Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-05-26

that the visitor would like the. ansWss
when she got 1t.
AS a matter Of fact the answer was
an unexpected one-at least from the
point Of view of the maid. Joyce
Bland had very unaccountably sat
quite still for moment or two after
the message had been given her;
had then put on a morning gown and
slipped into the dainty room adjoining
her bedroom; and had requested that
the lady should be shown up.
"Is she LADY," she asked the maid,
as the latter was leaving the room.
Il am told quite common person,
miss, and very shabby" replied the
maid, hesitating for moment.
Bring her up yourself" said Joyce,
and the girl retired.
1t seemed an eternity during which
Joyce Bland had to wait for the conf
ing of her visitor. She did not know
what to think or what to fear; de-
spite what she had heard regarding
that second Grace Yarwood, she re-
fused to believe that the girl she had
left dying in the hut in Nevada could
be alive; above all. it was impossible
to think that she had managed in the
midst of poverty and degradation to
have traversed so many thousands of
miles of land and sea. However, come
what might, the fight that she had
seen beginning for her on the previous
night was evidently to be continued;
she would be ready for it. She threw
herself down in an easy chair
and waited with half-closed eyes for
the visitor.
Grace, with her heart beating fast,
followed the maid into the room and
stood waiting and watching this wom-
an whom she had never seen before.
Joyce, with movement of her hand,
dismissed the maid, who glided out,
closing the door behind her; then,
very slowly, Joyce faced the intruder.
Although she had braced herself for
anything that might happen, the ap.
pearance of this girl, standing def.
antly before her, was a greater shock
than she had anticipated. For this
was cutting at the very root OF
things; this was what, until the pre-
vious night, she had never been pre-.
pared for. She had seen this tall, fair
girl, lying at the last extremity of a
fever-and had felt certain that she
could never survive it; yet here she
was, in the house that belonged to her,
calmly waiting to claim her own. For
a moment the usurper forgot the pow.
er she held-forgot that the whole
strength of the law, as it were, had
placed her in the position she occu'
pied, and that it would be difficult in
the extreme to dislodge her. The right
of the girl to claim what was hers was
stronger. in that moment, than any
power Joyce BANDS trick had given
her. and Joyce waited for moment,
wondering who was to begin the bat.
tie.
The silence was so oppressive that
at last she broke it herself, twisting
round in her chair to face the girl, in
solently. WELL" she said, coldly,
what do you want"
.sYou know what I want" replied
Grace. 81 am Grace Yarwood. and
come to claim that which you stole
from me when was helpless"
"You don't appear to know who
am" said Joyce, with a quiet smile
eff you ask any of my servants here
they will tell you that I am Grace
Yarwood, and that this place is mine
OF course" she added, "if there is any
mistake about the matter, dare say
you have ample proof of what you
say; on the other hand, believe that
any attempt on your part to get what
is not yours would have rather seri
Gus consequences"
II know all the story" said Grace
speaking with an effort and holding
herself we'll in control. "You got the
papers from my father by a trick when
you believed me to be dying; you are
some unknown woman, masquerading
in my place. My father gave you ali
the papers on that night in Nevada
when you came by, accident to the
house-gave them to you for the
means to buy the opium he wanted
You see, know it all, =
(To BE Continued.)
B . .