Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-06-20

Ing my sanity will have disappeared.
Listen to me! What Is the alternative
Of your silence? Beatrice lis forever
lost to you, to me and to. the world.
You, yourself win be, in the eyes 81
this same world. g convicted felon.
You will spend yonr best years In the
garb of u convict, and within q peniten-
tiary's walls. Surprising. at the expir-
alton Of your sentence. your prison
doors open, what will your freedom be
worth? Without money sor reputation.
what will your bare word avail. should
you wish to lift up your voice against
me? Or, IL there were those who heed
ed yaur cry, anddemanded to see the
proof OF Miss Markham's madness, do
you think they would not find her mad
indeed? Nervous, delicately organized.
ask you could she bear years Of con-
fnement among the mad, listening to
mad sounds. seeing mad sights, without
indeed b coming as they?
"Demon! tlend incarnate!" cried
Talbot, Silence, or swear that Will
kill you!"
II am not unarmed," answered Ches-
ter, coolly, and, opening his hand, he
showed a small revolver that he held.
Men do not venture into cage with
wild beasts without precautions. Adj
vance but one step toward me. and a
buhllet through your brain will send
your soul into eternity! 1 should not
be DER sorry Of q pretext-we waste no
love upon each other-and in such a
moment as this men drop the mask
To-. e,il Al
to the picture just have painted. You
may turn it to the light If you will, and
blot out the reverse of the canvas. A
word from me will suffice to withdraw
the charge against you. Nay. more-1
will fully establish your innocence!
You are poor. I will settle upon you a
sum adequate for all your future needs.
/ will restore to you your social posi-
ton among men. 1t is but a small mat
ter that ask in return-only that you
should go to Beatrice and tell her that
it. is your wish that she should marry
me; that, indeed, it is the only way
by which you may be saved imprison-
ment for an act of which you are
guilty Are guilty, remember! You are
to confess your guilt to her and ac-
knowledge that you have prejudiced
her against me most falsely! In the
moment that you tell her this she will
consent to anything-aye, even to be.
coming my wife! You see, do not UNI
derestimate her present hatred and
aversion-ney I wish to marry
her, She is homeless, nameless. por-
tionless--I give her all three. This IS
my alternative. Do you accept 1t?
The veins on Talbot's temples stood
out like knotted cords. His hands were
so tightly clenched that the nails were
buried in the flesh. Once let his fingers
meet on Chester's throat, and they
would never relax until he had stran-
gleed him. It was no fear of the pistol
that kept him at bay-no fear of losing
but of taking life! 1t was the awful inn
pulse of murder, which brought the
great beads of agony's sweat upon his
brow. and sent the blood from cheek
and lips back in flood Of ice upon his
heart.
rGo-wreak your worst!" he said, at
last, the words breaking, in dull mon
otone from between his clenched teeth.
ooh. God! that anything so foul as
YOUR love should have stained the
young life you so ruthlessly consign to
a living death. But better that-better
any torture. than the torture of your
caress! Go! You hear me! 10, OF
one of us will hes a murderer!
"You refuse, them"
"Aye, 1 refuse!"
Clear and ringing now rang the de-
NAL.
The two men confronted each other,
each standing now, with his arms fold
ed across his breast, each with his gaze
concentrated upon the other.
But. victor and triumphant. armed
and secure. Randolph Chester's eyes
fell first. But still the cruel smile
wreathed his lips.
Within three days Beatrice Mark
ham shall be my Wife," he said.
have asked for your cooperation. You
have refused it. I will succeed without
IT. but your fate shall be none the
brighter. elton! convict! 1t will make
the long years Of your servitude none
the shorter for the knowledge that l, at
last, have won and wear the jewel you
coveted. Good morning, Mr.. Talbot!
will see that the news of my marriage
penetrates your prison CELL"
He went out.
Talbot was alone-alone with the bur-
den Of his tortured thoughts. He had
been so strong. so secure, and now, like
some trapped lion, he could but roar In
terrible impotence.
ooh Cod" he cried, his eyes dry and
burning with the hopeless fire of mis-
cry, take my miserable life! Let me
sueffr as YOU will. but save this child
form such a fate"
Ito De Continued)