The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-10-05

"You can't do anything for me, Mar
tina. Thank you for your Offer" l said,
pressing her hand.
rs it true that you are going to mar
ry Mis- JUDITH"
81 hope So" ] answered: and yet I
%shuddered as | spoke.
Poor boyt Whatever can it be that
ails you? / do believe that woman has
bewitched you."
Before / could answer, the sound OF
footsteps In the passage warned us that
spies were at hand. / blew out my
candle and crtpl upstairs: and Martha
disappeared in another direction.
One evening. several Of the principal
members of the congregation of Little
bethlehem were invited to tea. | was
present, and was seated next to Judith,
who was kind and almost affectionate in
her deIneanor towards me.
When the meal was over, we went
and sat together at the window, she
drawing her chair close to mine, now
and then laying her hand upon my shout
der, suffering her long hair to brush
against my cheek as she pointed out
some object in the garden, and nov and
again casting a furtiye glance from be-
meath her dropping lids that shot through
me like a flash CT fire.
At the other side of the room Mr..
Porter was talking to his friends in a
suhdued voice. | IN Judith were the
subjects OF the conversation. A portion
Of it occasionally fell upon my ca-.
"IIe dotes on the ground she walks
upon" 1 heard him say. 1T is sinful
to so love a creature of dust; but she
is a treasure more precious than gold"
Eyes; she has always been a pious,
modestly behaved young woman" an
swered one of the tea drinkers, Mrs.
HUMPHREYS. in a modifying tone: but
What has become of that Mr. Rodwell?
| thought there was going to be a match
there?"
Gould ! trust my precious lamb to
that man of sin?' CALCULATED the ieyer-
end hypocrite, in a voice of pious horror.
Il had hoped to turn his heart from the
ways Of the wicked; but it was callous
and unregenerate; and finding that, /
babe him go his ways, and told him my
child was not for him."
The party groaned an approval Of this
conduct.
This young man." he went on, evil
IDENTIFY referring to me, has nothing
neither money, nor birth, nor friends;
but, thanks to me, he has a humble
heart that reverences those who have
been good to him. And is not that far
above the riches of this world, which are
but as dross?'
Yet a little worldly wealth is neces-
sary to us while we are sojourners in
this vale Of tears" remarked Mrs.
HUMPHREYS.
BY and by the party left. and we were
alone. / and Judith sat still at the win
dow, watching the angular, gloomy look
ing figures go down the garden walk,
preceded by their host.
"Ah, il you would always be to me as
you have been this EVENING" | said to
her, gently laying my hand upon hers.
Poor idiot!' she cried, with a mock.
ing laugh; ''do you think it was for youf
sake that L played the fool tonight?
1t was only to throw dust in the eyes
of those hypocrites, and give a color
to what l nave to do. You see, l have
no secrets from my lover" she went on,
with momentarily increasing irony. You
will not be able to accuse me hereafter
of having deceived you. My candor
relieves you, too. from the trouble of
eavesdropping. You can learn nothing
fresh from behind the rhododendron
bush" ?
You know, then, that?" l began,
family.
II do know that, and every secret
thought of your SOUL" she interrupted
fiercely. There is nothing that you can
conceal from me. | have but TO ask,
and you must answer"
/ ~shuddered, but could not speak.
Nov listen to me, Silas Carston. or
whatever your name may be. You have
made me drink my degradation TO its bit
terest drop. My father asked ycu to
make me your wife; and you refused me
You, a oasetborn. pitiful, mean hound
like you, refused me-you, whom | look
upon as dirt beneath my feet! Had you
spared me that degradation--had YOU
taken me then, / would have fought
against the contempt / felt for you: /
would have done all in my power to
have done my duty. / would have even
been grateful to you. Now / hate you,
| loathe you; and yet | will marry YOU,
that | may degrade you, make YOU my
tool. and your life a curse! / tell you
all this boldly and fearlessly, for you
cannot shake off my power. You will be
my slave, as much as ever. and crawl
and fawn upon me and implore my love
as much as you did before"
ITO be continued.)