The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-11-23

he said, in a voice that would shake in
spite of him. II called uDon Messrs
Fogle ~ Quick in the matter OF this ad
Observation-Disclosures the newspaper
they referred me to you. madame.
now wait your communication"
At the first sound Of his voice. the
iron features relaxed into an expression
OF doubt, gradually changing into one OF
asionlsliment, as she fixed her eyes upon
the speaker.
Edward Morant,'' she said, what
have you to do with Silas Carston. and
how dare you set foot within my house %
Hardly as she tried to speak in a tone
of calm s~ternness, there was an anxious
troubled ring in her voice, and an anx-
ious look in her face. as she waited his
answer.
Now that the ice was broken. all his
nervousness vanished. Fearless and bitter
as herself, he confronted her. For Il mo-
ment they stood eying each other, like
two wrestlers about to engage in a deed,
~ struggle. In her face was q look Of
intense loathing; in his, a look of tigrish
hatred.
why have you come here?'' she stern
~ asked.
Il have told you, to inquire, on behalf
of Silas Carston, the meaning of this adj
y~ertisement."
What is Silas Carston to you. that
You should come here upon such an err
rand? | refuse to make any communi-
cation to you. Let him come himself if
he wishes to know anything. This is
my house, aud | will not endure YOUR
presence in it,"
Suppose | insist upon remaining until
you answer my q~uestions?'
II shall have you expelled by a con-
stable, and sworn over to keep the peace
towards me-"
1T would scarcely be agreeable to my
father, %outcast as | am, to have his
name branded in a police court, even to
secure your safety"
He spoke in a voice of cold irony; hut
the blood was singing in his ears. and
seething in his veins with passion.
What have the dead to DO with the
petty vanities of earthly fame?' she
asked, sternly.
The dead!" he whispered; the hot
blood changed to a stream of ice, and
rushed back upon his heart, and he
80 49, paw CIV ShoS
THE dead!' she reiterated, in the
same tone. She looked steadily in his
face, as though doubling the truth of
his astonishment. 1t was too terribly
real TO be doubted even by her. But
it could not excite one touch of pity in
her stony heart; for she added, in a
voice of bitter irony, "A terrible com
mentary upon you life, Edward Mo-
rant. Your father, has been lead three
months, and you do not know it."
He had sunk into a chair. and was
staring into vacancy, repeating the wcrd
'Dead!' over and over again. Sudden
ly he asked, in a low, anxious tone,
did he ask for me? Did he wish to see
me before he died?'
He had broken with all earthly ties
months before he died; his thoughts and
words were given to heaven alone
Eagerly the man waited for the cruel
answer; and when it came, he covered
his face with his hands and sobbed until
the tears dropped between his fingers on
to the ground.
Still cold and pitiless as an iron statue,
the woman looked down upon him with
out a shadow of sympathy in her rigid
face. After a minutes pause, she said,
1T is useless to prolong this scene.
You can now see that all ties are brok-
en- between us. i trust l shall never
look upon your face again. AS for Siias
Carston, if he wishes to know anything,
l repeat, he must come to me himself. /
take no interest in him. / simply desire
to do a duty which I have pledged
myself to perform
"lVhv than WINS ha SAINT 20 ouob an
place as Tabernacle House?' he de-
manded. Kept in ignorance of his par
ents-put to mental work? Do you know
into what keeping you consigned him?
This man-this Rev. Mr.. Porter, as he
calls himself" he went on-"I remcm
Der as a ~vagabond-a companion of
mine. You will say he is u converted
sinner. | tell you this man is the vilcst
Of hypocrites; a trader upon cant, whom
tomorrow l will expose in the midsr of
his congregation, and drive out of the
town. His daughter was once for two
years clairvoyant in a travelling mes
merism show What DC you think now
of the guardian Of your precious
charge"
"Leave this house, and never darken
IL with your presence again.
The weapons had pierced deep, and
her voice was faint and husky.
Although YOU may never see Inc
again. you shah feel me-" he went on,
with momentary increasing passion.
Listen. woman, to the last words you
may ever hear me speak! l have never
injured. nor sought to injure you. From
the moment you first saw me, you hayed
me because / would not cant and whine;
and because l passed a few boyish tests
upon -FOUR doctrines. you vowed my de-
.struction; you turned my fathers heart
against me, and had me expelled from
my home. turned adrift upon the world.
That act fell hack upon yourself in a
terrible retribution; but while its conse-
quences glanced off your steel heart and