Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-03-05

vivid fash OF lightning revealed In a
lurid glare the dark water. the stretch
OF beach, the two figures standing
there.
In that moment they did not see the
outline Of form standing Up on the
ridge of high-water mafk--a figure
that started visibly as the fash on
light showed him the man and woman.
"Ah, mutte-ed this unknown man.
And he took few steps quickly for
ward on the single: but the sound OF
his movements seemed so loud that he
stopped quickly, and for fear he might
be seen when another flash Of light
ming came he threw himself fat on
the ground, listening inteutly and with
his eyes turned in the direction in
which he had seen the two.
1T was Kate-I'd swear IL was
Katei" he said, as he lay there mo-
tionless, patiently waiting. $50 this Is
her way! So coldly modest, so devil
ishIy proud with me, or with any one
that knew! She kept Caryl at a dis
lance. and Caryl was false 10 every
word he told me and tried to win her
for himself, / am convinced. Luckily.
Caryl is out Of the way. It's not safe
to oppose me too much. And she
she meets a man in this wayi Curse
him-a thousand times curse hint
Those two are loyerst And her father
assured me that she loved no one.
Now know the secret Of her GOODNESS
to me. But who is the man? Is he
Rothesay? He'll find himself in a
mighty tight box If it is
Rapidly he muttered these words be-
tween his teeth as he lay, like some
wild beast, crouehing for ply.
Kate, watchful as she had suddenly
become. had not seen that PROSTATE
form.
Give NE one minute more" pleaded
Rothesay. land then / will gol Do
they suspect me Of causing Ralph
Caryls death?"
"Strongly-and your concealment,
your open quarrel with lin at the
railroad station--oh, do you not see
how strongly they would suspect" re-
piled Kate, longing to ask him to ex-
plain his movements
yes, see they must. But / can do
nothing now" he said. in a tone that
gave no hope of his changing his mind
while he was bound by those mysteri-
Gus circumstances which he did not
attempt TO explain. and about which
Kate would not question him.
'But you-you do not share these
suspieions?"
Can you ask meT' she said. tndig-
nantIy.
Even though my own actions seem
to say those suspicious are Just and |
do not explain to your" he persisted.
do not love you?-and, loving; do
not believe in your" she said, in a
voice whose sweetness thrilled her
lover as no passionate protestations
could have done.
In a few moments more Kate was
alone, standing just where Rothesay
had left her.
The clouds over the sky had thick
ened; the lightning had become more
frequent and sharp, and now some
heavy drops of rain began to fall.
For a while il seemed as IL the girl
was unconscious Of the storm that was
about to burst upon her. The glamor,
the dear enchantment Of love was
upon her, and the presence of the low
err seemed still TO surround her and
shield her.
She forgot all her fears and ankle
ties. She believed no one had seen
him, and she gave herself up to the
bliss Of the first, the supreme love
She had not seen the figure that,
when Rothesay had left her, had risen
and moved swiftly after him. 1t was
well for her peace that she had not.
In a moment more the tempest,
which had been so long in coming,
burst over the shore with terrific fury.
Rain came down in sheets, lightning
flashed from one horizon to the other.
The whole world seemed enveloped in
the rush of the food and the roar OF
the thunder.
Kate. though she ran swiftly, was
drenched before she could reach her
home. Her long hair, unbound by her
running, was dripping with water; her
cheeks glowed, her eyes burned with
a fire before unknown, but which
made her beauty yet more seductCe.
Could Vance Rcthesay have seen
her face then. could he have left her?