The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-04-24
CHAPTER III.
The Voice In the Darkness.

David was silent for a long time. The
strangeness OF the situation had shut
down on him again. and he was think
ing of nothing else for the moment. In
the dead stiffness of the place he uld
hear the quick breathing Of his COM
panion; the rustic of her dress seemed
near to him and then to be very far off.
Nor did the pitchy darkness yield jot
to his now accustomed eyes. He held
hand close to his eyes. but he could see
nothing.
''well?" the sweet voice in the dark
ness said, impatiently. "well?"
Believe me, I will give you all the
assistance possible. If you would only
turn up the light
"Oh, dare not. have given my
word of honor not to violate the seal of
secrecy. You may say that we have
been absurdly cautious in this matter,
but you would not think so If you knew
everything. Even now the wretch who
holds me in his power may have
guessed my strategy and be laughing at
me. Some day. perhaps"
The speaker stopped, with something
like sob in her throat.
I'VE are wasting precious time" she
went on, more calmly. 81 had better
tell you my history. In your story a
woman commits a crime: she is guilty
OF a serious breach of trust to save the
life of the man she loves. BY doing so
she places the future and the happiness
of many people in the hands of an
abandoned scoundreL II she can only
manage to regain the thing she has
parted from the situation is saved. Is
not that so?"
$50 far you have stated the case cor
rectly," David murmured.
"As I said before, am in practically
a similar case. Only, in my sitution,
| FASTENED everything and risked the
happiness of many people for the sake
| nf a little child"
"Ahl" David cried. ''Your own child?
| No! The child of one very near and
| dear TO you, then. From the mere nov
| elist point of view, that is a far more
| artistic idea than mine. I see that I
shall have TO amend my story before IL
| is published"
! A ripping little laugh came like the
song of bird in the darkness.
Dear Mr.. Steel" the voice said, "I
! implore you TO do nothing OF the kind.
| You are man of fertile imagination--a
| plot more or less makes no difference to
! you. If you publish that story you go
| far on the way to ruin me-"
81 am afraid that am in the dark in
more senses than one" David muir
INJURED.
Then, let me enlighten you. Daily
/ your books are more widely read. My
| enemy Is a great novel-reader. You
/ publish that story. and what results?
You not only tell that enemy my story
but you show him my way out of the
difficulty. and show him how he can
checkmate my every move. Perhaps
| after have escaped from the net
''You are right" Steel said, promptly
From a Professional point of view. the
story Is abandoned. And now you want
me to show you rational and logical. a
| human way out?'
! IF you can do so, you have my ever
lasting gratitude"
"Then you must tell me. in detail,
| what II Is you want to recover. My
! heroine parts with a document which
the villain knows 30 be forgery. Mon
| ey can not buy II back, because the VIII
lain can make as much money as he
likes ny retaining II. He does as he
likes with the family property: he keeps
my heroine's husband out OF England
by dangling the forgery and it's conse-
II quences over his head. What Is to be
done? How is the ruffian to be lulied
into d false serse Of security by the one