Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-04-18
CHATTER XIII.

CHATTER XIII.
Like some hunted thing, Beatrice
flew to her rooms, as If their very
walls might give her protection.
But, on the threshold. the door, shat
tered Of its f~astenings, met her as sad
proof that not even here could h be
secure. Indeed here as elsewhere. she
was no longer mistress.
Hastily she made her preparations
to leave Grey Oaks, to return never
again. unless with her disputed right
established.
Not until all was fl readiness did she
remember hat she had given to Ber-
tram the evening previous. all her re-
serve OF ready money. excepting a few
dollars in her purse. Her valuable
jewels were locked in the bank vault.
For a moment her heart grew sick
with this new and unexpected obsta-
Gle; but her courage soon returned.
Taking in her hand her little satchel,
filled with a few needful things, she
made a movement as IL to touch the
bell.
Then she remembered the servants
were no longer hers to command; n
so, drawing her Grape veil over her
face, with one low, stiied sob choking
it's way upward in her white throat. she
turned from the rooms which she
might never see again.
The house seemed deserted as she de-
scended the broad staircase. The door
OF the library stood ajar. She shud-
dered as she passed 1t.
No one met her as she opened the
great hall door and glided swiftly down
the avenue, between the grand old oaks,
which were DOMINIC themselves in their
brilliant autumn garb.
Suddenly from behind one OF these
shuffied the unexpected figure OF a
man.
He touched his hat with awkward
Difference.
Again she shivered, as she recognized
Tyrrell.
outset of her new life, again he crossed
her path?
He started perceptibiy as his glance
rested DE- her bag.
You'll let me carry 1t for we. Miss
1 NdIkTdIu . EG Sdlu, 6tECtCuLlS Ooh Ills
hand to relieve her Of it's weight.
But she shook her head and walked
swiftly On. To her surprise, he fol-
| lowed her.
You're not ravin Grey Oaks for
good, miss ?" he added. with a certain
| deferential anxiety in his tone.
But Beatrice vouchsafed to the ques-
| ton no reply, save in a single naughty
glance.
The man stood still. looking sullenly
after her ~retreating figure.
"She has her fathers eyes," he miit-
tered. "And her father dismissed me
| from his service-to starve. for all he
| cared. IT'S her turn now. Why should
I care? We all have our turn. The
next one, my fine gentleman. will be
| yours!"
And, with a swift change of express
| sion he glanced toward the stone tur-
rets Of Grey Oaks.
An hour later, alone and unprotect-
ed, Beatrice, with her veil still tightly
drawn over her face but the elegance
of the slender, youthful figure clearll
apparent through its folds wendell her
way through the busy throng pouring
from the Central DeIot of the great
metropolis.
The afternoon had not yet waned, and
the sun was shining brightly.
The veal previous she had graduated
as Madame Clair's pet pupil from Ma
dame Clair's well known and fashion
able school. How could 1t be otherwise.
when Madame Clair's bills. let her
swell them to what amount she would.
were ever undisputed. and when the
mere fact that she numbered among
her scholars the heiress Of Grey Oaks
made many DESTROYS that their W
daughters might also enjoy the same
privilege OF a residence beneath her
roof.
1t was to Madame Clair tina Bea-
trice's thought now turned. She well
remembered that lady's honeyed smiles
and whispered batteries. Let there be
as little Of sincerity as there might be
In either. h would not refuse to re-
ceive her now-at least until she might
be able more clearly to decide upon her
future course.
From the depot she had but a few
| blocks 10 walk: but as she mounted the
steps OF the elegant brown-stone man
sion. she staggered with weakness.
Scarcely recovered from her recent III