Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-09-18

breast heaved. In voice charged with
| indignation she said:
80 this is what you mean! / UNI
| derstand you at last"
Theodore Lakeland fell back a pace.
Laura, hear me-hear me again"
But she had found her voice at last.
Sir. you have outraged my feelings
as much as If was at this moment
Paul Miller's wife!"
Theodore Lakeland felt his self-con-
troll rapidly slipping away, and in the
height of his passion said.
You shall never marry Paul Miller,
Laura Kean! / swear it, hold your
fate and his in my hand, and have
more ways of crushing you than you
imagine. Be sensible: recall your in
sulting words, and do not throw your
self away on that impecunious ne'er.
do-well-a hulking brute, made for
pick-ax and shovel"
Enough" she cried. Il would
rather marry plow-boy than such
gentleman as you!"
Face to face, eye to eye, with pant
ing breath and scornful looks, there
they stood for one moment then Lau-
ra. without a word, swung about and
walked away to where her friends
were preparing to return to town.
The features of Theodore Lakeland
underwent frightful change. The
gathering thunder cloud was not more
black than his face. He raised his
clenched fist to heaven and cursed his
rival, needless OF the rolling thunder
and on-coming storm.
at is long way to the Kiondike,"
he finally muttered, while the smile
of devil fitted over his face; but,
great as the distance is, he will feel
my power, and so shall She
A heavy peal of thunder and the fall
ing of rain reused him to the fact that
the little excursion had all gone, leaV-
ing him alone in the wood and storm.
He hurried to where his horse and
buggy were, and, leaping in, drove
furiously to town. He took the train
that night to San Francisco and spent
whole day in consultation with two
ill-favored looking men
In a few weeks Laura had forgotten
the unpleasant scene with the wealthy
Mr. Lakeland. She was busy prepar-
ing for the journey in the spring.
1t was the last Of February, and on
| the next day Laura was to draw. her
| money from the savings bank and put
it in the hands of a friend to secure
hnr q for IN los,
| dixie. Late in the afternoon she saw
a great crowd of men on the street
| talking in an excited manner, and a
moment later Mr.. OBourne, the butch
er, came running toward her, wringing
his hands.
What is the matter. Mr.. O'Bourne?"
she asked.
I'VE are ruined. Miss Kean; we are
ruined. The savings bank has failed;
can't pay a cent"
She grew dizzy and clutched at the
door for support. Quickly all her
bright dreams of surprising her lover
vanished.
Mrs. Miller iconsoled her with the
assurance that the loss would be made
up by the great fortune Paul was TAX
ing from the Klondike. A few days
later she learned that the bank had
been wrecked by Mr.. Tom Harris, the
cashier specializing on San Francisco
Board of Trade Later came the whis-
per that Harris had fed to avoid ar
rest, but before going had confessed
his crime, and said that he was in
duced by Mr.: Lakeland to speculate.
He went on the wrong side of the
market and was ruined
The evening post brought Laura
letter. 1t was addressed in the we'll
beloved hand Of Paul Miller. But
there was something in the chirog-
raphy to alarm her. It was in scrawl
ing, feeble hand, and with many mis-
givings she broke the seal and glanced
at the contents. Then, with face ashen
white, she shrieked:
Wounded, robbed, ruined!" and fell
senseless to the floor.
Ethel Bush, learning Of her friends
trouble, FASTENED to see Laura, who
sank so rapidly under the double blow
that she was confined to her bed.
Ethel tried to console her.
Don't worry, dear. We shall soon
be with Paul, and if | find him / will
nurse him back to health, and Clar-
ence will defend him if he is attacked
until he is able to defend himself"
"WilI you take a message to him
from me, Ethel?"
Yes, dear, thousand
warn him, Ethel; warn HIM"
"Of whom or what shall warn him,
dear?"
"Of Theodore Lakeland. He is our
evil genius"
Il fear you wrong Mr.. Lakeland"
mo, no; he threatened me last au.
tumn when we were up the valley to
the picnic forgot it at the time, but
1t is all very fresh and vivid to my
mind now"
Ethel remained with her for over
two hours and spoke encouragingly,
then left, urging her to recover her
strength and spirits in time for the
wedding.
For downright luck and pluck the
bridal trip of Clarence Berry was with
out parallel. On the day he and sweet
Ethel Bush were married they were
poor in everything but luck. pluck and
faith in their future. Their worldly
| possessions consisted Of just enough
to pay their passage to San francisco,
| thence to juneau. and on to Forty
Mile Camp, and provide themselves
with the necessary stores for year.
On the 18th they were married at
the pretty little church in Fresno, and
their friends in great numbers gath
| cred about them to congratulate them