The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-08-17
THAT AFFAIR AT
ELIZABETH BY Burton art. .l:;s sssssnon
r
COL
CHAPTER IX-(Continued.).

He seems to have left large prop
ert:,."
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?,'
Two Of the most faithful. They
give largely to charity; they are really
christian women"
We sat silent for q moment. To me,
at least. the mystery seemed deeper
than ever.
HAS it occurred to you. Mr.. Les
ly, that perhaps Miss Lawrence dis
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
miss him? Her flight seems to argue
some guilt on her part
Yes" nodded my companion; Eyes"
Some guilt, too" added, "of
! very remarkable kind, which she was
not conscious Of until this morning and
which then appeared suddenly before
her In such hideous shape that fight
was her only resource. That seems in
conceivable, doesn't it?'
DR.. Schuyler dropped his head back
against his chair with a little sigh
which bespoke utter fatigue
Yes" he said, "inconceiyable--the
whole thing is inconceivable. It's a
kind of horrible nightmare. I can't
q whirl."
I'm taxing your patience too long"
! protested. rising instantly. You
need rest; Only let me thank you for
He helu out his hand with a smile.
II seem only to have made dark
places darker" he said. IF you sue
ceed In untangling the snarl, I should
like to hear about It,"
You shall" I promised and took my
SELF back to the hotel. I felt that there
was nothing more to be done that night,
and SO mounted to my room.
AS started to undress, remembered
suddenly the envelope Curtiss had sent
me. got 1t out and opened II. and my
heart leaped with a sudden suffocating
sympathy as l looked at the photo
graph within Madonna, indeed! Mr..
J Royce had chosen the right word, had
| PAID a hitting tribute not only to her
beauty but to the spotless soul behind
II. For the face was essentially girl
Ism, v1rginal-there was no shameful
secret back OF that clear, direct gaze
II was sweet, frank, winning-a strong
race, too, showing intellect and train
ing; no ordinary woman, 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
any specious imposture at a glance. A
| ntf1nQ FL I,,t-
pointed mate-and yet not his. Not
his! Snatched from him by desperate
act. Desperate If /, a man hardened
Dy contact with the world, could feel
that, how much more poigna ntly must
she have felt it-with Whit horror must
sne nave shrunk from it-with what
agony yielded
| AS / gazed at her. 1t seemed TO me
that there was something familiar in
| the face-in the set of the ewes the
| shape or the forehead-somethine ia
mlilar in the expression, in the poise
| OF the head, which puzzled and eluded
me. "A resemblance to her mother, |
| oecioeo at last, and so put the photo
graph away and went to bed
| But sleep did not come easily. Ever
peIore my eyes there danced q vision
| OF tnat vine empowered cottage OPEN
ing from the Lawrence grounds. There
felt, lay the key to the mystery: II
was 10 IL l must turn for the clue
whlch would lead me out of this Ia nv
Jrinth. There was some secret aboi,t
tnese Kingdom sisters which defied and
worried me. DR.. Schuyler's EXPLANATION
OF their connection with Mrs Lawrence
ala not In the least satisfy me- That
she should keep them near her. shower
them with gifts, merely because of an
oio Ionuness Tor cousin of theirs
seemed to me exceedingly improba HE
Inere must be some other reason some
more compelling one than that.
~ was much more likely, I told NV
sen, remembering the passionate fierce
ness or the younger sister, that the
gus were intended to placate, not to
reward; that they were the outgrowth
OF fear, not Of affection. Fear of WHAT
! could not even guess. Fear of ex-
posure or some secret, perhaps-and
the thought stung me to a sudden at
tention. "'
Had the gifts been in vain? Had the
suSlel peen' exposed? Was 1t they who
whispered In Marcia Lawrence's ear the
story which had broken the maria ga
caused her flight. ruined her future?
was mat their revenge for some old
injury? Had they waited till the last
moment 10 make Ii more complete
more crushing? But if they. indeed
sSe 50 b. avenged themselves. would
refuge? Would she not rather ba ive
ned from them with lothing?
felt that was entanglinr rvse,f
In a web Of my own weaving. mt
the problem from me, but II pursped
me even past sleeps portals III
dreamed that I was staring over the
hedge at the Kingdom cottage. at .
llghted window. Three women were
IN the room, as could see from the
shadows thrown upon the blind. They
were walking up and down. seeminrIy
In great excitement. I fancied thai
could hear the sound of voices, but
could distinguish no words. Thar
suddenly, two Of the women sprane nm
on the third. She struggled desnerate-
ly but their hands were at her throat
choking her life away. She turned
toward me, the curtain seemed TO ijft
and l beheld the agonized face OF
Marcia Lawrence
/ tried TO leap the hedge but cou,d
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
/ stood staring; / felt her eyes ON
mine, l knew that she had seen me.
She held out an imploring hand; then,
when l made no sign in answer de-
spair swept across her face she seemed
to realize her helplessness, and col
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