Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-11-01
CHAPTER xxII.-(Continued.)

Yes, caba1lero," she ut once answered,
II duly received this letter, and your sis
ter Helena is ready to go away with you
whenever you express the wish. Still
permit me to make one request Of you"
speak. madam, and IL I can be of
M service to you, believe me, chat ]
shall eagerly seize the opportunity"
IT know not, eahallero, how to explain
myself. for what I have to say to you is
really SO strange that | fear lest 1t should
call up n smile to your lips. Although
Dom Helena has only been a few months
In our convent, she has made herself so
beloved by all her companions, through
her charming character, that her depart
ure is an occasion of mourning for all of
u.s.,
"Yea render me %ery happy and very
proud by speaking thus of my sister,
madam"
This praise is only the expression of
the s~trictcst truth, caballcro. We are all
really most grieved to see her leave us
thus. Still l should not have ventured
thus to make myself the interpreter of
our rsgrets were there not @ very strong
reason that renders it almost a duty to
speak to YOU"
II am listening, madam, though I can
guess beforehand what you are going to
say to me-"
She looked Mt him in surprise.
You guess! oh, it is impossible,
s~enor," she exclaimed.
The Frcnchman smiled.
"My sister Dona Helena, as is gem
orally the case in converts. has chosen
one of her companions, whom she loves
more dearly than the others, and made
VI her, 1An - -, - f,:n,,l 81 -. ,,,t, f1,n aeo
madamg'
How do you know it?"
He continued, with a smile:
Now, this young lady, so beloved not
only by Helena but by you, madam, and
all your community, is a gentle, kind,
loving girl, who, in consequence of a great
misfortune, became insane, but whom
your tender care has restored to reason.
Still, you keep the latter fact a profound
secret, before all from her guardian,
who. not contented with having stripped
her OF her fortune. now insists of robbing
her of her happiness by forcing her to
marry him"
"sSenor. senor," the abbess exclaimed,
MS She rose from her seat, win an aston
~isl,nsent blended with terrot, who are
YOU that you know so manS things of
which | believed the whole world ignor-
n r,
..Who am l, madam? the brother of
Helena, that Is to say, a man In whom
you can place the most entire confidence"
Go on, caballero."
THE guardian of Dona Anita, either
that he has suspicion, or for some other
motive, wrote to you yesterday, ordering
you to prepare her to marry him within
v~,xf f~.s- N..-AB s-r III. E. q
this fatal letter, Dona Anita has been
PLUNGED in the deepest despair. a despair
further heightened by the sudden depart
arms she cnn safely reveal her hearts
secrets. Did you not receive a visit
yesterday from Don Serapio de la
Romla z,
Yes. that gentleman deigned to visit
me a few moments before l received the
fatal letter to which you have referred"
did not Don Serapio, on leaving you,
say these words BE kind enough to in-
form Dona Anita that a friend is watch
Ing over her; TINT this friend has all
ready given her uuequivocal proofs of the
Interest he takes In her happiness, and
that. on the day when she again sees the
franciscan monk, to whom she confessed
once before, all her misfortunes will be
ended?'
YES, Don serapio did utter those
words"
.Ncll, madam, i am sent to you, not
only by him, but by another person, who
Is no less than the President of the Re
public, not only to take AWAY my sister,
but also to ask you to deliver up to me
Dona Anita, who win accompany her.
"I1eaven Is my witness, senior, that
would be delighted to do what you ask
of me Unhappily, it is not in my pow
err; Dona Anita was entrusted to me BY
her sole relation, who is at the same time
her guardian, and though he is unworthy
Of that title, and my heart bleeds in re-
fusing you, it is to him alone that I am
bound to deliver her"
This objection, madam, the justice Of
which I fully appreciate, has been fore
seen BY the persons whose representative
I an. Hence they consulted on the means
to remove the scruples by entirely RELEASE
Ing you from responsibility. Father, give
this lady the paper, of which you are the
bearer"
Without nttering q word. Don Martial
nets ssasa his pockes the blank signature
Valentine had entrusted to him, and
handed 1T to the abbess filed up.
Is this" she asked.
MADAM the Frenchman answered,
s..that paper is a blank signature of the
President of the Republic, who orders you
to deliver Dona Anita into my hands,
II see it" she said, sorrowfully ''un-
fortunately this plank signature, which
would everywhere else nave the strength
Of the law, is powerless here. We only
Indirectly depend on the temporal power,
~ ~ - - n s.-L-L Il. L. AaAA IL 49,