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


to-day. He says he Will be down here
by Thursday"
In an 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?"
Eyes. What is there surprising In
that, Cynthia!"
ooh, nothing, nothing--only he may
bring news of Give"
'Cynthial"
And now 1t was my lady's turn to
rise in angry agitation.
For a 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"
rs your son!"
The singing words, keen as the
blade of q stiletto. struck home; but
my lady never WINGED.
@You are wrong!-he was my son.
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 a 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 you?"
Miss Lennox had stood all this time
with her hands clasped convulslvely
above her heart. She started and
dropped them at my lady's question
"Oh. none whatever" she answered:
YEARLY sinking back in her seat. "In-
terest naturally centers round SUBJ
5ect or person of old and familiar asso-
ciation.'
Simply interest. Cynthia-nothing
The girl lifted languid, brilliant eyes
In quiet astonishment.
"Of course mott What else could
there be?"
My lady turned abruptly away and
sat down. The calm counter-Question
was simply unanswerabIe.
When she spoke again II was In q
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 one 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 word! Well.
in this instance have the right to use
my presence the name of him who was
my son! That name once so dear. now
so hateful to me that l, his own moth
er. speak for the last time that name
Olive Carrington!"
= IT. Through the dull consciousness of
the girl on the bed beyond that one
word penetrated. She began whisper
ing It softly over and over to herself.
every utterancc caress.
And all at once her voice pealed out
through the room loud, clear. silvery
sweet:
"Clivc. Give. Clive:''
Hes listeners flung up their heads
and ioehets at each other in GREATNESS
amazernent.
"She has fastened on that one
word" my lady said, her calm reserve
a little shaken. with the fantastic fancy
OF disordered brain, Poor thingl"
Cynthia Lennox did not move or
speak. She sat quite still in her low
seat by the Ere, her costly wrapper
falling in soft folds about her, her
black hair tumbling over its snowy
folds in lefty masses.
"Cilve!" went on that sweet, young
voice, now earnest, now sorrowful, now
painful In Its very jubilauce--"oh,
Give, ! inye you! That says all---does
It not, dcass And l ought to hate you
oh. II could only hate you! What
are they playing? The Girl Left He
hind Me?' how glad 1t soundsl 1t is a
horrible air! Obi" with an awful.
shuddering shrek OF fright, '.it is sink
ing. 1t is burning. it, Oh. Give, Give,
Clive!"
The weird, terrified voice sobbed to
silence The fire upleaped, as IL in
merry, rollicking mirth; the shaded
lamps burned low; the Swiss clock on
the mantel licked. ticked
And neither OF those motionless fig-
ures moved nor spoke. But suddenly,
Cynthia Lennox rose and crossed to
where my lady sat, and sank down on
her knees beside her chair. with a
quick catching OF her breath that was
ssmost gasp of fear.
IL forgot--oh, forgot to tell you'll"
she said, In queer. husky whisper.
-ro-nsght--to-night when we were
bringing her up the eastern avenue. we
heard I'VE heard from the tower. q