The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-11-02

My mind few back to the Kingdor
women. with sort Of fascination
What had Harriet Kingdom meant BY
that wild outburst Of hers?
There are Others" she had said
who have waived their rights and tori
their hearts and withered in silence
What had she meant by that? Wha,
secret was 1t had torn her heart? Were
the words merely meaningless out
burst, an incoherent cry, the result OF
a mind disordered? I could not brine
myself to think so. but cudgel my brain
as 1 might, could read no meaning
into them. Yet it was for her that
Mrs. Lawrence had sent at that su.
| preme moment when I revealed to hei
the secret OF the letter: 1t was of heI
she had spoken when she cried, 81
thought 1t was that woman!" Harriet
Kingdom had known the secret. then
and had kept silence.
| Then. suddenly, it burst upon me
what q hideous thing IL was that she
had done by keeping silent. 1t was the
IeLter, arriving at that last desperate
moment. which had snatched Marcia
Lawrence and Burr Curtiss from the
horrible pit which yawned before them
Inc writing OF that letter was not an
act or enmity, but Of mercy. Harriet
Kingdom had stood by and uttered no
word or warning-I shuddered at the
utter fiendishness Of it! But who had
written the letter? Then. in a flash,
knew!
| what Is 1t, Lester?" demanded Mr..
Royce, wheeling suddenly around.
suppose some exclamation must have
ourst from me, though was not con-
sclous or uttering any sound. what
is IL! 1 can guess what you're think
ing e, OIL cant think of anything else. .
II believe" I answered, that know
| who it was wrote that lettar RI Misc
Lawrence"
| you do" he cried. "who was II ?''
| Wait!" said, and closed my eyes
| ana pressed my hands tight against
my temples in the effort at recollection.
II was Mrs. Lawrence's aunt-her
Iathers sister. 1t was to her house
she came when she ran away. 1t was
BORN
And who is she?" asked our Junior.
| Where does she liver"
L made another desperate effort of
memory. At last had it.
| Her name is Heminway." said. 81
don't know her address, except that it's
somewhere in New York. She was
married to a banker"
on, / knew him-Martin Hemin-
Way, and Mr.. Royce jerked down a
directory and ran feverishly through
its pages. Here 1t is-East Fifty-four
/ street."
He closed the book with a bang and
took down his hat.
| where are you going?" asked,
I'm going to see her" he said.
you're coming, too. Wen get to the
bottom of this, for Curtiss's sake,
| Either We'll prove 1t a mistake. or we'll
prove beyond doubt that it's true"
Neither OF us spoke during that long
drive uptown. We were too depressed,
TOO anxious. Nor did We speak as we
mounted the steps Of the old fashioned
brownstone and rang the bell. We
were admitted. We were shown into
room on the second floor, after some
delay, where, in great padded chair.
an old. old woman sat- thin and
wrinkled, but with eyes preternaturally
bright.
Mrs. Heminway," Mr.. Rovce bepa ~
directly, we're representing Mr.. Burr
| Curtiss We feel that some explana-
ton is due him of the sudden flight.
three days ago, Of Marcia Lawrence
Whom he was to marry; and we believe
that you're the one best fitted to tell us
the whole story"
| She did not answer for a moment
put sat peering up at us. plucking at
the arms OF her chair with nervous,
skinny hands.
| OF course he has right to know,'
| she cried. in a high, thin voice. like
the note of flute. II thought the girl
would tell him."
But since she hasn't" said our ill.,
Nor, i hope you will. I know it won't
| be pleasant task"
| She stopped him with a quick. claw
like gesture.
Il have never shrunk from any DUTY,
she said, however unpleasant. Sit
down, gentlemen. I will tell you the
story" ...
I am sure there was no evil in either
| of them-Boyd Endicott or Mary Jarvis.
Ihey were rather another Mildred and
Mertoun, caught In the grip of circum-
| stance and whirled asunder by one of
those ironical tricks which fate some-
| times loves to play. For, on the night
OF the elopement, while Boyd Endicott.
leaving Princeton on the eve of his
Christmas vacation, was waiting for
his bride at Trenton, with every prep
aratfon made to whirl her away to a
new home In the west, she was speed
ing away from him toward New York.
She had taken the train at Fanwood
and was to change at Elizabeth. There,
half dazed by the noise, tremulous with
fright, confused in the tangle of tracks,
she had taken the wrong train.
Boyd Endicott waited through the
night, with what agony Of doubt one
can guess; then, when morning dawned
believing Mary Jarvis faithless-be.
lieving she loved her father. more than
him-hot blooded and impetuous. he had
boarded a train and journeyed alone
into the west, where they had planned
to build UP new home together. He
was never to know the true story of that
night: for. there in the west two DAYS
later, his life, had been crushed out.
Meanwhile, almost paralyzed with
fear. the girl arrived at New York. She
was iii, benumbed, chilled with tho
cold; darkness was coming on: she
knew not where to turn, and finally. IN
an agony Of desperation, she sought the
home Of Mrs. Heminway. The cause of
her illness could not be long concealed:
she asserted that she was married, that
she had been Boyd Endicott's wife for
nearly year; but her father did not
believe her. For she had no marriage
lines, she did not even know the name
Of the minister before whom their vows
had been uttered-sha could tell only of
long drive through the dashing rain
one night when her father had been
detained In town; of a hasty ceremony;
OF the drive home again. It was an
incoherent story, at the best, and she
told 1T in a half delirium which made
1t more incoherent still. Her father
was nearly mad with rage; in his first
white wrath he was for sending her
forth into the streets. But his sister
reasoned with him-there was no need
OF public disgrace, she would take
the child, the sight Of :. should never
offend him, nor should his daughter
know aught conct rning 1t. Doubtless
they would have made some effort to
verify her story but the news Of Rovd