Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1903-03-05
CHAPTER xv,II.-continued.

heavens.
In the west lightning darted across
the obscured horizon, and thunder
rolled in low mutters across the sky.
But Charles Purcell took his lantern,
his spade and pickaxe and went off
along the coast-not until the night
had become dark, however, and he
would not be likely to be seen.
Kate was lift alone. Instead of sit
ting down quietly to her work or her
reading-and she had heretofore found
herself able to compel herself to do
that-she could not keep still.
She wandered about the house rest
lessly-she walked on the sands and
returned to the house, unquiet as the
low wind that sighed mournfully over
the beach. And with her unquietness
kind of expectation of, she knew not
what, filled her soul.
Was she happy or miserable? In
spite of all she had to make her I'M
happy. she was conscious Of a strange
joy; her heart beat unanimously, her
breath came with diffifticulty and her
eyes shone with an expectant light.
She stood near the door of the house,
the damp air moistening the loose
waves of her hair. her gaze trying to
penetrate the darkness which was
only relieved by the sheets of light
uing that shot athwart the west
Her hands hung before her, clasped
tightly-her whole figure was bent
Slightly forward in an expectant atti-
tude.
After a few moments she turned to
go into the house, murmuring:
Some delusion possesses me. I
ought to be utterly miserable and yet
some divine JOY fills my SOUL
She paused near the door. dreading
to go in and shut out the sweet air of
the night.
AS she stood thus in the dark. only
a faint ray from the window showing
her figure step approached from the
direction of the water.
In the stiffness one could hear for
great distance the crunching of the
sand for the water was at low tide
and making but a faint noise as it
touched the shore.
The thought that this approaching
footstep might be that of Dick Burt
came to the girl, but she did not move.
In a moment more tall figure was
outlined dimly beside her.
kate" said a deep. melodiors
voice that made the girls blood rush
still faster through her veins.
She did not reply-for her life she
could not then have spoken.
81 have risked everything to see
YOU" said the voice.
And the man came nearer. seized
Hates hands and pressed them to his
heart, which bounded fiercely.
She did not resist, and he drew her
close to him, bending his head and
pressing warm and passionate kisses
on her hair, her eyes, her lips. muir
muring words of love he had never
dared before to utter
Kate lay in Vance Rcthesay's cnl-
brace for a moment, forgetting every
thing but the supreme love that ruled
her. His presence, his caresses, re-
newed in her the joy of life which she
had feared never again to know.
But with thought came memory with
a spasm of sharp pain. She tried to
withdraw from his arms, saying:
II had forgotten. oh, ho" much
had forgotten"
The words were cry OF eNtreatN.
almost of agony. She was awalling to
the fact that this man to whom she
had now confessed love was not her
own-that he belonged to another.
But he would rot release her. He
drew her farther into the darkness.
down toward the solitary beach.
''You shall not leave me yet" he
said, quickly. you shall not reproach
yourself for allowing yourself TO love
me. Oh, ii you could know the para
disc your love opens 10 me-:
His voice treinbled as he finished
speaking and he held her more close
ly to him, as il some unseen power
was about to snatch her away.
They were soon on the sands, now
utterly deserted. The two were alone
with love.
Never in her life before had Kate
Purcell felt so weak, so unable to as
sert herself and withdraw from this
man whom she had not right to love.
She was enthralled by the sweet
power he exerted. She wished she
might die then and there and thus end
the struggle which must last her life
time.
"You love 7;e-you love mel" he
whispered On her lips. "Tell me so:
let me hear your voice saying those
words! Good heavens how I have
longed for this moment! How l have
dreamed day md night of the time
when could hold you in my arms.
feel your breath thus on my face. your
heart beating against mine! Never
until now did know how Antony
could kiss kingdoms out for his love.
Kate, I could SCI! my life for this mo-
ment!"
The intensity of the passion she in
spired and shared transported Kate
from all the thoughts Of prudence that
had come to her. At this moment she
would have consented to receive as
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