Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-08-25
CHAPTER IX-(Continued.)

erty"
Yes: one of the largest in Elizabeth
Mrs. Lawrence, OF course, inherited her
fathers, also"
Both she and her daughter are
members Of your church,"
1.-TWO Of the most faithful. They
give largely to charity; they are really
christian women"
We sat silent for a moment. To me,
at least, the mystery seemed deeper
thar ever.
Has it occurred to you, Mr.. Les
ter" asked he clergyman hesitating-
covered something in Mr.. Curtiss's
past"
YES" / interrupted. II put that be-
fore Curtiss squarely, and he assured
me there was nothing she could dis
cover. I'm sure he spoke the truth.
Besides, in that case, why should Miss
Lawrence fee? Why not merely dis
miss him? Her flight seems to argue
some guilt on her part"
Yes" nodded my companion; yes"
Some guilt, too" I added, "of a
very remarkable Kind, which she was
not conscious of until this morning and
which then appeared suddenly before
her In u hideous shape that flight
was her only That seems in
conceivable, doesn't it?"
DR.. Schuyler dropped his head back
against his chair with q little sigh
which bespoke utter fatigue.
Yes" he said, "inconceivable-the
whole thing is inconceivable. It's a
kind Of horrible nightmare. I can't
make anything Of it. My brain is in
a whirl."
I'm taxing your patience too long"
] i nrntnCtn1 riCinr inGfa1+1v GtU-,,
need rest. Only let me thank you for
your kindness"
He helu out his hand with a smile.
Il seem only to have made dark
places darker" he said. IF you sue
coed in untangling the snarl, I should
like to hear about It."
You SHALL" l promised and took my
self Jack to the hotel. I felt that there
was nothing more to be done that night
n so mounted to my room.
AS L started to undress, / remembered
suddenly the envelope Curtiss had sent
me l got it out and opened it, and my
heart leaped with a sudden ~suffocating
sympathy as 1 looked at the photo
graph within. A Madonna, indeed! Mr..
Royce had chosen the right word, had
paid a fitting tribute not only to her
beauty but to the spotless soul behind
u. For the face was essentially girl
ish, Virginal-there was no shameful
secret back Of that clear, direct gaze.
1t was sweet, frank, winning-a strong
face, too, showing intellect and train
Ing; no ordinary woman I told myself;
not one, certainly, to be swayed by
momentary passion, to yield to an un-
reasoning impulse. No, nor one to fall
victim to an adVenturer; for this was
q woman with ideals and high ones-a
woman whose clear eyes could detect
sny speclous lmposture at a glance. A
hitting mate for Burr CurtisS-the ap-
pointed mate-and yet not hist Not
his! Snatched from him by a desperate
act. Desperate! If I, a man hardened
ny contact with the world, could feel
that, how much more poignantly must
she have felt it--with what horror must
h have shrunk from it-with what
agony yielded!
AS l gazed at her, it seemed to me
that there was something familiar in
the face-in the set OF the eyes. the
shape OF the Notwithstanding ia
millar In the expression, in the poise
OF the head, which puzzled and eluded
me. A resemblance to her mother, |
DECIDED at last, and SO put the photo
graph away and went to bed.
But sleep did not come easily. Ever
before my eyes there danced a vision
OF that vine embowered cottage OPEN
ing from the Lawrence grounds. There.
l felt, lay the key to the mystery. il
was to 1t / must turn for the clue
which would lea me out Of this labv-
r1nth. There was some secret about
these kingdom sisters which defed and
worried me. DR.. Schuyier's explanation
OF their connection with Mrs. Lawrence
did not in the least satisfy me. That
n should keep them near her, shower
thefn with gifts, merely because OF an
old ndn for a cousin of theirs
seemed to me exceedingly improbable,
Ihere must be some other reason. some
more compelling one than that.
1T was much more likely. 7 told NV
self, remembering the passionate fierce
ness or the younger sister, that the
gifts were intended to placate. not 70
reward that they were the outgrovth
or fear, pot of affection. Fear of what?
l could not even guess. Fear of ex-
posure or some secret, p~erhaps-and
the thought stung me to a sudden at
Had the gifts beer in vain? Had the
secret been exposed? Was It thew who
whispered in Marcia Lawrence's ear the
story which a broken the maria a
caused her flight, ruined her future
was tnat their revenge for some old
injury Had they waited till the last
momen TO make 1t more complete,
had so avenged themselves would
she have fled to them for
refuge? Would she not rather have
NED from them with Iothing?
L felt that ] was entangling mvse,f
In a web Of my own weaving. T mt
the problem from me, but It pursued
me even past sleeps portals 7
dreamed that / was staring over the
hedge at the Kingdom cottage. at a
iighted window. Three women were
In the room, as I could see from the
shadows thrown upon the blind. Thav
were walking up and down, seemineIy
In great excitement. I fancied thai !
u hear the sound of voices. but 7
u distinguish no words. Then
suddenly, two Of the women sprane IN
on the third. She struggled DESPERATE
ly, but their hands were at her throat
choking her life away. She turned
toward me, the curtain seemed TO iift
and ! beheld the agonized face Of
Marcia Lawrence.
tried to leap the hedge but could
not stir. Some power beyond me
seemed to hold me fast; some mighty
weight bound me to the spot, A mo.
ment longer the struggle lasted. while
I stood staring; I felt her eyes on
mine, / knew hat she had seen me.
| She held out an implorjng hand. thar