Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-10-03

portion, II 4 may inquire SnSSIeu
Mowbray.
II sha make over by deed of gift to
Bertha and Lefty the amount named
by their uncle, and to Mrs. Martin and
Mr.. Grayson the sum of $100, 900 EACH
What" screamed Mowbray, jump
Ing up and tearing up and down the
room raging like a wild animal. "A
quarter OF a million or more! Are you
mad. girl?-and do you imagine L viii
stan6 calmly by and see you give away
in parcels the magnificent fortune 1
have secured for your"
That you secured for me-" repeated.
Clarice. I'm a tone CT u~ndisgui3ed con-
tempt. "You may. indeed. say.so, faith
er. IL lies and treachery can be called
securing It; but I'm not sure it's se-
cure--nor do + know what to do with
&sit.s.My intention is to divide itaamong
those who have the best claim to II,
n whatever is left over shall then be
made over TO those m nearly related
TO Mr.. GraysOn. 1t was obtained by
lies. and fraud and murder, for IL Mr..
Grayson Va lived / would have left
his house on the very day / entered 1t.
Oh, would to HEAVIER / had never en-
tered it-never have beheld his face! l
was a happy girl until he first saw me,
for nothing could ave made me be-
lieve Shirley Austin false; and had he,
indeed, been dead, as o have made
me believe amcng you. i woul have
mourned him as his widow all my life,
a thousand times happier so than the
wife of any man on earth, had he
made me a qucen!"
Don't name thai wretch'r Now
bray cried out, Infatuated beyond all
control. Miserable girl, have you no
sense of decency or Iropriety? Your
lips should be blistered with thame to
utter the name of Shirley Austin!''
Yes" said Clarice, her eyes kind
ling and her fair cheek flushing with
mingled Indignation and rage, his
name shout d blister my lips with
shame that I could ever have been
false to him, even believing him dead
with shame that / could SO easily have
been imposed upon by a money-loving
father. and a foolish, doting lover, who
was old enough to have been my faith
erl''
"a least III knew how 70 win you!"
thundered Mcwbray, in his loudest
tones. And If he had lived. poo fell
low, he would ave known how to
make his wife obey him"
Never, I tell you! / would have
left Philip Grayson within an hour, had
not the assassin's hand punished him
for his treachery and falsehood to me-
"And that assassin was and Is Shir-
ley AUSTIN
1T is false!" said Clarice, In a low,
intense voice.
she rose and came toward her faith
err; she stood quite close to him, and
her eyes met his In a glance of uncon-
Querable defiance.
Her face was pale, but her lips were
firm, and her whole appearance was
beautiful, commanding and strong.
Mowbray saw that he had no longer
a child. a girl, to deal with, but a wo-
man whose whole heart and soul were
aroused in defense of the man she
loved.
If Shirley Austin had entered the
room al that moment, Clarice would
have placed her hand in his, and would
have gone with him to the end of the
universe.
sa Her father saw 1t, and felt it; and he
recognized, as he never had until then,
that some strong measure was yneces-
sary, and must be taken instantiy-for
Shirley Austin might come at any mo-
ment, and, If they met for n brief
minute, goodbye forever to Philip
Grayson's wealth and grand house and
fine horses.
In that single moment he thought OF
everythipg-of the Injuries he had OF
late enjoyed, Injuries that were al
ready necessary. and. as he felt that all
this was imperiled, the imminence OF
his danger steadied his nerves. He had
the courage OF despair, and he was
ready to say or do anything that would
serve forever to keep his daughter and
Shirley Austin apart.
They looked strongly alike, the faith
err and daughter, as they faced each
other, and his face became as defiant
and resoiute as hers.
s'It is false!" Clarice repeated, "and
you knew that It is false!"
lit is true" declared Mowbray. II
know II to be true. and I can prove It.
A low groan of horror burst from
Clariee's lips. She became white as
marble, and, staggering backward, she
fell into the chair fro which she had
risen.
"You can prove it?'. she repeated, ir
a dying voice. Father, have pity on
me, for God sakei Remember, I am
your hid!
The words came Drokenly, alf1Os- IN
audibly, from her lips in a delirium OF
terror. For the irst moment she for
got everything but her lovers danger
his crime, IL this vas true; for till now
nothing but vague suspicious. based on
almost trivial circumstantial evidence,
a been limited at against Austin;
and. except that his absence was mys-
ferrous and looked queer, even the
newspapers had ceased to connect his
name With the murder. -
Mowbray was overjoyed at, the sue,
cess of his words. He had not counted
on overcoming Clarice so easily %.
YES" he answered. triumphantly,
ct can prove It. All. my lady, you can
be humble enough when It suits you.
Perhaps you had better remember that
you are my child. j Fave never for
gotten 1t. / have done the best a faith
err could for a too u~ngrateful daughter;
and had / not considered Your feelings
too much, / would have already de-
porncad vOtyr loySr-N rGfched y crea-