre all-all
wrong! Your suspicious always have
been wrong concerning nv fiyht. ! fel
because the life was hateful ard Re-
aus I hated you! / thanked God :
yes, On my knees (I had not knelt be-
fore since / was a little ctiidl-when ]
heard you We're dead. / sid ny life
was my w now. 10 On with rs 7 will.
! viii forget my pest; I viii live n the
future. Eight months ago. I msrrird
q man rich. honored. hoss'i-~ n proui
old name which Is mine to-a". VIII
flch 1t from me? VIII you dvag ma
down into the mud? You Sasil not. I
say-you shall not!'
Her listeners breath cnTaa shot and
hard; his face hardened.
so you are marriad. r." he sad.
after an almost impesc 1.-THE psuse.
"weil. come. my girl. I~tro5'sce me to
your husband. Tell him y>r,',.e found
q brother you thsught was lraa."
"I'il tell him nothing; nor wiz Imove
one step from his rlars VIE ven
stand here. LIT m so. Or. what Fo,i
can II do you to drag ne rog-r TITO I've
mire again? / had e'moet ~ror~cttNr II.
but now I seem II feel f- IN TT Sine.
I will help you with morev H. T caa. but
never-n,ver let re zee your face
againl"
"You FORGET I've COZ, r'wrts 4 mans
not likely to give IN. -9u fo~~7t I've
not seen you for five ye,orr. You arc
brave to tell me- wrnt yea l,~sfe suss
told me, Who is the rr~n th-t o
have married. What r. us -are~"
You shall net know 80 ,"
II viii know t. ~ te-rTo-row re -a-
pers shall ring With yEn 81 ev aai I'm
not one rs perrarS waI ~erne-atery to
make idle threats. Whct - this mans
name?'
"His rame is Reyro'as." s,e n
Any one else woul1 ( II yu for the
asking. Oh. Tom. leave nae in paacs,
Don't prosecute mel"
Your come home wit, ne to-
night" he asserted, slowly. ana ayrin
he laid his hand helv'ly oil he- ehnrl-
der. You hear me? You'll c5ms home
with me-"
What would be the gacd2" she que
toned, desperately. do you lsvow
what / would do2 | would murder y~u,
oh. I am not the wor1aa I was ivf
years agos / would net bear what I
bore then. believe ms"
You were a little Wildcat on occa-
sions. then. ma chere. but TN not very
much afraid OF yogr claws
Again she shraak back, almost as if
IN absolute fear.
Tom, let us talk nse." she saio,
"You say you have f~fty-dollars. and
your luck is down. / have roshing bot
these jewels in my ears. Til rever &.
back TO the DC life. I'll xii myself
first! I'll never go back to youv bru-
tally. There Is no law &C God or MAJ
to compel me. You can ruin me he.e.
You can blurt out eli the trath. You
could find witnesses enough TO corrob-
crate your story IL I ware fool enough
to deny it, so | won't try. You can
drive me from tie home and shelter I
have found. or you can leave me here
I'm peace. You can let me h lp you with
money in such sums rs / sm able to
obtain. and you can pay me with TIE
price of your-silencc!"
"A cool proposition. upon my word"
replied the man. 81 viii walk up and
down the path here for a while and
think 1t over--not going far enough,
however. 10 let you out of my eight.
belle"
She fairly crorched down on the SCAT
49,