Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-05-16
CHAPTER XIX.

1t was midnight, and Grey Oaks was
wrapper in the embrace of the twin
shadows silence and darkness-when
the door leading to the suite of apart
ments in the east wing SOFTLY opened,
and a figure, which seemed a very
phantom of the night, stood hesitating.
1t was Beatrice, fully dressed.
Some instinct warned her that by
daylight her flight from Grey Oaks
might be intercepted. Besides, it
seemed to her she could not draw a
free breath until outside the grounds
which once had been to her the dear
est spot OH the wide earth.
AS no sound broke the stiffness of the
| house, she noiselessly CROPPED her way
through the half-lighted halls and
down the stairway until the outer door
was reached.
The great door of entrance, in open
ing, would betray her, so she passed
into the library, hoping to be able to
unbar window without noise.
The room was dimly Lighted, but ev-
cry article could be distinctly seen.
AS the familiar picture met her view,
her dream REQUIRED to her with start
ling distinctness. She almost fancied
she could hear again the rustling
leaves, and glancing instinctively to-
ward the window which had framed
her fathers form; but it was closed
and shattered, and without the trees
We're bleak and bare, without a single
leaf to tell her the story if it could.
She stif1ed a sob and walked swiftly
across the room, lifting her hand to
undo the fastenings of the window.
Just as she made the movement. an
| other hand was laid on her. Her whole
| frame quivered with the shock, but she
| uttered neither scream not cry, al.
| though for the instant it seemed as if
the owner of the hand must have
sprung from the very floor.
"Allow me to assist you, my dear
COUSIN" said low, hooking voice in
her ear. SIT is cold night for a
moonlight stroll, such as I guess was
| your intention. But there is no &C.
counting for a fair womans freaks.
believe I had fallen asleep in the arm
chair here. and do you know, for a
moment, as you fitted so noiselessly
across the room, I held my breath, i'm
agining you visitant from another
| sphere?'
Il am" she answered, icily-''a
sphere unknown to you. Randolph
| Chester--a sphere whose atmosphere is
honor, loyalty and truth Therefore.
| let me pass, and pray. as T shall pray,
| that our two paths may never meet
| agai in"
-"Rather. my dear Beatrice. I intend
| that they shall never again divide. 1t
was a fatal mistake, your leaving Grey
Oaks 1t gave rise to unstinted COM
ment, and caused me the gravest anxi-
ETY. concerning you. Of your own free
will you have returned here, and here
| you must remain!
| Must remain! You are mad to use
such terms! You speak as if compul-
sion would be used!'
He smiled. indulgently.
| did YOU know, Beatrice" he said,
chat one of the strangest freaks of the
insane is to imagine that all the rest
of the world are mad? My child, don't
! include me in your category, I beg
you.'
ga freak of the insane!" she muir
INJURED after him, with whitening lips.
and gathering a sickening prescience
| of his meaning. For Gods sake, what
do you mean?"
"Only. my child. that your brain has
not been strong enough to bear these
cruel shocks from which you have
suffered. and has given way beneath
them. Time and care will. trust. en-
tirely restore you. When you shah
look unon Bertram Talbot not as a
hero. but the thief he is-when you
shall regard me, not as your enemy,
but your friend. lover and husband
when you shall give your free will and
consent to granting me the latter title
7 shall deem the cure complete. Until
then, Beatrice. you force me- into plac-
| ing YOU under surveillance BETTING so
| sad a case"
Fear-absolute physical fear-entered
the girls soul as she grasped the full
-purport of his words. Her lovely face.
pale before. blanched to marble white
ness. The gray eyes dilated until they
were black with the awful horror in
their depths. She shivered as if a
blast of winter had struck her.
Instinctively she stretched out her
arms and grasped the back of chair
for support. lest her trembling limbs
should refuse to sustain her.
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