Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-05-22
CHAPTER XIy.-(Contlnued.)

linen WHat 40 SOI mean 10 no iidF'
you told Mrs. Wycherly how much you
detest being made a prisoner of for life?'
All! you do not know mamma re-
piled Ella, with a shudder. You think
me daring, defiant, full of spirit? 50
am when Hot in her presence but before
her l am cowed, abject, frightened. Have
this. I have been afraid of my mother
ever since l can remember. / never dare
to tell her how mad and miserable the
idea of this im~prisonmnt makes me, or
If / hint even at it, she annihilates me,
scorches me, withers me with her scorn.
what an awful woman ~ said Lione!
p~assionately.
"She is my MOTHER said Ella, with
a dreary smile; "and she fancies she is
doing right" ..
How can she fancy so?' asked Lionel
excitedly. Amy clergyman of any de-
nomination would tell her she was doing
evil. Only what crime is this which has
to be expiated"
D not ask me now" said Ella. Il
was about to tell you, but l have lost
the courage. Some other time / will tell
you"
She looked at him strangely, sorrow
fully, and his blood curdled at the unwel-
come thought that this delicate creature
should in any way be tainted by so much
as the shadow of evil. He Ionged to say,
Whose crime?" But he dared not ask
the question, nor dared he allude again to
that love of his-that strong passion for
Ella Wycherly, the roots of which were
In his very soal, and twined about the
very fibers of his being. Something in
her look conveyed to him that he was not
the ideal hero whereof she had spoken.
But you ask my help, Miss Wycher-
ly," he said. You know how far you
may command me-"
Il know she answered quickly land
now we come to the pith Of the subject.
l am only eighteen, and my mother can
claim possession of me for three years
longer. Now she designs this autumn to
take me over to Italy. | must escape
long before then. I must earn my own
living. should like to go upon the
stage. Will you assist meT"
Willingly. But a public career is full
of difficulties. You would need money"
Il will give you my jewels to sell for
me- said the girl quickly "they are my
own, and worth two thousand pounds. l
wish to be independent"
II see you do" replied Lionel, with a
sigh. but have you thought Of the fact
that in presenting yourself in public, there
Is danger of your being recognized and
claimed by Mrs. WycherlyF"
II was only talking nonsense" she
said. II do not wish to 30 upon the
stage. | only wanted to observe how my
grave and reverend tutor would like the
idea Of my becoming an actress. No, Mr..
Leigh l should like to do something. Let
me give lessons in singing that is my
forte and let me earn my living quietly
under another name. / lave been well
taught in London and abroad"
But to cast yourself upon the world
of London-alone 2" hesitated Lionel.
All! l am sure I could take care of
myself said Ella.
Pardon me you know nothing of the
world. Is there no one-no woman friend
whom o could trust where you would
be safe?"
In a burst of temper, for which Lionel
was at a loss to account. mo l nave no
eriends-women friends, nor any of the
nobler sex. l see l must depend upon
myself"
A GILL III dCEluCd aWOEluyH 10 Ue Cdiltu
Z friend, of course said the tutor.
Mo- replied the capricious Ella. ~
think you mean we'll. of course but it
would be quite impossible that you should
comprehend me, or ~sympathize with me-
Lionel was wounded to the core by
this caprice. He flushed hotly.
"You are Miss Wycherly, Of Wycher-
"" he said proudly. THAT constitutes
. barrier between you and a mere teacher
OF languages"
Il am Miss Wycherly, of Wycherly,'
she replied, flashing on him a look Of in
tense scorn 'and I will have the honor
to wish you good afternoon
She pointed to a path across the fields.
III you follow that" she said, ut will
take you to Wycherly. l shall return
through the wood
And without another word she swept
down the narrow woodland path, leaving
him In sorrowful amazement to watch
her receding form.
CHAPTER XIV.
Leila Leigh still taught French and
German at the Ladies' College of st.
Martha's. She used to receive letters
three or four times a week from Arthur
Calthorpe; but she seldom met him. She
was not happy. How could she be with
the terrible suit In the future, which
Ellen Watson was about to bring against
Arthur Calthorpe, claiming to be his law
full wife, although he had never addressed
one word OF love to her in his life? If
she established her claim, and was rec
ognixed as his wife In the eye of the law.
there was reason to believe that the Earl
Of Beryl would entirely disinherit his
young kinsman.
The old noble had been meat solicitous
In regard to the recovery of his nephew.
Every care n attention that skill and
affection combined could devise had been
paid to the invalid; and now Arthur CAL
thorpe was about again as well as ever.
It was hot July. In four months the
case was to COM on for hearing. Ellen
Watson had become a celebrity. There
were not wanting persons who advanced
this cunning, ambitious woman large
sums Of money at exorbitant interest
and she lived in a pretty villa, which she
hired furnished, about a mile out Of Alb
botshold. She kept a groom, a gardener,
q cook, a housemaid, a little carriage
with = pair Of ponies, which she drove
herself.
She dressed In the gayest and most
fashionable attire. She was sufficiently
young n gcod-looking to create a GER
tain species of interest. Various old
bachelors, retired majors in the army,
and Heutenants in the navy, who lodged