Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-05-26
CHAPTER Viii.
Face to Face.
BY
Tom Gallon

WdllGu lot WHaL SIG udu W say III IS-
ply to his amazing suggestion. She
was, OF course, quite ignorant as to
how much he knew. or even who he
| was. That he was a gentleman by
birth, at least, was obvious from his
modesof speech and manner generally;
| and that he knew why she was there
and who she was, in some strange
manner, was also obvious.
why have you brought me here,
and who are you?" she asked at last,
looking at him in the uncertain light
of the sun. which came through the
cracks in the shutters, and of the can
die on the table.
My name," he began, is Roger Haw-
ley, and should, in reality, have in
herited the estate to which you aspire.
Please don't interrupt me. take for
granted the necessary fact that you
are a fraud and an imposter-and I
like you the better for it. You will
understand by my telling you that I
am Roger Hawley. the disinherited,
that have every reason to hate the
lady who has taken possession Of my
property Of course. AS you
have an equal reason to dislike her, if
you intend to put in claim, also, we
shake hands, metaphorically, on that
point at least
do understand that she-that
some one has taken possession of the
property?"
"Dear young innocent!" he exclaim.
ed, but without the least offense in his
tone LAS if you didn't know that;
as if you hadn't, come with your pref
ty, pleading face and your superior
beauty-oh, not a compliment, | as
sure you--to try and GUST her from
her place! Pom my word. believe
you'll stand very decent chance,
you've got the grand manner and she
hasn't | ought to know; I've seen you
both. "
"she has taken possession. them"
asked Grace
ooh. if YOU will carry the game on,
I'm sure ! don't mind" said Roger
| Hawley, with laugh. ."Of course
she's taken possession; what else did
you imagine? Now, let's get to bust
ness; let's understand each other
II shall be very glad to do so," she
said, haughtily.
Beautiful! excellent" he exciaim-
ed. "If 1T wasn't that the other WON
an has substantiated her claim and is
known to be the right party, after all,
I / should be inclined to back you;
should, indeed. Now, what l mean by
business is this: AS q rank outsider,
in a legal sense, naturally and neces-
arily hate this woman-of whom ]
know nothing who is living on what
std regard as my property: and it is
my purpose to give her as much trou-
BILE as possible. II anything could
trouble her 1t would be the fact that
another claimant had put in an ap-
pearance and wanted the property;
therefore, for that reason, you are the
best friend can have. see fights,
and law suits, and injunctions, and
goodness knows what, and there might
be something left after all for poor
Roger. I must intervene or start a
fight on my own account, or do some
thing legal or Illegal; at any rate, it'sl
chance. Therefore, my sporting in
Junction to you is. go in and win"
"You have already made up your
mind, then, that am an imposte 2"
she said. quietly.
Come, come, my dear; why not be-
frank with me?" he pleaded. Con
spirators, both fighting a forlorn hope,
with the chance Of giving trouble and
getting something out Of it; surely
there should be confidence between
US! Am l not frank with you? Do 4
not say that I haven't the ghost of q
chance? Why not be equally frank
with me? AZ like you for your courage,
and think you would grace the posi-
ton far better than the real holder Of
|it; hut that's beside the question. "
But tell you that j am the real
Grace yarwood, she cried. springing
to- her feet, ss sSs
Roger Hawley clapped his hands.
softly and laughed
splendid pital II he exclaimed.
~ do sincerely hope you'll 60 before
| a Judge with 81 heart. or a jury who
also possess those necessary emotion
eli organs; you, II win III a eanter, SO TO
speak. fancy I can see you standing
lSup and facing them All and fighting to