The New era-leader. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1911-1912, 1911-03-17

-cfTiUtS SECRET Is SHdWinS dt HcI
heart, robbing her of the very life
which a few weeks ago made her the
most beautiful thing on this island;
some dreadful influence is ~shadowing
her every step, and as the day draws
near when she is to join the kings
harem ! see in her eyes at times a
look that frightens me. There is only
one salvation. Tomorrow / shall kill
Strang,"
And them"
Neil shrugged his shoulders.
Il will shoot him through the alb
domen so that he will live to tell his
wives who did the deed After that
| will try to make my escape to the
mainland"
And Marion"
"Will not marry Strang! Isn't that
plain"
you have guessed nothing-no
cause for the prophets power over
your sister, asked Nathaniel.
Absolutely. And yet that influence
is such that at times the thought OF
1t freezes the blood in my veins. II
is SO great that Strang did not hest
tate to throw me into Jail on the pre-
text that l had threatened his life
Marion implored him to spare me the
disgrace of a public whipping and he
replied by reading to her the com.
mandments of the kingdom. That was
last night-when you saw her through
the window. Strang Is madly infatu
ated with her beauty and yet he dares
to go any length without fear of losing
her. She has become his slave. She
is as completely in his power as
though bound in iron chains. And the
most terrible thing about it all is that
she has constantly urged me to leave
Great God, what does 1t all mean? ]
love her nor than anything else on
earth, we have been in%separable since
the day she was able to toddle alone
and yet she would have me leave
heri No power on earth can reveal the
secret that is torturing her. No power
can make Strang divulge it."
And Obadiah Price!" cried Ma
thaniel, sudden excitement flashing in
his eyes. Does he know"
Il believe that he does!". replied
Neil. pacing back and forth in his agi.
tation. Captain Plum, If there is a
man on this island who loves Marion
with all of a fathers devotion it is
Obadiah Price, and yet he swears that
he knows nothing of the terrible in
fiuence which has SO suddenly en-.
shaved her to the prophet, He sug-
gests that 1t may be ~mesmerism, but
= He interrupted himself with a
harsh. mirthless laugh. "Mesmerism
be damned! It's not that"
Your sister-is-a Mormon ven
tured Nathaniel, remembering what
the prophet had said to him that
morning. Gould it be her faith?-a
message revealed through Strang
from"
Neil stopped him almost fiercely.
Marion Is not a Mormon" he said.
She hates Mormonism as she hates
Strang. l have tried to get her to
leave the island with me but she In
sists on staying because of the old
folk. They are very old, Captain
Plum, and they believe In the prophet
and his heaven as you and / believe
in that blue sky up there. The day
before ! was arrested begged my
sister to fee to the mainland with
me but she. refused with the words
that she had said to me a hundred
times before-Neil. l must marry the
prophet Don't you see there is moth.
ing to debut to kill Strang?'
Nathaniel thrust his hand into a
pocket of the Goa he had loaned Neil
and drew forth his pipe and tobacco
pouch. As he loaded the pipe he
looked squarely into the others eyes
and smiled.
Nell" he said softly. do you know
that you would have made an awful
fool of yourself If hadn't hove in
sight just when | did,"
He lighted his pipe with exaspera
ting GOODNESS. still smiling over its
bowl.
"You r not going to kill Strane
tomorrow" he added, throwing away
the match and placing both hands or
NeiPs shoulders. His eyes were
laughing with the Joy that shone IL
them. Neil, / am ashamed OF you!
You have worried a devilish lot ovel
. very simple matter. See here
He blew q cloud Of smoke over thu
others head I've learned to demant
some sort Of pay for my services sine,
/ landed or this island. Will 20,
promise to be-a sort Of brother-tt
me-if / steal Marion and sail ava.
with her tonight?"