Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1908-04-16
You think that perhaps he


there. | am anxious, too about judith
Ballard. She promised to put an enc
to W1nton's schemes and save us from
his prosecutions, but she would tel
me nothing OF how she was going tt
manage it"
Il do trust that nothing has happen
ed to her; 1t is some consolation that
she will have the protection of hel
father and-and Godfrey Oh, why
does he not Gomez"
/ He will be here presently dear.
Miss Ballard promised to send him on
as soon as ever she could; we must
have patience"
/ How can I have patience when |
am consumed with anxietyo IL
doubted him. thought him thief
/ and worse than a thief. / shall know
no real peace or rest until | have ask
ed his forgiveness. How could l
/ doubt him-how could I?'
You must not blame yourself too
much. Mary; you have faith in your
/ lover. and can trust him How could
you know that it was the crafty
Vaccinations Of his enemies that
showed him to you in such a terrible
light? And then your promise to mar
/ ry Winton-''
"Ah! What will he think Of that?"
Judith Ballard will have told him
all, and he will think you the dearest,
most self-sacrificing little darling in
all the world
/ "Ah! ! have been tortured with
doubt, but your words make me hap
py. When l think OF seeing him again
| my heart throbs with such wild, *
ulting joy that l am almost afraid
Afraid Of what?"
THAT do not know. think it is
| the suspense of waiting know in
my heart that he will come, and that
,, he will be as good and kind to me as
he ever was, but
There. there, my dear child, do not
be foolish and torture yourself with
doubts; the grim days Of darkness
are over you, and the stretching away
in the near future are the long, happy
hours of sunshine and love, where
you and Godfrey will pass your time
in sweet Paradise of your own max
ing"
"And-and you?"
All, My dreams of happiness were
over long ago, blotted out by the un-
thinking acts Of foolish child. l
sinned, unknowingly, perhaps, but the
crime was there. l repented, and the
price of repentance is an ever-present
sorrow and sour-torturing regret,
but | cannot fallow you to talk of me,
child. | must keep you bright and
happy until Godfrey comes to claim
you from me. You look tired dear:
go into the other room and rest on the
couch a little"
And won't you come, too, Miss
Dauncey? There is such a nice fire.
Not yet, dear. TEsyill come later,
but just now would rather be alone
for little while"
AS Mary Brent left the room Kate
Dauncey sat gazing into the fitful
gloom Of the fast-gathering darkness.
The trees stood like ghostly sentinels,
and as the rising breeze swayed their
branches grim shadows seemed to
fit to and fro like unearthly specters.
The scene was weird, but it fitted in
with ner thoughts the memories of
past days crowded upon her, the sor-
did days Of sorrow and regret, and
these were all her mind could find to
feed upon. Happy days and joyous
hours were blotted out by torture
laden membranes, and there was
no thought of the possibility of
brighter future to cheer the coldness
of her heart.
The memory of Montagu Winton.
and all that he had once been to her,
rose up in her mind, and the days that
she mad counted happy were drear
and dismal indeed, when viewed
through the vista of long years In
that past time the mans destinations
had laid spell upon her; and even
now. although she never thought Of
him without a shudder, she was dim.
lily conscious that his power over her
/ was still potent. and it. only required
This presence to {command obedience to
Ibis will. 1t
Without, the wind moaned disinally,
and the heavy patter of rain upon the
| spring blossoms announced the com
ing of a storm. With a shiver she
rose from her seat and stirred the
/ fire into a blaze. This light shone
into, the garden, and the tree-shadoMs
/ danced wildly as the storm increased.
/ The small lamp flickered in the draft
of the partly open window, and she
4 advanced to close it. Then suddenly
with a half-articulated cry of fright,
she started back
The window was slowly onening. d
Half-blinded with terror. she watch.
a ed It. fascinated. Then a shadow fit
ted into the room. and Montagu Win
Il ton stood before her. +
Kate! y
You hereh Why, oh, why can you
not leave me in peace"
Do not reproach me, Kate al
least not now. know / deserve ev.
erything that you can posi- + I. I. !;
d against me, but am in danger. L am
4 hunted man. =
& !. And did you think you could go on,
n