Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1911-03-09

/ ~ iiD'o SeCicI slS SHdWluS at ne
heart robbing her of the very lif,
! which few weeks ago made her tn,
most beautiful thing on this island
some dreadful influence is shadowint
! her every step. and as the day draw!
near when she is to join the king!
harem see In her eyes at times {
look that frightens me. There is only
one salvation. Tomorrow | shall Kill
St-ang!"
And then?''
Nell 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 tina,
will try to make my escape to the
mainland"
And Marion"
"WilI not marry Strang! Isn't that
plain?"
You have guessed nothing-nc
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. 1t
is so great that Strang did not hest
tate to throw me into Jail on the pre-.
text that | had threatened his life.
Marion iinpiored 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
the island7-to go, and never return.
Great God, what does it all mean? |
love her more than anything else on
earth. we have been inseparable since
the day she was able to toddle alone
and yet she would have me leave
her! No power on earth can reveal the
secret that is torturing her. No power
can make Strang divulge it,"
u OC'oilu rive! CTleu ma
thaniel, sudden excitement flashing in
his eyes. docs he know?"
Il believe that he does!" replied
Neil. pacing back and forth in his agi-
tation. Captain Plum, If there is
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
huence which has SO suddenly en-
shaved her to the prophet! He sug-
gests that it may be mesmerism. but
/" He interrupted himself with
harsh, mirth1ess 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 1t be her faith pa
message revealed through Strang
from
Neil stopped him almost f1ercely.
Marion Is not a Mormon." he said.
she hates Mcrmonism as she hates
Strang. 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 10 fee to the mainland with
me but she refused with the words
that-she had said to me hundred
times before-'Neil. must marry the
prophet Don't you see there is moth
Ing to debut to kill Strange"
Nathaniel thrust his hand into "a
pocket of the coat he had loaned Nell
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 l hadn't hove in
sight just when | did?"
he lighted his pipe with exaspera-
ting coo-ness, still smiling over its
bowl
You are not going to kill Strang
tomorrow" he added, throwing away
the match and placing both hands on
Neil's shoulders. His eyes were
Laughing with the JOY that shone In
them. Neil. am ashamed OF you.
You have worried devilish lot over
very simple matter. See here"
He blew a cloud Of smoke over the
others head. I've learned to demand
some sort OF pay for my services since
I landed on this island. VIII you
promise to be-a sort of brother-to
me-if steal Marion and sail away
yuittS. .hor foujrht