Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-01-27
The
SILVER
HORDE:
b. REX BEACH,
Authos q The Spoilsn" and
''Ths 0assios"
cssy,iaAt lses. b. 0assss . 0ssshsss :


$e$e+s%s%s$s$%e*s%e*s%s%s$
CHAPTER XXI.
~)OR nearly an hour Boyd Elmer.
In son sat alone on the deck Of
III the Grande Dame. prey to
~ conflicting emotions. the while
he waited for Mildred to appear. There
was no one to dispute his presence
now. for the tourists who had followed
DIR. Berry from the shore In hushed ex-
element avoided him. and the sAilOrs
made no effort to carry out their ear.
lier instructions: hence he was allowed
opportunity to adjust himself to the
sudden change. 1t was not SO much
the unexpected downfall of Willis
Marsh and the new light thus thrown
upon his own enterprise that upset him
as puzzling alteration In his own
purposes and inclinations He had
come out to the yacht defantly to
make good his threat and to force an
understanding with Mildred Wayland.
but now that he was here and his way
made easy he began to question his
own desires Now that he thought
about it that note. instead Of filing
him with dismay. had rather left him
relieved. 1t was as II he had been
freed of burden. and this caused him
a vague uneasiness. Was 1t because
he was tired by the struggle for this
girl for whom he had labored so
faithfully? After three years Of I'M
tagging devotion was he truly relieved
to have her dismiss him? Or was 1t
that here In this primal country. strip
ped of all conventions. he saw her and
himself in a new light? He did not
know.
The late twilight was fading when
Mildred came from her stateroom
She found Boyd pacing the deck. a
cigar between his teeth.
"Where are those peopleT' she In.
quired.
'They went ashore. Marsh doesn't
care to press a charge against the In
dian"
II hear he is not badly hurt. after
ALL"
That is true But 1t was close
shave"
Mildred shuddercd. 1T was hor'
rible!'
II never dreamed that Constantine
would do such a thing. but he Is moro
Russian than Aleut. and both he and
his sister are completely under the
spell of the priest. They are intensely
religious. and their idea Of damnation
is very vivid"
Have you seen fatherT
1--WE had short talk"
Ibid you make up?'
mo. But think he Is beginning to
understand things better-at least as
far us Marsh Is concerned. The rest
Is only matter of time"
what a frightful situation! Why
did you ever let father announce my
engagement to that man?''
Emerson gazed at her in astonish.
ment II? Pardon me! How could
l help it?'
You might have avoided quarreling
with him. think you are very incon-
siderate Of me-"
Boyd regarded the coal Of his cigar
with slight CLEAN OF amusement in
his eyes as she ran on:
Even that woman took occasion to
humiliate me in the worst possible
way"
ut strikes me that she did you
very great service. have no doubt
1t was quite as distasteful to her rs to
you"
absurd! 1t was her chance for re-
venge. and she reioiced in making me
"Then 1t ia the first ignoble thing I
ever knew her to do said Boyd slow
~. "She has helped me in hun
dred ways. Without her assistance
could never have won through. That
cannery site would still be grown up
to moss and trees. and would still
be disheartened dreamer"
ITS very nice Of you. Of course. to
appreciate what she has done. But
she. can't help you any more. You
surely don't intend to keep up your &C.
quaintance with her now" He made
no reply. and. taking his silence for
q greemcnt. she went on: THE trip
home will be terribly dull for me. I'm
afraid. thlnk-yes. I shall have ia
Their ask you to 80 back with u.s.
But | am right In the midst Of the
run can't leave the business
"Oh. business! Do you care more
for business than for me? don't
think you realize how terribly hard for
me all this has been. I'm still fright
ened. shall die Of nervousness with
out some one to talk to-"
Its quite impossible! l-don't want
to 20 back now"
Indeed! And no doubt 1t was i'm
possible for you to come out here last
night for the same reason"
ut was The fish struck In and
could not leave"
1T was that woman who kept your
cried Mildred. ut is because OF her