Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-06-09
THE MASTER OF ApPLEBY|
By Francis Lynde.
chAPTER xI.--continued.

that all was yet contingent upon my
lady's viewing OF the proposal. That
/ could win her over l had some hope,
If only they would leave the task for
me. But there was room TO fear that
this poor miser father would make II
all a thing of property and so provoke
her to resistance. And, no~twithstand-
ing what he said-that she would do as
she was bid thought / knew her tenn
per well enough TO prophesy a hitch.
For / made sure of one thing, hat IL
she put her will against the world, the
world would never move her.
Twas past midnight. with Tybee doz-
ing In his chair, when next / heard
some STRINGS In the corridor. As be-
fore, it was the lifting OF the wooden
bar that reused my friendly guard,
and when he went to parley at the
door / stood apart and turned my back.
When / looked again my company
was come. At the table, busted with a
ducal title deed for size, stood Gilbert
Stair and the factor-lawyer, Owen
Pengarvin. A little back OF them the
good old Father Matthew had Margery
on his arm. And in the corner Tybee
stood TO keep the door.
] grouped them all in n swift eye
sweep, and having listed them, strove
TO read some l%essoning of my part In
my dear lady's face. She gave me
nothing of encouragement, nor yet a
cue OF any kind to lead TO what Ii was
hat h would have me TO say or DO,
As I had seen 1t last. under the light OF
the fiaring torches In the room below,
her face was cold and still: and she
was standing motionless beside the
priest, looking straight at me, 1t seem
ed, with eyes that saw nothing.
II was the factor-lawyer who broke
the silence, saying, with his predeter-
mined smirk, that the parchment was
ready for my signature. Thinking IT
well beneath me to measure words with
his knavish pettifogger, l looked be-
yond him and spoke to his master.
II would have a word or two IN priv
ate with you daughter before this
matter ripens further, Mr.. Stair !
said.
My lady dropped the priests arm and
came to stand beside me in the win
dow-bay. / offered her a chair but she
refused to sit. There was so little time
TO spare that ! must needs begin with
out preliminary.
What has your father told you,
MargeryT' l asked.
He tells me nothing that i care to
know"
But he has old you what you must
do?"
Yes" She ooked with eyes that
saw M not.
And you are here to do it of your
own free will?"
No"
.Yet il must be done
$50 he says, and SO you say. But !
had rather die"
"'Tis not a pleasing thing, / grant
you. Margery; Notwithstanding, of our
two evils ii is by far the less. Be-
think YOU 81 moment; tbs but the say
ing of a few words by the priest, and
the hearing of my name for sonse short
while till you can change it for a bet
ter"
Her d~eep-welled eyes met mine, and
in them was a flash of anger.
lis that what marriage means TO
you, Captain Ireton?"
mo truly. But we have no choice.
IT'S this, or l must leave you in the
morning to worse things thar the bear
ing Of my name. / would it a not
thus been thrust upon us, but i could
see no other way"
See what comes of tampering with
the TRUTH she said, and 1 could see
her short lip curl with scorn. why
should you lie and lie again, when any
one could see that ii must come to this
or worse?"
II saw II not / said. But had l
stopped to look beyond the moments
need and seen h end from the begin
ming, / fear / should have lied yet other
times. Your honor was at stake, dear
lady"
MY honor!"-this in bitterest irony.
What is a woman's honor, sir, when
you or any man has patched and sewed
and sought to maxi 1t whole again? l
will not say the word you'd have me
say"
But you must say it, Margery. IT'S
but the merest form; you forget that
you will be q wife only in name. /
shall not live to make you rue it,"
You make me rue it now before
hand. Mon Dieu! is a woman but a
thing, to stand before the priest and
plight her troth for 'merest FORM
You'll make me hate you while / live
and after!"
You'd hate me worse. Margery dear,
II / should leave you drowning In this
ditch. And / can bear your hatred for
some few hours, knowing that IL /
sinned and robbed you. / did make
restitution as l could"
She heard me through with eyelids
down and some fierce storm of passion
shaking her. And when she answered
her voice was low and soft; yet 1t cut
me like a knife.
you, drive me TO it-listen, sir, you
drive me to It! And i have said hat !
shall hate you for H.. Come; It's but a
mockery, as you say; and they are
waiting"
i sought to take her hand and lead
her forth, but this she would not suf-
Ger. Chs walked beside ire. proud and
cold and s%cornful: stood beside me
while ! sat and read the parchment
over. 1t was no marriage settlement;
IL was a will, drawn out In legal form.
And in 1t l b~equeathed to Margery
Ireton as her true ~jointure, not any
claim OF mine to Appleby Hundred, but
the estate itself.
/ read it through as / have said, and,
looking across TO these two plotters.
he miser-master and his henchman.
smiled as had never thought to smile
again.
$50" said /, 'th truth is out at last.
I wondered II the confiscation act had
left you wholly scatheles.. Mr.. Stair.
We'll. / am content. l shall die the
easier for knowing that / have lain a
guest In my W house. Give me the
pen"
Twas given quickly, and / signed the
will, with Tybee and the lawyer for
the witnesses; Margery standing by
the while and looking on: though not.
l made sure, with any realizing of the
business matter.
When all was done the priest found
his book. and we stood before him;
the woman who had sworn to hate, and
the man who, loving her to full for
getfulness OF death itself, must yet be
cold and formal. masking his love for
her dear sake, and for the sake OF 10y
atty to his friend. And here again
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