Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-03-21

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: body. Nothing shall ever ever! swerye mt
from this, my final decision:N and Il
again Bertram. Talbot forces his wa!
into the grounds, will shoot him dow
like the thief he is!' ''7''''
4 i"Papa!'; cried the unhappy girl
"Wil you not listen to me? Twill obey
you, If you wish to break my heart
But Bertram is going away, and must
see him once more. must tell him
what you have said. He knows thai
all my heart is his, as know that all
his heart is mine. He is coming here
tomorrow night. papa, because
asked him to come. He only came to-
night to bid me goodbye, because he
is going away to work and make for
tune, to prove to You that he cares
nothing for my money. Oh, papa, why
are we rich,, ii it is to bring us only
wretchedness?"
YOU say this man dares to again
propose a second meeting between you
for tomorrow night?, Beatrice. you
have overstepped my patience beyond
Its limits. Go to your room. You will
remain there until and .Bertram Tai.
bot have met" ,......s.t! :. 49,: =;
"Oh, papa!" I may not see him once
may not soften to him, ever so little.
the bitterness of your most cruel de-
cisien?: Papa, how. can I obey you in
this,?" -, ..,. H.. ~.
"lAt least. Beatrice, I can force obediv
ence. See to it that YOU do not drive
me to, take so desperate o. step. Now,
;go to, your room. and. when. ,Me. meet
again, understand that this mans name
is never to be mentioned between us.;..
Papa. 1 will obey you. Tam, help
} less. 4 cannot rebel But one, day you
will regret that you have entailed upon
me this bitter anguish: I do not owe it
to'you, papa: tits. Randolph Chester's
doing. do you think i do not recognize
let this wicked, designing man glide
like a. snake between us? Would to
God my eyes had never looked upon his
facet" -. -a .....l....s !. -:
Hush! Not another word!"' ex.
claimed Mr.. Markham, more sternly
than he had ever; before spoken in the
presence of his. idolized child. - -
Beatrice gave him one glance of mute
reproach, and then sadly, but withouy
defiance, left the room: ''
Scarcely had the door closed behind
her than her father was tempted to
hasten after her and beg her forgive-
ness, as though he had been the Gull
prit; for after all, what was there in
the world compared to Beatrice's hap
piness?
She had judged him rightly but
Chester who had watched the ending
of the interview, now entered the IL
brary.
II almost regret telling you, Cousin
Donald" he said, reproachfully. II
did not wish Beatrice to be made
wretched, but indignation at this fell
lows presumption mastered me. The
base advantage he took too of a girls
weakness and your hitherto generous
Kindness" :#
His words did not fail of their mark
They, for the moment, banished Be
atrice from her fathers thoughts and
famed the flame of his wrath against
the youth who once had been dear to
him, and whom now he termed inter.
loper and fortune-hunter.
CT will win you, yet, my lady," SO
soliloquised Randolph, when at last he
had babe his cousin goodnight and
sought the retirement of his own apart
ments. II will win and wear you,
though whether I must love or hate
you I cannot tell"
Slowly the long hours Of the succeed.
ing day wore away. Beatrice sat, 81
lent and impressive, in the exquisite
room which had been to her the scene
of so many happy hours, within whose
walls her heart had first whispered to
her its awakening to the dawn of love.
To-day all save faith in her lover has .
fled. The night fell and the moon rose.
the little clock chimed the hour when
she and Bertram were to have me<.
Was her father already at the rendez-'
vous. She rose and crossed to the Win
dow facing the lawn.:,, ...:js
:, Two figures We're at that instant
crossing it, and approaching the. house.
She recognized them both. They We're
her father and her lover. Randolph
Chester was nowhere to be seen.
A half-hour followed. All was silent
What was going on in the library be.
low her? ''"'
Another half-hour had passed, bu,
still Bertram Talbot had not left the
house. q, ..,.
y sudden impulse seized her to go
down stairs, to see Bertram once again,
and in her fathers presence, promise
to be true to him. though their separa- /
ton was eternal. She was no coward
and beside Bertram she might, indeed,
be brave. Swiftly she threw open the
door and fastened down the steps, but
on the threshold of the room she
paused. She could hear within angry
and excited voices. A,t]
Its a lie, Mr.. Markham.'1 she heard
Bertram say. Il never made such
sDrOrOSjtjon; to yO1,r 1o,,ohto,i How, r
ever lied to you, that you should doubt
me? Will you not rather doubt one
who brings to you a tale so Infamous?
Atileast, you, will let me see. Beatrice
again.. .i+,l,- ;g... iii ,,tn
81 Never! You shall never look upon
her face! Whatever money. you need I
Will give you. I offered you money once
before: but: only! across my, dead body
Il. l. 4