Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-11-12
CHAPTER XII.
Stark, Staring Mad!"

She bought n paper from . newsboy
end looked through It An advertise
ment caught her We. A lady wanted
q goyerness capable of teaching her
children French and Italian.
She set out to walk to the number
mentioned. She asked her way fire.
quently; she lost 1t sometimes. 1t
was almost noon when she arrived at
the house.
A notwithstanding mansion OF
pillared and porticoed stone.
She lifted the polished. brazen
knocker and raped.
A powdered footman admitted her.
bxt 1t was some time before the lady
OF the house appeared. She came
ieisurely down stairs at length-a
thin, angular, cold-faced oma
She looked at Laurie from head to
foot. Nothing escaped her piercing
glance-the worn, dark clothes. the
beautiful, sensitive face, the general
air OF delicate and most exquisite re-
6nement.
"Ycu desire "a position as gov
erness.' she said. "Your r~eferences?"
The girl started. Her references
Her head dropped.
u have none!"
"You have nonei' 'shriily. Then
yonr presumption in applying is pos
tive inipertinence. Col"
ooh, madam. I pray you. let me tell
you why. I am fully competent for
the dHtnes YOU require. Let me ex-
plain. You are a woman-you VIII
understand" piteousiy.
""James. the docrs"
"One, two. and still through the
streets OF London the girl wandered
on and on In aimless fashion. Once
she found herself in a familiar neigh
borhood. It was near Lincoln's Inn.
Would she again endeavor to see
Lawyer B-owers-again attempt, by
cool, rational argument, to convince
him of her identity? A holder woman
might have vcntured; but she was lit
tie more than a child as yet--a child
whose young life had passed, shell
tered and sacred. in the sanctuary OF
home.
Il dare mott dare mott! He says
Laurie Lisle is deadl Perhaps she Is!
Oh, my headl How 1t th-obs and
burns and achesl Oh, Give. Give!
she whom you knew aid loved is dead
dead beyond all hope OF resurrec-
toni"
The snos had begun to fall softly.
s0ftly. like a shower of rose leaves
the first snow of the year. She walked
slowly westward.
Harki What was thatf Singing.
She was passing e church. and they
were singing within. 1t was a Cath
ollie church. and being November they
were holding services. as Ia their Gus
tom In that month. for the souls Of
their dead.
Che went In and sat down. The
place was Ia darkness. save for the
lights on the altar. FROM the dusky
gallery above the music wailed-a
wild. despairing dirge. She sat down
on a bench In a dim corner.
How long she sat there, with clasp
ed hands and throbbing brain. and
burning, sightless eyes, she could
never have told. Here, for however
brief d space, there was rest and Sc
clusIon and security. Her whole life
passed in review before her--all Its
simple Joys and sweet remembrances,
Her fathers tender care and adora
ton. her lovers
Ak,.she could NOT think Of him!
She dare not--she dare not! He was
the man she had sworn to hate; ne
was her fathers deadliest enemy; he
was all that wes c~owardly, and vile,
and base, and-she loved him!
flow long ago was 1t since he had
bent his dark head and whispered
.Laurie, Laurie, Laurie. ! love you'll
love yon."-how long? August, Sep
TENDER. October. November -Four
months. Oh, ~no--four yearsl Such
misery could rot be comprised in SO
short a time. and yet again Aye, II
was only four months! And la that
space all gone-all lost! Home. name
fatier. lover-all lost--ali lostl
"Clive. Give. Cliyei"
A great choking sob burst from hei
lips--a sob that shook her slender
frame from head 10 feet. But further
up ia The church the devotees were
responding TO the litanics, and In this
murmur OF their voices that chord OF
pain was drowned. She had not tast
cd food since the day before. HeI
head was aching like a thing Of fire.
Harki She put Up her hand as
though listening. What vas that ali
they were piayingl What was that
familiar. half iubiiant music? Owes
ths low. reverent voice OF the priest
over the drone of prayerful voices
over the m~ournful chanting OF the
choir, she heard or seemed to hear
olcar, triumphant. resonant, the sound
OF fife and drum, the braying martial
music OF ssThe Girl | Left Behind Me-