Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1907-06-13
IAN. did you!" asked the captain.

Philip laughed somewhat bitterly.
Why, no, he said. CT found,
when 1t came to the point OF selling,
| that | had nothing to sell: certain
Jew money-lender held a mortgage on
the place and on every stick it con-
tanned. He's selling it up to-day-at
this very hour. No, old friend, the
game is played out; and | start the
world once more. have enough to
carry me back to Australia, and to
give me little start there; and sail
in a few days time"
| The captain was evidently very
much depressed. for he slowly shook
his head and looked at the ground
with a troubled face. Philip Chatter
rallyingly clapped him on the shoulder
and began to talk Of other things.
Come" he said, you must have
| lots of things to talk to me about, and
any amount Of news for me. There is
one thing | should like to know very
much: what has become Of little Clara
Siggs?"
AS if in answer to the question the
captain raised his head and softly
touched Philip on the arm. See
where she comes, Phil he said-"an
| under safe convoy!"
| Philip Chatter, looking in the same
| direction, saw advancing toward them
| the girlish form of Clara leaning on
the arm Of Harry Routley. He sprans
up to meet them, and the girl adj
| vanced alone.
For moment there was silence be
| tween them; the captain had drawn
apart and was talking with Harry.
| Then Clara, looking up into Philips
| face, told the end of her story, SO far
as it could concern him.
Mr.. Chatter, l was married this
morning, and am the happiest girl on
| earth. When I tried to tell Harry that
had once, in my wild, hayward fash
| ion, cared for your brother he would
| not let me speak: he kissed my lips to
| silence me. l thought that I should
like you to know that am very, very
happy, that am with people who are
| good to me and whom / love and re,
| spect, and that, whatever mad dream
was once in my foolish heart, is buried
as deep as the brother you never knew
in life
His heart was too full, in that hour
OF parting, to say anything in reply;
he held her hand for moment, and
then turned towards Harry.
You thought badly Of me once, Har-
ry-and I'm afraid you've been blam.
ing yourself ever since, for any trouble
h;v,ly
any more; you, like every one else.
were working in the dark. Now you
understand, and we part the best OF
friends-don't we?"
A little later, Philip Chatter set off
toward Bamberton; something seemed
to draw him to the place as it had
never done before. He knew that the
sale had taken place that day, and that
Chatter Hall was lost to the Chaters
forever; but he had morbid desire to
see it once again, that he might carry
away with him the remembrance of
the home which had never been his
into whatever exile he might be going.
1t was almost dark when he travers-
ed that long, winding path which he
had once watched. as a fugitive
through whole day. But he came at
last to the place, and noticed, in the
desolation Of his heart, that the great
hall door was open, and that all within
seemed black and empty.
II wonder who has bought it," he
III usttvred to himself, "and who will
live here in the years to Gomez
1 ", - I, y
| and he walked in and turned into that
room into which he had first gone on
| the occasion of his coming to BAN
berton. And. being in the room
| stopped dead, with his heart beating
| suffocatingly; for there was a figure
standing at one of the windows.
He knew, even in the semi darkness
Of the place, that it was Madge Barn.
shaw, before she turned her head or
| spoke; something in the mere fact OF
her being there told him that. He
would have given anything not to have
met her at that time and in that place
but there was no possibility of his get
ting away, for she turned and saw
him.
She ;c:22...:.e@ quickly toward him, and
almost before he knew, her hands
were in his and she was looking
straight into his eyes, 81 wanted to
see YOU" she said, slowly. 81 waited
here, strange as it may seem, in the
hope that you would come"
Would it not have been better" he
replied, bitterly, f'if you had never
seen me at all?"
She shook her head, and smile
played for a moment about her lips
That is an ungenerous thing to say
she replied. Surely it is right that
we should meet herein your home. .
Mine no longer he said. 1T was
sold to-day to pay some of the debts
took upon me when I adopted the
name of Dandy Chatter"
We'll, and do you know who bought
it?' she asked, almost in whisper.
Something in her face, as she bent
nearer to him, still holding his hands
seemed to answer the question with.
out the need Of any word from him.
She went on rapidly.