The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-02-21

! covetousness. It ruined your happi
ness as it ruined mine. tt Who's
| there
She broke off suddenly as some one
knocked at the door.
"If you please, a gentleman asked
me to bring his card up to you, and
can you see him for j few moments"
Il can see no one this evening"
HE was very insistant, madam,
! and said his business was Of the high,
est Importance"
Eyes. they all do. What is his name?
Mr.. Twist don't know the gentle.
man"
Something about IN accident, |
think he said. madam"
oh! I suppose it is n OF these
stupid police officials. Very well, I will
see him for a moment. Now, you sit
there, dear, in your big armchair, and
in a minute"
She pulled the chair a little more
| round the fireplace and undid another
fold of the screen, and then Percy
Twist was announced.
All You have come about the ac-
cident, | presume? Well. I am glad to
say that the poor dear girl is not hurt,
and IS now resting
Twist looked at Judith Ballard
with an amused smile upon his face.
and stroked his moustache for a mo-
ment before speaking.
Il am sorry. but | am afraid the ac-
cident was only an excuse of mine to
obtain an interview"
What do You mean"
II NEAR that | wished to speak to
you Of a more personal matter"
The time is most inopportune, and
your method is impairment. | will
ask you to leave sir"
Please do not do anything that
you may regret. | have come here as
your friend, and I should like t 0 leave
as your friend, Miss Drawn"
"Sir!"
"Oh! that look of naughty disdain
may do all very well for the stage, but
I'm sorry you think it fit to try upon
me. AS I said before, | have come
here as your friend. and it may be in
my power to do you a great service.
I saw your performance at the Hippo
drome this evening, and as soon as
you stepped upon the stage I was
haunted by the thought that l had
seen you before"
strike upon the right trail, and, strange
to say, your stage name gave it to
me-Ballara; add a single letter and
there stands revealed, Audrey, daugh-
ter of Joe Drawn of Ballarat."
And II grant that your deduction
is correct, may I inquire how the fact
interests your"
I'm coming here this evening I am
merely actuated by purely friendly
motives. Do you know that your faith
er is in England"
Il have lately become aware of the
fact"
"A short time ago I was in Ballarat,
and spent a few weeks at the old tav-
ern. and had many opportunities for
conversation with your father. We
also came to England in the same
ship. Do you know that he is travel.
ing the world over to find you?"
1T is quite possible, but that is a
matter entirely between my father and
myself. II you have nothing further
to tell me-"
Il have told o nothing yet, but
please have patience. Do you not
wonder how l recognized you this
evening, although l have never seen
you before?'
II am not In the least interested"
But possibly you will be. 1t was at
the end of your Spanish dance. when
you posed with your face over your
shoulder and the rose between your
lips. l then remembered a photograph
-"
"A photograph! Where did you see
1t? There Is Only one in the world.
and that"
And that is in the possession Of
Jasper Garlick."
Jasper Garlick! You know him?
Where is he?"
"Ah! though I would interest you;
yes, | know Jasper Garl1ck-and | also
know that Joe Drawn has entered
upon an %unceasing quest to find him,
and is filed with the determination to
wreak his vengeance both upon him
and you, unless"
"Yes-unless-"
Unless you are Jasper Garlick's
wife"
His wife! No, no; thank heaven,
| escaped that. / committed an appall-
ing error in leaving Ballarat under his
Establishments, but l a never be too
thankful that l found out my mistake
in time. l was young and full Of the
foolishness Of youth when he first
crossed my path; l listened t. his
sweet honeyed words of love, and like
a child l believed them. l thought him
noble, chivalrous, grand. l exalted him
to a height SO far above ordinary men
that l felt mean and unworthy to be
singled out as his love; my whole soul
was wrapped up in that one man, and
SO enthralled was / by his presence
and the sound of his voice that l for
got the world, my fathers love, the
ties Of hOme-eyerything. and at the