The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-07-07
THE MASTER OF APPLEBY|
BY Francis Lynde.
cHApTER xvI.-continued.

Here was another chance to tell hin,
chat ne should be told, but the words
you'd not say themselves,
Il stood within arms reach OF YOU
hat night" said L; and from that l has
ened swiftly through the story of nay
he morning, and never mentioned Mar
;ery's part in 1t at all.
You have a bitter enemy in Frank
Talconnet,'' was his comment, when |
iad made an end of this ~recounting OF
my adventures. He knows you are in
liding h%ereabouts, and has been securing
he neishborhood we'll for you-or, more
aelike, for both of US
"How do you know this%' I asked.
II have both been and heard. This den
VI ours opens on the rivers edge, and,
%o days since. his Indians came within
IN ace of nabb.ng me. Twas just at
iusk, and l made out to dodge them by
toubling past in the canoe"
But YOU say You have heard. as well?'
Yes"
How"
Don't ask me. Jack"
1 said l had no right to ask more than
lie chose to tell; and at this he blurted
,ut an oath and let me have the sharp
edged truth.
"Falconnet has an ally whose Wit is
'hrewder than his. Can You guess who
t is?"
NO"
Ills the same Madge Stair you have
been defending, Jack he said, bitterly.
IT seems that Falconnet made sure we
had both gone to join the army, which
vas but natural. If she were less than
The spiteful little tory vixen that she is,
she would nave been content to let it
rest SO. But she would not let it rest so.
With her own lips she assured Falconnet
ne still had us to reckon with; nay, more
she made a boast of it that we would
never go so far away from her"
Weak and fever-shaken as 1 was. 1 yet
made shift to get upon my elbow feebly
ierce. ~denounc!ns it holly for a lie.
VIII %slandered her like this, Dick?
Put a name to the cur, II as l live and
get my strength again. I'll hunt him down
and choke him with that lie!"
Nay" he objected soberly; that wou!d
be my quarrel, We're there ever a peg to
hang a quarrel IN. But 1t came by a
sure hand. and one that is friendly
enough to all concerned. An old free
oorderer, Ephralm Yeates by name,
Drought me the tale. He had been spying
'ound at Appleby Hundred. wanting to
Know, for some purpose of his own, why
The redcoats and Cherokees We're hanging
on SO long: and this much he overheard
one night when he was outlying under
the window OF the Withdrawing room. He
says she was in a pretty passion at the
~slackness, stamping her foot at
him and flashing him with the taunt that
he was afeard OF one or both of u.s."
l fell back on the bearskins to shut my
and call up all the might of love to
srappie with this fresh misery. 1t was
IN his fierce conflict of faith against APP
parent fact hat I described the parting
ef the ways for the lover and the hus-
Jennifer believed this most incredible
thing, and yet he loved her-would go on
loving her, as he had said. in spite OF all.
That was the lovers road. and I could
never bear him on it. Could /
believe her so pitiless cruel as this, 1
made sure no ~husband-love could 1--we be-
You'd that moment of conviction.
But at this per!lous pass the husbands
ran truer than the lovers. Richard
believed her capable Of this haro:hearted
thing and went on loving her blindly in
spite of 1t. But as for me. said ] would
never give belief an inch of standing
room: thai had I stood in Ephriam
Yeates' shoes. having the witness of my
w eyes and ears, I would still have
found excuse and e%xculpation 70 rher.
l stole a glance at Jennifer. He was
with his face In his hands, a silent
figure of a strong man humbled. He had
called her a Delilah, and the green withes
" AASA cAlAoAAtS SAl oOIe l1lo IN llGSn,
You say you love her, Dick; can you
believe her capable of this, and yet go
on loving herr" I asked.
He let me see his face. 1t was haggard
and grief-marred.
I'D pay the devils w price could 1
say no to that. Jack. But 1 cannot.
"ThenI swear I love her better thar YOU
Richard %Jennifer. hates me we'll
God knows she has good cause to hate
me Hereby; yet l would trust her with
life"
I looked to see him pin me down at
this; and though the words had fairly
shaped and said themselves, laid fast
hold of my courage and was prepared to
make them good. But he would only
smile and draw the b%earskin cover over
me, tucktng me in as tenderly as a moth
er. and saying very gently:
S she has bewitched you. too; and
there are two poor fools of love in
stead of one. But you are stronger than
!, Jack. You will break the spell and put
1t down and live beyond it, and that I
never shall-God help met And with
that, he went to his W bed beside the
fire, telling me l must lie quiet and try
to sleep.
I did lie quiet, but sleep came not. nor
did L Woo it. For long past the time
when I could hear his measured breath
Ing, lay awake to plan how I might
draw the baronet's man-hunt to myself.
and free my loyal Richard of the peril
that by rights was mine.
XVII.
SHOWING HOW LOVE TOOK TOLL,
OF FRIENDSHIP.
for some few days after Jennifer,s
narrow escape at the entrance to our