The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-11-16
THAT AFFAIR AT
ELIZABETH BY. By sesee s.!:;. s:; s,
New York-Hsary Holt q cA-nm.

death. and little shiver ran through
me as Curtiss rang the bell.
| There was long delay; a delay that
tortured me; for a dark vision danced
dead beneath the windows of the
library, with portrait pressed close
against her heart. So vivid was Il
that l could not shake it off. and ]
nearly cried aloud as a light was
| switched on the hall, and the door sud
denly opened. ! looked up expectantly
| but 1t was not Lucy Kingdom; 1t was
servant whose face did not remem-
ber She took our cards and showed
| US into the room which, when l had
seen 1t last. was gay with flowers:
Then she left us. Not until she had
gone dld l remember that Lucy King
death.
As moment followed moment, found
| myself unconsciously gripping my
hands tighter and tighter about the
| arms or my chair. There seemed to be
ABOUT the house an atmosphere of ter
ror. could guess what agony OF
suspense Curtiss was enduring and I
saw him wipe the perspiration from his
forehead once or twice with a hand
anything but steady. Perhaps she
would not come. Perhaps she was not
| yet brave enough. or perhaps she
could not come
There was q step at the door. a
| woman entered-
| II was Mrs. Lawrence. She came
forward with q smile Of welcome. One
glance at her face told me that she
did not suspect-that her daughter had
kept the secret.
II knew you'd come" she said.
Then she Is here" asked Curtiss.
gripping his hands behind him, devour
ing her face with his eyes; feeling, per-
haps, for the first time, some instinct
OF sonship stirring within him.
| Yes' she's here" answered Mrs.
Lawrence. still smiling at him. She
came only few hours ago and is
me. She doesn't feel strong enough to
| come down to see YOU now"
| what power was II drew my eyes
| TO the tapestry at the inner door? I
saw II swing aside, almost impercept-
IDLY; caught the glimpse OF a face.
Wnise as marble. whose eyes dwelt
upon Curtiss with look Of love, of
longing that turned me a little giddy.
both. ''
But she told me-" Mrs. Lawrence
was saying. that IL you'll come to-
morrow morning. she'll see you. Oh, I
can see how she's suffered! Too much,
l think. And you've suffered, too" she
added. and her eyes questioned his.
| Yes" he said. 1--WE suffered. too
| THANK God it's past. You see. I
don't doubt you. l know that when
you hear the story
II have heard it," Curtiss interrupt-
ed grimly, and I saw a spasm of pain
convulse the face at the door.
| But Mrs. Lawrence was looking I'm
at him, her ewes alight.
| And IT Will make no difference,~
she cried. 1T can make no difference
for you love her-I know it can
L hnr Il,
| did"
Yes" said Curtiss hoarsely. God
help me, 1 love her just as 1 always
Then you can't give her up-you
won't--that would be cruel--would kin
her, think-for it's no fault Of hers"
| Give her up!" echoed Curtiss, seized
suddenly with a terrible trembling.
| mo, I'll never give her uni"
1 Il knew It," she said triumphantly
Il knew I'd not misjudged you. And
there need be 40 scandal. No one need
ever know"
What was she saying? What infamy
was she proposing? But not with the
joy-illumined face! All, she did not
understand. and We should have to tell
her.
1T was wrong. I know" she went
on, more calmly. But when the moth
er died, he wanted to take the child
L
him any-and since-since-there was
a sorrow In my own life, could under
stand and forgive. 1t was a kind of
penance-an atonement-and 1 well
coined 1t. Besides. he was not wholly
to blame. for she--but I'll speak no
Ill OF her. And I grew to love the child
for her own sake-I grew to forget that
| she was not really mine
| Curtiss was clutching biindly at a
| CHAIR, MS race CHASTITY, his eyes star
ing.
ne faltered. "You--youre speaking Of
Marcia?"
"of Marcia. certainly. But you said
4 you knew the story"
She was looking at him intently, her
face suddenly pale.
! WAS 1t something else?" she added.
Something else? Was it the letter?
Tell me-
mo. no." he protested and stopped,
unable to go on.
| II don't think he heard 1t quite cor
rectly. Mrs. Lawrence" I said, see
ing that he needed saving. do I UNI
isn't your daughter"
"She's Ruth Endicott's daughter. She
was housekeeper here and she-ehe--
but nc matter. No one knew except
her cousins. the Kingdoms. 1t was
| Harriet who took her away--to Florida
| and she died there. They promised
| to keep the secret-it was to their in
| terest-we did everything we could for
| them-I was kinder TO them than they
| deserved. But loved the child had
| none of my OWL wanted to protect
| my husbands memory--where was the
| sin in
Where Is she?" demanded Curtiss
hoarsely. but with great light in his
| eyes. Where is she?"
"Then you don't mind? You WON'T
"Mind!" cried Curtiss. Mind,
| Where IL she?"
The curtains at the door were swept
! aside. and woman appeared between
them--a woman regal. with glowing
eyes, with smiling. tremulous lips
Fool that | had been not to guess
not to see! II was the Endicott
strain. first and last-dark, passionate
virile--and l had shut my eyes to it,
1 saw him turn toward her. his face
aflame with Joy
Then the hot tears blinded me. and
| I CROPPED my way from the room. from
the house. out into the silent night:
and / looked up at the quiet stars,
with Pippa's song ringing in my
heart
Gods In his heaven