Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-03-27

II INK AT<AAA C<MEA1F AZ
called your wife ii long time ago: the
woman TO whom you MADE promises
that were never 10 be broken. Do you
rernernb~r2 Il expect you do: ut any
rate. here in the darkness. you and i
Rave a reckoning 10 make. an account
| 10 settle. for he last time In life.
He could not see her face, but he mao
a picture In his mind Of the resolute
figure standing before the door: he had
another picture in his mind Of h roar
ing furnace he had started down below
them. Time was precious. and his very
what he dfd slowly, in the darkness,
he crspt nearer TO her
Ursula. 6on't be a fool You know
the girl; that T.
Don't lie TO me-" came her voice.
6erc@ly. out Of the darkness
I'm not lying; j swear I'm not" ne
( pleaded, ~nervoGslyr II me-cam in
search OF you; i wanted TO warn you
J that rha house was on IRE, that here is
TOT g moment 20 lose IL you would es-
cape. For Heavens sake, be reason
| able and come away from that door
No: it's too late FOR you and ! 10
escape; you'd better think Of yourself,
and make your peace with whatever
Power you believe in. while there Is
time. Don't come near me You shah
not PASS this % while I have the
power TO cling TO you and drag y0G
frcm IL Stand back"
The man knew only too well what
raging fury he had TO deal with in this
wronged woman knew that ne would
stand q greater chance for life against
the flames than .against her. Il was
horrible to stand there In he black
darkness. hearing that steady rnar be
Tow him and facing this resolute crea-
ture without the power to move her.
-Ursula-for the love OF the old days
listen 10 me ! have been mad-es-
perateily mad-sver to turn away from
you; but I win atone. Don't carry
this thing too far: % o know the
danger In which you stand-the danger
that threatens US both Listen 10 the
roar OF the fire."
Yes. I hear it," she replied. calmly.
There's plenty OF time for US 10 dis
cuss matters: it'll take a long while for
the fire to reach us-and then the end
viii be swift"
The end" he gasp@A You, surely.
don't can
"Oh. yes, i do Nugent Lsathwood.
II you had given me word OF tend
ernsss-one word which showed me
that the old things you whispered 10
me when / was an innocent girl had q
spark Of truth in then-I would have
done anything to save you. Hush! do
not speak now. It's too late to say
what you might have said; you would
only say il because the fear Of deanh is
On you Think what you've lost, for
h want Of one word"
In the darkness The mar was creep
ing nearer TO her, although she did not
nov tx: his hands were stretched out
TO grspple with her when she least ex-
rected il Yet all The while. he spoke
as gently and a. pleaGingly as ever.
3 you won'G give me the chance /
asked for7 Why, my dear girl. you.
surely don't think that the mad feeling
that i had for that child had anything
permanent about il. do YOU i wanted
to see what STUFF you were made Of !
wa coming bach % you. Ursula. as
surely rs I stand here before you.
Come-lrt Us escape.~
Nc. it's too late" she said again.
You are are lying TO me, as you have
always lied You were seeking me.
were you2-yet yOu ran ike a maGrnz-a
up here, crying the name OF that girl.
That was seeking me. was III Try an
other story. Nugent L@athwood- for
that won't serve"
Then perhaps this will serve" he
cried and 6zrted straight az her. Ia
caught him as they met, and held him
for a moment NJ bay, then his sure
rsor strength bore down her arms and
swung her away from The door. He
tore II open and sprang out-only 10
dart back again. a moment later, with
. roaring sea Of fame behind him.
lighting Up the oon and licking In az
b o Ina along TIE boards OF the
noor. Even then IN the supreme mo-
ment OK danger. ha turned on the wo-
man and cursed her for the thing he
had done himself
See what you We DONE" be cried
Mountaineering in terror. No chance
Of getting Gown that way. i must Try
another"
he made . dash for the window: but
: caught him around the arms and
held him tightly. almost shouted in
his ear. for the oar Of the flames made
IL difficult for IN words 10 be heard:
-Yo1 shan't go-In hold you 10 the
last. You think you're going TO escape
again-you think you're going TO nna
that girl Shall / tel you where she
isg'
LET me go. / wont roast alive like
this: let me go" He struggled fierce
lE. twisting about in her strong grip:
but the mere brute courage had Eoae
oUt Of the man and she he'd him. east
~. Where Is sheg~
-Gone-with her lover-with GIIbers
Rickerby." she cried with Der IIrs
close TO his ear.
He twisted out OF her grasp then and
staggered back. staring al her with
wild eyes He saw in q moment that
she sroke the truth; that this last. a.
abOhca2 plan Of his had come TO nzught
-snd that the very thing he had plot
ted so long Ia bring about had been
frustrated and that tbs lowers had
escaped. while he was lefr 10 face the
death he had prepared for Gilbert
R1cksrhy-
How do you know this-" he gas2ed
He cruldn't possibly have got away