The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-11-26
CHAPTER xy-con,inued.


to-day. He says he will be down here
by Thursday"
In aa instant the girl had sprung to
her feet. the full lines OF her figure re-
vealed to perfection as she stood
startled and erect.
"Mr. Bowers? BY Thursday?"
yes. What Is there surprising In
that, Cynthia!"
ooh, nothing, nothing-only he may
bring news of Give"
"Cynthia!"
And now 1t was my lady's turn to
rise in angry agitation.
For brief space they stood and
looked at each other In the dim, rosy
twilight OF the room.
Take care!" my lady said, In low,
warning voice-"take care, Cynthia!
You may speak that name once too
often He Of whom you speak"
'Is your son!"
The singing words, keen as the
blade Of a stiletto. struck home; but
my lady never WINGED.
you are wrong!--he was my son.
Now and from henceforth, living or
dead he is not--he can never be-son
OF mine!"
And then queer, piercing glance
ieaped into her dark eyes.
What does Mr.. Bowers know con-
corning the person you mention. who
is abroad at present; that Is all the
rest of the world knows; that is all
he need be made aware Of just now.
Even allowing that family lawyer
occupies much the same position as a
family physician, II does not follow
that any season, however inappropri-
ate. should be selected for the discov-
ering Of concealed scars and probing
Of fostering wounds. Besides, what
possible interest can this particular
affair hold for your"
Miss Lennox had stood all this time
with her hands clasped convulsively
above her heart, She started and
dropped them at my lady's question.
"oh. none whatever" she answered:
YEARLY sinking back in her seat. I'm
terest naturally centers round a sub
Ject or person of old aud familiar asso-
citation"
simply interest, Cynthla-nothing
moref"
The girl lifted languid, brilliant eyes
In quiet astonishment.
"Of course notl What else could
there be?''
My lady turned abruptly away and
eat down. The calm counter-Question
was simply unanswerable.
When she spoke again II was In a
voice cold and constrained.
Remember, no word of this to any
one. To-day we do not rush forth to
shout our grievances from the house
tops. To-day we do not drag out pitt
full skeletons from the closets and
parade them for public inspection.
And ore word more. From this mo-
ment forward-even in secret, even in
private, even In the dead of night, as
we have spoken now--this subject, this
person, this name, must never be men,
toned between us! forbid you! All.
your eyes blaze up at that world Well.
In this instance have the right to use
It forbid you to ever again utter in
my presence the name o. him who was
my sonl That name once so dear, now
so hateful to me that |, his own moth
er. speak for the last time that name
Olive Carrington!"
Through the dull consciousness of
the girl on the bed beyond that one
word penetrated. She began whisper
ing II softly over and over to herself,
every utterance caress.
And ali at once her voice pealed out
through the room loud, clear. silvery
sweet:
"Clive, Give, Ciivei"
Her lislerers flung up their heads
and looked at each other in breathless
amasement.
"She has fastened on that one
word. yny lsiy said, her calm reserve
little shsfen. with the fantastic fancy
of disordered brain. Poor thing!"
Cynthia Tennox did not move or
speak. She sat quite still in her low
seat by the fire. her costly wrapper
falling in soft folds about her, her
black hair tumbling over Its snowy
folds in 1etty masses.
"Cilyel" went on that sweet. young
voice, now earnest. now sorrowful, now
painful In i.s very jubilance-"oh
Give. love ySs! Thet says all--does
Il not, dear1 I'D ought 10 hate you
oh, II ] could only hate you! What
are they piaying7 The Girl Left Be-
hind Me2' how glad ii sounds! It is a
horrible airl Obi" with an awful,
shuddering shrek OF fright, ut is sink.
ing, IL Is burning. It. Oh, Give, Give,
Cliyei'
The weird, terrified voice sobbed 70
silence. The Gre upleaped. as II in
merry. rollicking mfrth: the shaded
lamps burned low; the Swiss clock on
the mantel licked. tickedl
And neither of those motionless fig
ures moved nor spoke. But suddenly
Cynthia Lenrox rose and crossed 10
where my lady sat, and sank down on
her knees beside her chair, with a
quick catching OF her breath that was
almost gasp Of fear.
81 forgotten. forgot to tell you,'
she said. In a queer, husky whisper
~To-night--to-night when we were
bringing her up the eastern avenue. VIC
heard. we heard from the tower. 4
iauah---oh, such an awful laugh"
-.