Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-08-29
III T@GdZr> WRITTEN TEN >,
ELIZABETH
Ma1Tr&a@@> : s..,

>o~ee~-~>~~~ee~~
! Kate I feel that my reason has beef,
| restored to me for this purpose, if fo1
nothing else. and consecrate my life to
| the work."
But Mrs. Martin had no thought OF
staying him, or arguing against his OK
pressed intentions. She was. indeed,
too perplexed and bewildered to know
what to do or say, and, in silence, she
followed her brother to the street door,
and stood watching him until he had
turned the corner Of the next street ana
vanished from her sight.
"A miracle, indeed!" she lnurmured,
in an awe-struck voice. mo wonder he
calls it so. He is sane-absclutely san.
-self-reliant and self-contrclled. too;
but what may be the effect of seeing
Philip? Will it upset Roberts reason
again, or is the change permanent
one? l scarcely know what to think OF
what to wish; but Robert has always
been fond of me. and for so many years
a mere tool in my hands. 1t cannot be
that 1 am going to lose control Of him
| now, just when l need all the power 1
possess in every direction? But is he,
indeed, sane? Is not this, rather a new
J phase of madness, and 1 am deceived
| by clever piece of acting? Robert is,
perhaps, the murderer after all. and all
| this is assumed to conceal his crime.
]! But no, that is impossible. There is too
much method in it for madness-Ah"
1t was only Bertha, who had softly
stolen to her mothers side and placed
her hand on her mothers shoulder; but
Mrs. Martin was decidedly unnerved,
for she started violently and uttered an
exclamation of positive alarm.
rs it you, child? How you frighten-
! ed me!''
Dear mamma, no wonder you are
nervous and easily startled. I'm so sor-
ry 1 spoke suddenly to Uncle Robert!
Forgive mel" and the affectionate girl
drew her mothers face close to her own
and kissed it.
Mrs. Martin returned the caress with
unusual tenderness. She was devotedly
fond of Bertha, and she felt almost des-
olate in her own WickedneSs at that
moment.
Her daughters fresh, innocent face
was no rebuke to her; but Bertha's evil
dent love and belief in her was like
! balm to her disturbed spirit. 1t both
soothcd and stimulated her, for in all
her worldly schemes, in all her daring
ventures, whether wicked or merely
ambitious, she always justified her ac-
lions by the reflection that verything
was for the sake of her children, whom
she loved more than herself.
Never mind, darling! There is no
need to worry yourself. No harm was
done. Your uncle seems strangely
calm and quite-master of himself. He
has gone to poor Philips house, for he
feels that he ought to be there"
She uttered the last words slowly, and
in an absent-minded manner, for her
attention was suddenly attracted by an
approaching figure. whose actions were
sufficiently strange to justify Bertha's
wondering gaze. as we'll as her own.
The figure was that of young man
| who had come into view just as Robert
Grayson had turned the corner, and al
though she had seen him from the mo-
| ment he first came into the street, Mrs.
Martin had hardly been conscious Of his
presence till, on a nearer approach, hc
began wildly throwing his arms about
and talking aloud.
"What can be the matter with him."
said Bertha. "He doesn't look as if he
had been drinking. Oh, dear me!-bu,
no! It's impossible!"
| The last words were spoken in tone
of such evident bewilderment that Mrs.
Martin turned and looked sharply at
| her daughter. To her utter surprise,
Bertha was blushing brightly as rose.
while the girls gaze remained fixed up
on the stranger, as if fascinated
What in the world is the matter?"
asked Mrs. Martin. Do you know the
i young man, Bertha?"
1 NO. mamma-at least, not that am
aware of meant don't know who he
1 is, or if ever saw him before, but il
! not, it was some one-oh so much like
| him.
"When, child? Where? How strange
(; you talk! And what are you blushing
up in that way for?? You look as if
/ you had been guilty of some serious
fault"
mo, no, dear mamma-no serious
fault, if fault at all. Please don't be
angry with me, and I'll tell you all
about it, .
Before Mrs Martin could make any
reply, the cause of their remarks had
come so near them, still gesticulating
! wildly, that the mother and daughter
retreated from the open door into the
/ hall.
The young man paused directly in
front Of them, and Mrs. Martin then
observed that he gave no sign of being
under the influence Of liquor, although
his actions, at distance, might easily
have suggested such an explanation of
them.
/ He was pale. almost to lividness, ex-
cept in each thin cheek, where burned
the hectic flush of fever. His eyes were
wild and CLASSY, his parted lips parched
| and livid, and his rich, dark hair tan
, gled and tossed wildly from his brow.
! His hat was gone and his coat was
torn open, his cravat united and his COL
lar was loose, leaving his massive, mar
blelike, throat bare to the chilly evening
breeze.
Although he had paused right at their
! door, and was, apparently, looking
straight at Bertha and her mother, it
: was evident that he was quite uncon-
sciOus of their presence.
/ Strange! The young mans face is
familiar ~ mo - Hrc Martin