The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-08-24

only tenable one, and yet, with the
memory OF Miss Lawrence's pure face
| before me. / could not believe II.
could not believe that those clear eyes
sheltered such a secret. / could not be-
iieve that anything shameful bad ever
| touched her. She had kept heevelf un-
prove It.! ~
AS I reached the Kingdom house and
turned In at the gate. remembered
with smile the resolution 1 had made
the night before to buy revolver. 1t
seemed absurd enough in the light Of
the clear day--that I should arm my
self against two women!
| Tnere was flower bed on either side
the walk, well kept and in q riot Of
| ploom. and along the hedges and about
the mouse were others. Evidently the
women who lived here not only loved
MOVERS, but had ample time to tend
them. AS I approached the house, I
saw that the blinds were drawn, and
| tnere seemed no sign OF life about the
place, but the door was opened almost
instantly In answer to my knock.
The woman who opened 1t, I knew
at once for the elder Miss Kingdom, and
my eyes were caught and my attention
held by the bold, virile beauty Of her
| face-a beauty which had, in a way.
burnt itself out by its very fierceness.
she resembled her sister, and vet there
mas something higher and finer about
her. She gave me the impression of
one who had passed through a fiery
furnace--and not unscathed. won
dered. as Godfrey had, at the dark
splendor OF her eyes; could fancy how
tney would burn and sparkle once she
was reused to anger.
This is Miss Kingdom ?" asked.
She bowed.
I'm going to ask favor, Miss King.
don, l said. "the fay or Of a few mo.
ments' conversation"
Are you reporter?" she demanded.
without seeking to soften the harshness
or the question, and in an instant I
kheW tnat II was she who had threat.
ened me through the door the night be-
Iore, Tor the voice was the same and
yet not the same. Then IL had been
edged and broken by kind of frenzy:
now II was almost domneering in its
cool insolence. What was ii had so
shaken her! Fear at my knock at that
hour of the night? Yet she seemed
anything but a woman easily alarmed.
No. I'm not reporter" answered.
smiling as well as l could to hide the
tumult of my thoughts. My name Is
Lester. and I'm acting for Mr.. Curtiss.
hope you'll grant my request"
She looked at me more closely, and
her lips curved derisively.
I've heard Of you" she said
from your sister. no doubt. I had
the pleasure Of meeting her yester-
day afternoon"
could not wholly keep the irony out
Of my tone.
Il guess you didn't find out much
from her." she retorted.
NOT half as much as she knew I
hope you'll be more frank with me-"
She hesitated moment longer, then
stood aside
Very well; come in" she said. and
as l entered, she pointed the way into
room at the right.
1t was large, pleasant room, well
furnished and in excellent taste. On
my first glance around, my eyes were
caught and held by q portrait which
occupied the place Of honor on the wall
opposite the front window It was a
woman's head, life size, evidently done
from life, crude enough in execution,
but of a woman so brilliantly beautiful
that her face seemed to glow through
the canvas, to rise superior to the lack
OF skill with which the artist had de-
picted her. There was something ia
miliar about ii, too-at least, l fancied
so--and then / shook the thought away
impatiently-
''Well?' asked a voice, and / turned
to see that Miss Kingdom was waiting
for me to speak. 'Sit down." she added
abruptly, and herself sat down opposite
me. and gaZed at me with fierce eyes
that never wavered.
Mr.. Curtiss is naturally anxious"
l began Ito find Miss Lawrence and to
hear from her own lips the reason for
her flight. He even thinks he has a
certain right to know that reason. I'm
try ing to find where Miss Lawrence is"
And why do you come here?" she
asked with compressed lips.
Because" l answered boldly, II be-
lieve that Miss Lawrence came here
when she left her home. She went first
into the library, where she sat for a
while until she decided what to do:
then she opened the library window,
descended from the balcony, and ran
here along the path which leads
through the trees to that gate out yon-
der. You received her and refused to
allow anyone to see her."
II refused to allow the reporters to
see her!" she cried. Surely, you would
have done as much!"
'Yes," said, depressing as well as
could the sudden burst OF triumph
which glowed within me. "Yes-per-
haps I should. But you'll not refuse
me?"
She smiled grimly.
THAT was cleverly done, Mr.. Lester"
she said. Fortunately it's no longer a
question OF my consent or refusal"
Miss Lawrence isn't here?
mo; Miss Lawrence left here late
last night"
And went"
"Ah, that I shall not tell"
looked at her again and saw that
by arguing I should be simply wasting
my time. l saw something else, too
this woman also knew the reason for
Marcia Lawrence's flight.
CONTINUED Next Weekly