The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-03-05
CHAPTER xvlII.-continued.

y heavens.
/ In the west lightning darted acros
l. the obscured horizon, and thunde
rolled In low mutters across the sky.
Q But Charles Purcell took his lantern
r his spade and pickaxe and went of
along the coast-not until the nigh
had become dark, however, and ht
would not be likely TO be seen.
Kate was lift alone. Instead Of sit
ting down quietly to her work or her
I 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.
Iessly-she walked on the sands and
| returned to the house, unquiet as the
low wind that sighed mournfully over
} the beach. And with her unuuietness
! q kind of expectation of, she knew not
, what, filled her soul.
was she happy or miserable? In
spite o. all she had to make her IN.
happy, she was conscious Of strange
JOY; her heart beat tumultuousIy. her
breath came with difficulty 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 robt.
ming 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 IN
go into the house, murmuring:
some delusion possesses me
ought to be utterly miserable, and vet
some divine Joy fills my soul"
She paused near the door. dreadipe
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 a
great distance the crunching of the
sand, for the water was at low tide
and making but faint noise as il
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, melodious
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 rfcl.ad ayarv+hs. 4. - !
you," said the voice
And the man came nearer. seized
Hates hands and pressed them to his
heart, which bounded fercely.
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 Rothesay's en-
brace for 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
4 spasm OF sharp pain. She tried TO
from his arms, saying:
Il had forgotten, oh, how much I
had forgottenl" I
The words were a cry of entreaty. I
almost of agony She was awaking to /
he fact that this man to whom she {
lad now confessed love was not her
he belonged to another. 7
But he would not release her. He 4
rev her farther into the darkness,
Town toward the solitary beach.
You shall not leave me yet" he :,
aid, quickly. you shall not reproach :
'ourself for allowing yourself TO love
ne. Oh, If you could know the para =.
Use your love opens to met" :
His voice trembled as he finished
peaking and he held her more close
= to him, as IL some unseen power :
Tas about to snatch her away.
They were soon on the sands, now =
tterly deserted. The two were alone :.
nth love. u
Never In her life before had Kate .
'urcell felt so weak, so unable 70 as y
ert herself and withdraw from this
IAN whom she had not right to love. =
SAO was Shtuidl Dy Iue sweet :.
over he exeFte6 She wished she
light die then and there and thus end =,
he struggle which must last her life -
me. pa
You love me-you love met" he =,
hispered on her lips. Tell me so; .
I me hear your voice saying those y,
ords! Good heavens how | have
nged for this momenti How have %
reamed day and night of the time II,
hen could hold you in my arms, NJ
el your breath thus on my face your ~
cart beating against mine! Never
ntil now did / know how Antony he
iGld kiss kingdoms out for his love. sb
ate, could sell my life for this mo- r.,
entl" -
The intensity of the passion she in
'ired and shared transported Kate
ON all the thoughts OF prudence that va
I'd come to her. AT this moment she IL,
ould have consented TO receive as MI
sr lover him whom she believed to
J sacredly promlsed--almost an. mo
hers husband, -,