Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-07-09

the world, Is my hOnored wl1e- lou
have enforced the sharing of our SCI
cret, but all honor compels that 1t
should be no less sternly respected.
And now, sir, since the mask of friend
ship has fallen from both our faces, /
have the honor to bid you good even
ing"
mot yet, Travis! There is harder
duty yet in store for me. What /
know you must know, and you shall
then decide whether | malign her. It
Is too late to repair the evil, though
God knows I would gladly lay down
ten years of my life to undo my share
in this nights work With what can
dor has this woman treated you? Have.
you heard the story OF her life? Do
you know that she has not only been a
wife and a mother, but the murdress.
of her child?"
"You lie!'
Like tiger at bay Lennox sprang
forward, but his uplifted arm dropped
neryeless. while on his liyid lips trem-
bled a drop Of scarlet as he went on:
"You know me too well to deem me
coward for not resenting those
words, which, under any other provo
cation, would at least be challenged 10
eternal silence. Would TO God that
they were true-that 1t was lie! DO
you think would speak thus, at such
time. without other proof than Idle
hearsay? Do you think 1t pleasant
task which | have appointed myself,
or have you known me all these years
as a slanderer and maligner of wom-
ans fair fame? You once laughingly
accused me of dreading the fire as a
burned child, and / acknowledged the
truth of your assertion. The flame OF
Barbara Bretton's beauty did not leave
me unscorched. There were weeks
when all my waking moments were
filled with her image-she haunted my
dreams-when to be with her was TO
taste Of heaven and its joys. | loved
her not with the pure love have ever
felt for Avice, which has stood a bar
rier between me and sin these many
years, but with mad fascination
which swept away even the memcry
of the child whom heretofore | had
held enshrined in my very heart. She
intoxicated ard enthralled me, until |
learned the awful blackness of a heart
Of which her beauty was the mask.
You do not yet believe me; your lip
curls In scorn. 1t is, perhaps, revenge
| seek for my own blighted affection.
No. Trails, had reason 10 believe my
love was returned; but read this, and
perhaps then you will turn shudder-
ingly away from the whited sepulchre
which has entombed you"
It was Partisan journal, dated back
many years, and heading one of Its
columns, in flaring letters, was Bar
bara Bretton's name.
When Travis raised his head from
its perusai, gray shadow. as of death,
had crossed its bright, boyish beauty.
as he staggered to his feet and fell on
his friends shoulder
"Merciful Godl" he groaned. mil
ton, how long have you known this
thing?"
II had long suspected 1t, from ru-
mors which were afloat and which
reached ny ears. but which as rumors
l dared not repeat even to you. was
warned on the eve of offering her rcy
name. 10 dare insult her by any prop
osition less honoring never once
crossed my mind held her but lit
tie lower than the angels, and had
reason To believe that my love met
with it's return; but the friend who
came to me opened my eyes to the
fiower-strewn abyss upon whose brink
/ stood Only to-day this paper
reached me, by whom sent know not,
but giving confirmation as clear as
Holy Writ TO the story. Married for
gold, deserted, forsaken; In turn de-
sorting and forsaking her child. The
notoriety OF her career since then, her
success upon the stage, to which she
turned for support, the many men
whose young lives she has doomed
oh, Travis, that your name should
have been added to the fatal list.''
sit cannot be; IL is some foul night.
mare from which shall awake
Milton. my father and sister must new
err know of this. TAX. her this paper;
tell her know ALL. and only on con-
dition that she never make public her
claim to my honored name will we
keep her secret. My life is blasted,
yet this hour, this moment, should she
enter here, could not resist her. Yet
now | see 1t all--the tool, the dupe,
which I have been. Miserable fool!
unhappy wretch! Tell her she will
find each year certain sum at M
bankers for her support. but that
will never look upon her fair, false
face again. How shall I look into my
fathers eyes, or receive his dying
blessing, should he live to grant it.
knowing ! have brought dishonor on
his heretofore unblemished manner?
and Travis ended In burst Of bitter
sobs.
Come, youngster, time is speed
ing!" interrupted Lennox, half hour
later. as, after long and earnest con-