Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-12-10

1eSt
The girl. standing at the mantel, put
up both hands an6 covered her face.
And for awhile there was no sound
save the beating Of the torn without.
the cracking Of the fire within.
Then all at once she broke down in
a passion OF scbs.
DON'T" she breathed, hoarsely, as
Lady Darlington would have approach.
ed her. Il suspected this-I feared il
1.-The insult and the shame Of 1t. oh,
it was yor who were cruel, my lady
1t was you-lt was you'll"
"Iet me speak, Cynthia!" in half
terrified pleading.
"Let me speak frst!" the girl cried
and dropped her hands and stood erect
before her, a lofty, black.cla1 figure.
rYou did this!" and now her words
painted forth, rapid and hoarse with
| excitement. "Yoa offered me to a
man who did NOT want mel And be.
cause / was flung back on your hands
like an unsuitable trinket-because he
would not sacrifice every principle
which makes a gentleman-because he
refused to dishonor a most honorable
manhood-you ~did-what? You drove
him forth from his home. from his in
heritance. from his birthright-his by
every law of God and man. You did
thisi"
The ringing, scornful tones ceased.
My lady rose from her seat, her
stern, old face quite gray In its ashy
pallor. her gemmed hands shaking as
though palsied, against the shining
satin Of her dress.
NO" she said-and now her voice
was full Of positive resolution-"that
was not the r~eason!"
BAH" with an air OF fine disgust.
"TIe loved beneath him. II means the
same thing"
ut does not mean the same thing.
Listen to me, Cynthia! I did not dis
own him because he would not marry
the child loved so dearly: did not
disown him because his love walked in
an humber path than that in which he
trod: but | did disown him." and now
her words rose shrill and tremulous,
"for the reason that she whom he
vowed e make his wife was a social
outcast-the daughter OF a thief, of a
convict, of a branded galley-slaye--"
"Stop therei"
Cynthia Lenox came one step for
ward, mher face white as death, her
| eyes g~littering like black jewels.
whoever she was, whatever she
was. we must reverence her memor
for his sake!"
"Her memory? Then She"
Eyes, she is dead!"
"oh, thank God-thank Godi" in an
ecstasy of relief and vague hope. Then
perhaps h~e-perhaps Cliye-will come
hack"
And as she paused. painting In her
blissfuI excitement, throughout Black
castle tinkled. changed and jingled the
midnight hour.
mo-" Cynthia cried, "he viii not
come back! He will never come back
again!"
The old. stately figure beyond was
shaking from head TO feet. Her eyes
were impioring, her hands outstretch-
ed; but her lips were ~speechless as the
lips Of the dumb.
He win never come back--neyer
again; for ne iG-dead!"
Dead"
The word walled through the room
In a bitter cry-an agonized, shudder-
ing, awful cry Of despair.
Harkf Before Its echo had died
away. . faint. wild sobbing fell upon
their ears.
They, startled-turned. Before them.
standing on the threshold of an adjoin-
ing room, was a little. trembling figure,
| clad in q snowy, flowing nightgown.
A cloud Of b~ronze-gold hair drifted
/ over her shoulders. She was leaning
heavily against the door for support.
"Oh. / forgot" Cynthia cried, In an
agony of re~morse-"the doctor said
she would be conscious by Midnight
forgot"
But even as she spoke the girl in the
doorway came one step forward into
the room.
Dead" she MISUNDERSTANDING,
deadi" and at my lady's hurrying fee.
she staggered and fell!