Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-05-02

story before, and differently tod. / AN
sorry / spoke Of 1t. /"
BUT the effort at self-repression was
too great. Her voice trembled ana
broke. She burst into bitter weeping.
sobs shook her frame, while Cora .
arms clasped themselves about her'
and she strove in every way to soothe
her.
Gradually the storm Of pent-up emo
ton spent itself.
Promise me. Cora, to say nothing
Of what has happened. Some day my
dear, I will explain 1t TO you. l cam
not now. Neither can / go with you
to Grey Oaks. You will leave me mere
mo, no: you are to go TO. IL was
all arranged at dinner. And MI. Cnes-
ter, particularly, invited you. he couia
not remember your name, but he salo
that you must come. How very, very
handsome he is, Miss Montrose! DO
you know, | think If he told me 10 40
ANYTHING in the wide world, l shoulu
feel | had to obey him.. When he talks
/ shut my eyes. and his voice SOUNDS
like low music"
She spoke with a Child's innocence,
but Beatrice glanced up, startled, INTO
the sweet, childish face. which the
faint crimson blood was flushing into
warmth.
What new danger was this which
threatened, not her, but a charge she
had assumed and considered sacred!
Could she. in the light of this new
knowledge. let her remain for W
weeks or longer. under this subtle In
fuence, without her counteracting
--u.o-o pnzil,r ,ntuht nOt her fnfuSal
to go to Grey Oaks excite suspicion.
There was another reason, too, lot
her acceptance. Twenty-four hours
before she had had a dream. She ran.
cied herself once more in the library at
Grey Oaks. She was alone IN the
room. and sat. leaning back in an arm
chair and looking out through the open
windows on to the rustllng leaves Oh
the old oaks.
Suddenly, the rustling seemed 70
shape itself into words, at first low ana
indistinct, then growing louder ana
louder:
"Beatrice-the will-the p~apers-you
will fnd-are secret, Beatrice-the VIII
the papers-you will find-the secret
the secret"
Over and over again the leaves u
INJURED these words, until they were IN
deliply impressed upon her BRAIN.
They had been the last words spoken
to her by her father; but in all the ex-
element and subsequent misery OF
that terrible time, they had taken no
definite shape of meaning.
She heard them now, as though for
the first time: and as she listened,
glancing UP, she saw. standing framed
by the French window. her fathers
form. A look OF infinite love n IN
nate pity was in his lear eyes. She
would have sprung to meet and greet
him. but she was poweriess to stir.
Slowly, as she let her hungry, yearn-
ing gaze rest on him, he lifted his right
hand and pointed to a small music
room. beyond which there was a
guest chamber.
THE will-the papers-the secret
the leaves rustled again, and then the
dream ended-the vision vanished.
Had Il been sent to her for naught7
She believed not. Away from Grey
Oaks. what could she do to prove her
right? The will, the papers were un-
found. 1t remained for her to find
them.
Cora" she said. 'on one condition,
I will go with you. Promise me that
no word shall transpire of the CONVEX
sation which has taken place between
us tonight, further than that you re-
peated to me Mr.. Chester's very polite
invitation to make one of your party,
and that I accept It,"
'I promise!" answered the girl. de-
lightedly: and. with a warm embrace,
left her. to carry the good news to their
future host.