Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-11-12
I The !. : :
!: Curse ., Darlington
3 BY X. TEMPLE MOORE
BY X. TEMPLE o

eternal. All. that would be sweet In
truth-rest eternali
The congregation were leaving. She
rose and went out with them, the
words Of the psalm still sounding In
her ears. Requiem aeternam! Rest
eternalI All, they held 1t, her dear
onesi Her father dead, Give dead,
and She Had they not told her she
was dead? But she did not know.
Oh, God of pity. would she never know
rest eternal?
The streets were covered with 10
when she emerged from the church.
1t was falling in great, velvety flakes.
And o that fierce, subtle fever In
her blood was flushing her cheeks,
and kindling her eyes, and making her
step weak and unsteady.
She walked stumblingly on through
the busy. brilliant streets, where tram
ways iinglei and carriages whirled,
and the people surged and jostled and
iested-.gone mad with the joy OF ti.e
snow coming down."
And all the time q resolution was
taking slow shape within her brain.
II will go down to him-yes, I viii
go to him! He loved me so dearly!
And 1 will kneel down beside his
grave and bend and whisper to him.
win say. 1T is l. papa-your little
Lauriel l could not keep my vow,
dear--T would not If / could. For I
love him-that is all. / thought /
could crush my heart to scorn him.
But you know what a woman's love is,
dear. 1t is that within her over which
she has no control. 1t clings closer
In misery, is grander in dishonor, tri-
umphant In death itself. i am van
Quishedi' Yes, I will go TO him; he
Will be glad to have me; he can hear
my voice. knowl"
She was passing a p~awnbroker's.
She went in and hastily ~unclasped a
slender chain from her neck. To IL
was attached a ring her father had
given her when she was quite e. little
child-a tiny c~irclet, with a deep
purplish stone-a sapphire OF purest
luster.
you wsnt to sell it,"
"Yes."
She heard him talking but she did
not hear the words he spoke. She took
the money he pushed toward her and
went out OF the store. She remem
bered the railway station she had
passed earlier in the day lay but a
little way from here.
She hurried eagerly on, down the
block, under a street lamp. Some one
stopped before her--a man. He caught
her by the shoulder a she stroye To
rush by, and wheeled her around.
She lifted her eyes to the dark, sin.
lister, thinlipped face above her. Then
she reeled backward and stood star
Ing at him like a thing turned te
stone.
For her glance had met full the
vindictiye. glittering gaze OF Cuthberi
Bracken!
For a moment both stood In the
clear light and neither spoke. The
pure snow fell around them.
Let me go!" she whispered, hoarse
ly, her face Quivering with fear and
ioathing.
His hand fell heavily on her shout
der and rooted her where she stood.
He was In full evening dress. His
furred overcoat falling away showed
glimpse of snowy linen, a dazzle Of
diamond studs.
SOL" and his face was livid with
vague, apprehensive fear-"you are
here-you are iiving!"
she s~huddered. erect before him, ter
riied, but defiant, like some beautiful
hunted creature at bay. Her face was
full Of burning hrilliance; her cheeks
were scarlet; her eyes wild and blaz
ing.
mo. no, mol" she cried, franticaIly
81 am not living; / am deadi"
The first delirium OF fever was upor
her. He released his held; he stag
gered back.
What had come to the girl
What
All at once she broke into a laugh
a weird, exultant, hollow laugh, mex
pressibly awful to hear.
"Yes, I am dead, ! am dead! ! an
dead."
And then she turned and fed. ant
the surging crowd and the binding
snow shut her from his sight.
There was to be that night a recep
ton given by his club to the great po
litical leader OF the day. He Wen
with q smile on those lips that locke
made for sneers, and q demon Joy Ii
that biackened heart.
Not dead. but as good as dead" h'
told himself. triumphant4y-"she Il
stark, staring mad."
Through the throhbing streets
through the white night, through th'
E~ablindirg, whirling SNOW storm, sh'
fed along. till before her glowed dull,
the huge red lamp OF q railroad depot
Past the iron gates. on to the waiting
room--1a gaunt. vast barn of q place