Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-12-04
The Fatal Three
MISS n. E. BRADDoN
CHAPTER xIv.-(Continned.)

--=o ~|A--
CHAPTER xIv.-(Continned.)
"Do you mean to say that you ques
toned him about his feelings-for meT
II did what / felt was my duty, Pamels
my duty to you and to o uncle"
'Duty !" calculated Pamela, with suci
n air that Box began to growl, imagin
Ing his mistress in want of protection
DUTY! 1t Is the most hateful word ir
the whole of the English language. You
asked him when he was going to propose
to me-you lowered and Inundated MI
beyond all that words can say-you-you
spoiled everything"
Pamela, is this reasonable or just?
To be asked when he was going tc
propose to a girl-with his artistic tenn
perament-the very thing to disgust him.
said Pamela, in a series Of gasps. III
you had wanted to part us forever you
could not have gone to work better.
Whatever I wanted yesterday, l am
quite clear about my feelings to-day, Pa
mela. 1t Is M earnest hope that you and
Mr.. Castellanl will never meet again"
You are very cruel, then-heartless-
inhuman, Because you have done with
overbecause you have left my poor
Uncle Georges no one else to be hap
pyT'
"You could not DO happy with Cesar
Castellani. Pamela. Happiness does not
lilo that way. l teli you again, he is a
bad man."
And l tell you again l don't believe
you. In what way is he bad? Does he
rob, murder, forge, set fire to peoples
houses? What has he lone that is bad?"
FL has traduced your unele-to ME,
his wife,"
"You-you may have misunderstood
him." .e5 p. 5 .ntsu
mo, there was no possibility of mis-
take. He slandered my husband. He let
me see in the plainest way that he had
no real regard for you, that he did not
care how far his frequent visits compro-
missed either or me. He is utterly
base, Pamela man without rectitude
or conscience"
Pamela shrugged her shoulders petu-
lantly, and turned to the window in tok-
en- that she had said her say. She griev-
ed like a child who has been disappointed
OF some jaunt looked forward to for long
days Of expectation. She tried to think
herself ill-used by her upcle's wife and
yet that common sense of which she pos
sessed a considerable share told her that
she had only herself to blame.
She had been at Nice more than a
week, and had made no effort-yearning
to know more-to know all-yet dread
ing every new revelation. She had to
Eoad herself to action, to struggle against
the weight of a great fear-the fear that
she might find the slanderer's accusa-
confirmed instead of being refuted.
Her first step was a very simple. one. |
Mildred remembered that Castellani had
Of meeting Mr.. Ransome and his
ut Lady Lochinvar's palace at Nice.
Hcr 6fst step, therefore, was to make
herself known to Lady Lochinvar, who
had wintered in this fair white city ever
she came there as a young widow, !
twenty years go, and had bought for |
herself q fantastic villa, built early in
ne century by an Italian prince, on the
rest Of q hill commanding the harbor.
Lady Lochinvar received the stranger
vith q cordiality which would have set
Mildred thoroughly at her ease under hap
,ier circumstances. As it was, she vas
% completely engrossed by the object
{ ker visit to Zee, any .of that shyness
vhicA Q person of retiring disposition
night experience On such an occasion. She
vas grave and preoccupied, and it was
ritz an effort that she responded to Lady
illusions to the past.
"Acur mother and l were girls tcxeth-
E" aid the dowager, 'at dear old Cas-
Cornell. Ny fathers place was with
. drive Of the Castle, but away from
he river, and one Of my first pleasant
Is Of your srandfather's gar
ems and the broad, bright Shannon.
What . river When I look at our stony
Drrsat beds here, and remember that rlo-
ious Shanns0"
II am very glad to be alone with you,
Ady Lochinvar. I feel myself bound to
you that I Lad an object in seeking
our acquaintance, pleasant as it is to
y to meet n friend Of my mothers
CHAPTER XIV.
Lady Lochinvar looked surprised, and
ven = little suspicious. She began to
Ear some uncomfortable story. This sad
,oking woman-such a beautiful face,
ut with such unmistakable signs OF I'M
appiness. Her handsome countenance
ardened ever 80 little as she answered.
IF there is my small matter in which
can be Of service to you," she began.
1T is not a small matter: it is a great
1atter-to-to a friend of mine," inter
upted Mildred, faltering a little in her
rst attempt at dissimulation.
II shall be charmed to help your friend
I can"
II want you to help me with your rec
OF the past, Lady Lochinvar.