The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1910-07-15

During this period ! managed to
find time to pay court to Della Cole.
l cannot say that l made the head
way there that did n everything
else. Miss Della seemed II avoid me,
and though l couldn't tell that Graham
was making any prog rs / was quite
sure that l was not getting along as
I should.
l was not a little puzzled at her at
titude, and | remember one evening
in particular that l called at her home
and tried to get an explanation from
her.
Mr.. Gordon" she said with a lit.
tie nervous laugh, you are so used to
having your way about everything
| since your return to town that you
imagine that l ought to fall into your
arms almost before l know you"
That sounded SO satisfying to nay
self-love that l was beginning to feel
quite gratifed. when l suddenly won
dered what she meant.
Il scarcely know" l began, when
she interrupted me.
"Mr. Gordon, with all your money,
power and talents, we Of Frankfort
often wonder why you bother to spend
1t all on us. Why you don't, in short,
move to a larger place or spend part
Of your time In travel?"
Why Miss Cole, don't you know I
couldn't leave town. mean | won't
leave while you are here"
A noise like the falling OF a chair
in the next room, or the violent slam
ming Of a window blind by the wind,
startled us.
That night when l was walking to
my hotel | was seized by four ruff
fans who bound, gagged and threw
me into a light wagon standing near.
I fought as | never had fought before,
for I realized what ! should lose
should they succeed in getting me be-
yond the city limits. We had nearly
reached that point when l succeeded
in jumping out Of the buggy. The fall
nearly killed me, but a passer-by saw
It and came to my rescue.
What was the reason for my at
tempted abduction? Had anyone
guessed my secret? If so, I knew that
my days of power we're over. While
anyone would hesitate to murder me,
/ had enemies who would not hest
tate to commit the lesser crime Of alb
Quoting me.
AS l thought Of my stay in Frank
fort l knew l had not betrayed my
self to anyone, unless I had to Della
the evening of the night I was as
saulted. Had she proven herself a
Deliah, or had my secret been over
heard when I had almost given it
away to her?
AS oon as l was able and PRESENT.
BILE, l called again and told the story
of the assault.
From the manner in which she
heard it l was certain that she had
no hand in a plot against me. If any
one knew they had overheard the slip
Of the tongue I had made and guessed
the rest.
For the first time in my life I was
afraid. A ridiculous ending was la
BILE to come to all my pretensions at
almost any minute. l pleaded with
Della for her love that evening. /
loved her more than l thought it pos
sible for me to love. She represented
the only thing In Frankfort that I
was not sure Of. The very desire of
possession seemed to feed my passion
a hundredfold.
Sympathy or love, I could not tell
which, made her unusually kind, and
while she would not say yes, yet gave
me some hope.
The next day I went to my lawyer
and studied over the contents of the
will carefully. Then, l did a very un-
usual thing. / bought block after
block OF the business center of Frank
fort, and as fast as possible sold what
| had Just purchased even If | only
got half or two-thirds of the amount |
had previously paid. AS fast as / got
the money from these sales ! banked
1t, until / had a trifie over two hun
dred thousand dollars.
Meantime every one secretly thought
I had gone crazy.
Then, | went to the girl I had come
to love better than life itself, and In
the privacy of my carriage, In the
middle of the road, safe from listening
ears and tattling tongues, / told her
something of the story Of my life. and
of my uncle Aaron's will.
And you forfeit everything" she
said with wide and wondering eyes,
"by telling me this?'
Everything in the world | do not
have in my own NAME" corrected,
but I would give 1t all, and more. tco,
II had it. for your respect, your
love-"
Soft arms stole around my neck.
Yes, l know" said Mr.. Boles. "
know all about IT.; you have lost and
won out. Perhaps 1t is best. for /
imagine someone suspected your re
cret. But what passes my understand.
ing Is. why didn't you get millions Of
your uncle's wealth transferred to
your name?'
1T seems to me that with Della. my
property In town and 5000. 900 in the
bank ought to do pretty we'll" r re-
piled, smilingly. Nov let charity
have a chance"