Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-05-19

A H Wcman
A Tom ca Gallo, Of Graft
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AbN ~
him go into the house quite late
doubtless to meet her"
There was a long silence. while
Joyce strained her ears to listen for
the next words. They came. slowly
and deliberately enough, from Owen
Jaggard.
"Mr. Hawley, you and me will be
partners in this business, we've both
got something at stake. We'd better
divide the business to save time and
trouble. I'll deal with the Grace Var
wood up at Hawley Park" he added,
grimly, with a fist coming down smart
ly on the table. lis that UNDERSTOOD"
Seeing that you know the lady, it
might be well, perhaps" said Roger
Hawley. with a laugh. "And | will
seek out the other Grace Yarwood
among the gipsies. I like the look of
her. In a word, my dear unknown
friend-unknown, that is. until to-
night-you run your oma and I'll
run mine; Wen see what happens
eh?"
Joyce Bland got up cautiously from
among the bushes and crept out into
the moonlight. She had heard all that
could be of use to her; she knew with
whom she had to deal, at least. In
her mind was a confused idea that
the fight had really begun with this
night; 1t had begun with the coming
of Owen Jaggard. He must be ST.
fenced at any cost; but what Of this
Grace Yarwood of whom they spoke?
Was IL possible that the girl she had
left dying in the hut in Nevada had
been brought back to life?-or was 1t
possible that some other woman,
knowing the story, had come forward
to put In a claim to the great fortune
that was waiting? AT all events, she
need not fear that; she had already
proved her claim up to the hilt. The
one person to be got out of the way
was Owen Jaggard. AS Joyce Bland
gathered her skirts about her and
raced back to the house in the moon
light, that was the n thought in her
mind.
The two men who had met so
strangely after some further CONVEX
sation parted: Roger Hawley to re-
main in the tumble-down cottage, and
Owen Jaggard to take his way out into
the country, In his w mysterious
fashion, and to mature his plans re-
garding the woman he had followed
half over the world. In the mind of
the latter man was a deeply burning
resentment that she should have been
so willing to break faith with him-so
eager to cast him aside at the first OPP
%portunity; while. on the other hand.
there was a grim determination that
he would have a share in whatever
fortune she might have secured.
Roger Hawley slept the remainder
of the night away, and came out into
the morning sunlight to fulfill his part
OF the bargain he had made. There
was no very clear idea in his mind
as to what he should do; only that
evil spirit of mischief that had always
been uppermost in the man told him
that this was to be a wal of wits, and
that he might stand a chance II it
came to a rough.and-tumble for the
fortune. With quite a sporting in
stinct he had determined, IL possible,
to get hold of this new Grace Var
wood who had come on the scene, and
to run her against the other. as 1t
were. II, as he more than suspected,
she was an imposter. he would at
lease be able to give those whom he
regarded as his natural enemies a
very considerable amount Of trouble,
which would be something Of a re-
ward in itself; on the other hand, he
was to take up a sort of partnership
with a young and beautiful girl, whose
face seen but for a moment in the
moonlight in the gypsy camp the night
before, had strongly impressed him.
He was fortunate in his venture at
once. 1t happened that Grace had
also awakened early. and had come
out of the little. hot tent and had
made her way out of the tent into
the woods. This was a new and won
derful heaven for her: this was what
she had dreamed of all her life, This
was acknowledgement Of the soft,
sweet woods and the bright flowers,
and the dew, and the birds. There
had been nothing like this in her life
before; she could not come out to
greet and meet 1t all too early.
So she went on and on. without
needing In which direction she wan
dered; and so came at last, up through
the woods. to that fence which bound
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