Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-04-14

an Is, and all about her." exclaimed
Enoch Flame, quickly. You will
surely help thiE Door girl to claim
what has been stolen from herr"
I'm not so sure about that, replied
the other. For the present | think
I'll hold my hand; | don't quite know
which card to play. Besides, I'm not
sure how 1t stands between me and
Joyce; there's something TO be set
tied between us when we meet. So
that you see | won't decide n way
or the other yet"
but you shall speak" cried the old
man, e~xcitedly. "You are the witness
we want, to declare what the fraud is.
Now | have you, | Cont mean to let
you 60"
ION. | think you will" said the
younger man, with a laugh. You
can't make me speak, you know; you
can rouse the house il you like, and !
shall simply declare / don't know
what you're talking about, and that
/ never heard of Joyce Bland or Grace
Yarwood in ali my life. You'd better
wait; | may come round TO your way
of thinking after all. If | can't play
the game | want with Joyce. Much
better wait"
The old man saw in a moment the
futility of attempting to hold the man,
or to extract anything from him by
threats. AT least tell me-" he plead.
- ss,ls ,.-, 49,, ,pl u.hnrn I nnn Hnh
you"
AT the other side of the world l
mightn't have cared to let you know
my name; it doesn't matter here. Be-
sides, you won't want to blab it out
To every one. My name is Owen Jag
gard, badly wanted in the State of
Nevada for shooting his man in a fair
business. when that man had the
chance TO draw, but wasn't quick
enough. And I'm going to find this
Miss Grace Yarwood, at her country
estate of Hawley Park, in the county
of Surrey"
How did you know the placer" in
establishment.
"A mere accident replied the 9TH
er, with a grin. Let us conclude
that We may meet again, my friend;
whether | shall play the friend or the
foe, | don't quite know yet-you never
do know, in this world when it de-
ponds on a woman. Good night"
He strolled out of the room in his
usual ~nonchalent fashion, leaving the
old man alone. Mr.. Owen Jaggard
was astir early in the morning, and
had left the house long before his fell
low passengers. were awake. He
wended his way to the railway sta
ton and made casual inquiries here
and there in regard to a certain Haw-
ley Park, and the nearest way to reach
it. 1t was still quite early when he
found himself in a train, speeding
away in quest of Joyce Bland,
He got out at the little country sta
ton without attracting attention, and
set off on a road. More casual in
quiries caused rustic arms to point in
one direction, and one direction OILY.
With the instinct of a man who has
lived all his life in wild places, he
took to the woods to use his own
expression. and so avoided roads alto
gether, and in that way came to a
gate in a fence; and over that gate he
leaned. and watched the great house
in the distance.
His patience was rewarded in q very
little while; a came out
through some French windows, and
sauntered l~istlessly up and down on
the sunlit terrace. He watched her
with keen eyes, and laughed softly to
himself.
She's playing the game as 1t might
have been expected she would play It,"
he murmured. in a tone Of admiration.
Seems almost a pity TO break in on
such a pretty scene and spoil the pic
ture. But we've been 90 long in the
same firm, old girl, to break up the
partnership now-especially when you
seem to have struck 1t so rich. You've
begun a new life, my dear, and got
away clean from the old one. l think
I'll begin a new life, too-because I've.
escaped from the old one also. And
we won't be far apart, Joyce. ii l know
anything" he added. grimly.
Ito BE Continued.)