Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-05-09

words falling. one by one, from her
white lips. Listen, Mr.. Chester! I
will plead to you-to you-even to you
who so cruelty have wronged me. Let
me go away tonight. You shall see or
hear of me never again. Though there
are those who. coming to me m
row. would say: Il will restore to you
your b~irthright,' I would not hearken.
l will never claim my own. Only do
not say this hideous thing. For the
sake of the past-for Gods sake, for
humanity's sake, let me go forth from
Grey Oaks tonight, and let the shades
Of darkness forever make my hiding
place."
MY poor child. his is but q phase Of
your delirium.' he answered.
But the old. mocking smile had new
er left his lips. His voice rose no whit
higher tina it's usual tone. She was
indeed, huntetd, trapped, Gagged. He
might torture her as he would, until,
in very truth, he had driven her to
madness. What mercy might she hope
from him.? None-none. and full well
she knew 1t.
Il will demand protection from your
guests, them" Ia she. striving to re-
gain some Of her lost courage. They
will not ALLOW this outrage to be per-
petrated!"
He still smiled on.
"Wil you tell them that a voice from
the dead has counseled you to seek
their help?"
His words were more cruel than
blows. Closer and closer he drew the
withes around the tender flesh, until
she fairly writhel in agony.
Beatrice" he continued, "do you
not see the uselessness Of this strug-
gle? Why prolong it? Swear to me
that in one month hence you will be-
come my wife, and all shall yet be we'll.
Refuse, and the consequen aes are of
your own making. Spite Of all you
have done, spite OF your u~ndisguised
hatred and aversion, / still offer you
my love. Why will o not accept it?
Because 1t is a worse fate than
even his horrible alternative you lay
before me. You can but torture, until
you kill. Randolph Chester. But why
why should I submit? Is there no
law-no justice. that a protect me?'
why, dear, spite of our i~Ilegitimacy
OF birth, I am, in the laws eyes your
nearest relative, and, as such, your
guardian. It rests with you whether
the authority thus given me proves
irksome. How gladly would I renounc
Ii, Beatrice, for the chains forged alone
by love! Are you still relentless?"
Yes. and will be to the end To the
end. Randolph Chester. though you
may drive me with knotted cords along
the long, slow road that leads there, al
though the end may be only the grave.
/ will never plead to o again.
wreak your worst!"
From the ashes of her misery her
courage rose to this last challenge.
Never had she looked more beautiful
than when she thus dared and deied
him.
''Poor child" ne answered, II trust
violence may not be necessary. You
understand that only In the hours of
daylight you may go into the grounds.
and never beyond them, quite alone.
II, from time to time. plying glances
are thrown toward you, you will under
stand them"
Thus he tortured her. until her reel
ing brain seemed to burn as IL fire rest
ed pom It.
go to your room, Beatrice" he said,
ana I1OuSn Ills NOltt was io"s 4 tdItS
for the first time as an absolute COM
mand.
1t told her obedience was expected,
and would be compelled. n she was
powerless-powerless to refuse.
my Godl Thou, too, hast deserted
mel" she inwardly cried, as, staggering
like a drunkard, she tried to cross the
floor.
|. IT, -Naonl lite r~a ahn,,t hny FOR cum
port, but the hated touch gave her
back some of her sorely-tried strength.
She shook herself free from him.
mot that! Anything but that" she
said: and in her voice rang the old,
dauntless scorn. Your touch, at least,
I may be spared!"
Alone she gained the threshold OF the
room. Suddenly she paused.
Who had spoken?
1.-THE will! The papers! The secret
the secret!"
Distinctly the words fell on her ear.
She turned.
Randolph Chester was standing on
the self-same spot, the same smile
wreathing his thin Inns, but he had not
spoken. 1t was not his voice that she
had heard:
She peered into the dim rec1sses. No
one was In hiding.
THE secret-the secret"
Again the whisper was borne to her
ears.
"God In Heaven!" she thought. des-
pairingly. "Was It true that madness.
indeed, had overtaken herr"
CHAPTER Xxx.
How she reached her room. how the
long night wore away, Beatrice never