Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-05-29
CHAPTER xv.-tcas1inued.)

And must I say Miss Leigh asked
the young man, smiling sadly. You re-
gard me as an ogre, do you notT
He joined her as he spoke.
Let us walk on this way toward the
fields" he said.
Nh. Calthorpe, the earl is I'll in n re
/ just saw your servant at DR.. Marks
door, and he told me what was the mat
ter"
And here have I been spending the
last hour with that irreclaimable spend
thrift, Dick, my brother, who has re
turned from Ireland< penniless, almost
Bhoeess; has taken up his quarters al
the Black WOLF and has sent to me foi
money. Only last month j sent him from
my own allowance fifty pounds, and now
/ have been sent for to This inn anc
meanwhile the poor old earl - taken i'll
/ must hurry off. Leila-may | not say
Leila?-I must hire a carriage here from
the Ciaytons, and be driven as fast a
possible to Berry, Court. Leila, trust
me-
"IIow can I trust you, Mr.. CalthorpeT
| she faltered. ~ know you mean we'll
that you are honor itself but-but tina
terrible woman whom they call youl
wife ="
And ~ he answered, declare solemn
ly that look of love never passed from
my eyes to hers-that word Of love nev
er passed my lips! She was as the yeri
est stranger. / have danced a Scotcl
reel with her; I handed her a chair a
that mad, merry supper at ST. Swinthin's
| have scarcely, l believe, had any con
vcrsation with her alone in my Efe. Save
for the Scotch law, and her calling her
self Mrs. Calthorpe in the presence OF
witnesses, she is no more m wife thar
yonder milk woman passing over there
with her pals"
"And yet she is considered as your
wife, and something tells me that the
law will make her so. But you must go
Mr.. Calthorpe."
II must" he said but may l no.
hope to see you again soonT
"There must be no appointments" she
answered sadly. II must be circum'
spect, Mr.. Calthorpe. Gossips must not
chatter of me. Do you not feel that ]
am right?"
You are right" he answered, though
1t is anguish for me to be forbidden to
be near you !"
And they clasped hands and parted,
Leila returned to the library. Miss Ellen
Watson had departed. Leila obtained
the book she wanted, and set off on her
lonely walk to Woodmancote.
Darkness was gathering fast over the
world when Leila entered the secluded
lane with the high hedges. She was think
Ing far too much OF Arthur Calthorpe
md the poor old earl. of Ellen Watson,
and the scapegrace brother of Arthur, to
give even a passing glance of fear at the
shadowy lane.
Presently the moon arose, and she
caught glimpses of it getting higher and
higher among the branches to the left.
All ut once a footstep behind her in the
lane startled her-a heavy footstep. as if
4 man accustomed to much walking--a
slow, measured tramp.
Nearer and nearer, closer and closer!
She hurried Observation-Disclosures as II
something terrible was on her track but
still the footsteps gained upon her. She
ran-and Leila was swift of foot-she
painted for breath, and still while she ran
the footsteps gained upon her; not that
the person ran-only advanced at a quick
march, taking long strides.
She shuddered al the conviction that
soon a strong and cruel hand would grasp
her shoulder, and then, cleaning before
her in the m%oonbeams, she perceived the
roof of a barn. Shelter hiding place |!
That was her instinct. She rushed head
long across the road. There was a large
gate leading into a field, which sw,rns
on Its hinges, unattached this gate Leila
pushed open, and entered the field. She
ran around the barn, and found the d,or
open. There was a heap Of straw in a
corner Leila crouched under it,
She was in that portion of the shed
which lay close to the road. Where she
crouched then she heard most distinctly
the heavy tramping footsteps which had
frightened her. They passed the barn,
went on a little a then suddenly ceas-
ed. Then Leila heard a cry that awoke
the night echoes. She trembled and shiv-
cred with cold terror. She did not dare
to- 90 out in the lane.
NO." she said to herself II must stay
aere all night"
At that moment she heard other foot
teps In the lane, fast and furious, as
nose who ran in pursuit. 1t seemed to
her, where she crouched on the straw, that
one person ran on, and the other stopped
she was sure Of it-stopped close to
the wooden wall Of the barn. She could
hear footsteps on the roadside grass she
could hear breathing az of one who pant
Cd, exhausted and breathless, as she had
first.
Soon It seemed to Leila that this per-
son sat down on the grass, as If to rest.
Should she steal out? There was an
Dther road into Woodmancote across the
fields. 1t was a longer road han by the
|ane, and there were stiles to climb. Still.
Ihe would not be likely to meet the people
sho had frightened her ard this person,
whose signing, gasping voice she heard
sutside in the lane, was evidently a wom-
an-perhaps q woman of the lower class,
and ill-used by some drunken
husband.
Leila took courage by degrees, and left
he barn, and went out into the field
aoiselessly, unheard by the person who
by the roadside leaning against the
wall Of the barn.
Leila went on, and leaned over the top
-ail Of the gate. Yes, a m sat in
leaning the bacs of her head
the wall of the barn. Her head
bare to the summer night. Her long,
dark hair hung low and wild on her
mond which flashed in the beams of the
moon when the woman raised her la nd
to her brow?
She did not see Leila. What was she
doingf Was she weeping, quietly, as
though her tears were wrung out of the
bitterness Of her soul?
I'll nsk-E 49,,