Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-06-13

Listen to met What is the alternative
Of your silence? Beatrice is forever
lost to you, to me and TO the world
You, yourself will be, in h eyes or
this same world, a convicted felon.
You will spend your best years in the
garb of a convict, and within a peniten-
tiary's walls. Surprising, at the expir-
alton of your sentence, you prison
doors open, what will your freedom be
worth? Without money or reputation,
what will your bare word avail, should
you wish to lift up your voice against
me? Or, if 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 mac
indeed? Nervous, delicately organized,
/ ask you could she bear years of con-
finement among the mad, listening TO
mad sounds, seeing mad sights, without
indeed b coming as they?
"Demon, tiend incarnate!" cried
Talbot, silence, or / swear that l VIII
kill you!"
Il am not unarmed," answered Ches-
ter, coolly, and, opening his hand, he
showed a small revolver that he held
Men do not venture into a age with
wild beasts without precautions. Ad-
vance but one step tOward me, and a
buhllet through your brain will send
your soul into eternity! l should not
be DER sorry of a preteXt-we waste no
love upon each other-and in such a
moment as this men drop the mask
they wear. But there is another side
to the picture / just have painted. You
may turn it to tine light if you will, n
blot u the reverse of the canvas. A
word from me will suffice TO withdraw
the charge against you. Nay, moreT
will fully establish your innocence!
You are poor. l will settle upon you a
sum adequate for all your future needs.
I will restore to you your social posi-
ton among men,. 1t is but a small mat
ter hat I ask in return-only that you
should go TO Beatrice and tell her that
il is your wish hat 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 hav ~prejudiced
her against me most falsely! In the
momen that you tell her this she will
SoIlStIll ~ any ~ >
coming my wife. You see, I do not I'M
derestimate her present hatred and
Observation-Disclosures, I wish to marry
her. She is homeless. nameless. por-
tioniess-I give her all three. This Is
nv alternative. Do you accept it?"
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, n they
would never relax until he had stran-
gleed him. It was no fear OF the pistol
that kept him at bay-no fear or losing
but of taking life! 1t was the awful m
pulse of murder, which brought the
great beads of agony's sweat upon ms
brow, and sent the blood from cheek
and lips back in a flood Of ice upon MS
heart.
l'Go-wreak your worst" he said, at
last. the words breaking, in a dull mon
! otone from between his clenched teeth.
"Oh. Cod! that anything so foul as
YOUR love should have stained the
young life you so ruthlessly consign 10
a living death. But better that-better
n torture, than the torture OF your
caress, Go! You hear NE? Go, or
one of us will bes a murderer"
You refuse, them"
AYE, l refuse"
Clear and ringing now rang the de-
NAL.
The two men confronted each other
each standing row, 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. Il
have asked for your cooperation. You
have refused it. I will succeed without
It, but your fate shall be none the
brighter. elton! convict! it will make
the long years Of your servitude none
the shorter for the knowledge that /. at
last, have won and wear the jewel you
coveted. Good morning, Mr.. Talbot! L
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. Xix
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-
ery, take my miserable life! Let me
sueffr as you will, but Y this child
form such a fate!"
TO be C~ontinued)
rla. Isu