Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-03-14

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give them to me. They took good stock
OF me when : made the alrangement
for that Very purpose. otherwise. any
one could get my letters. l shall feel
better tomoilow."
I Thought | should never fall in love
again" he said abruptly. Blu | have
done 50, Nora. You turn from me.
Perhaps YOU have u right to do So" he
said moodily. Il Thought l was in low
with her four years X but l know
NOW. since I have seen you, that it was
merely II youthful infaruation. Let mo
tell Won about it
When Mrs. Smithers returned she
found that Mr.. Westmoir WAS gone and
that Nora had tearstained eyes, all
though she declared lhat she was hap
Ply. Nora MAS we'll enough to go for
found one. h carried it home in
triumph, and, once in her room. She
opened il. The contents We're in
cipher, which She could not read.
II mus, give it up" h sighed aloud.
"You mean the packet, i suppose?
Certainly you must give 1t up said IL
voice in her ear.
Nora sprang to her feet with u
scream. To find that a tall. strongly
built. yet well-shaped woman, with
features that We're attractive and strtk-
ing, if not beautiful, was standing be-
hind her.
Il followed you home said the wo-
Il with an amused smile. Il guessed
that that advertisement was Il trap.
and so l hit upon a plan to outwit the
decoy duck and the master hand that
used 1t. l am here to get the packet.
If you don't tell me where the stones
are I'll kill you
II haven got the packet" said Nora.
drawing herself up haughtily. She was
bound to put IL bold face on the matter.
l,1f bar nnSifiOn was 6anPa1.O1lS. WhQr9
was Maurice?
Tell me what happened?" COM
manded the woman with flashing eyes.
and Nora told her..
''Where is tina umbrella" she demanded
suddenly.
II put 1t into that cupboard when 1T was
dry. just as 1t was. j determined to Keep
it until 1 could see If anything could be
done with it,"
The woman hurried to the cupboard and
took out the damaged umbrella. In q mo-
ment she had aiken from the enclosed
framework a little packet with discolored
wrapping. The Hateful packet had some
how slipped into the umbrella and had lain
there all the time that Maurice was try
ing to find 1t. And then Nora
that she had never mentioned that UNI
brclla incident to Maurice, or he might
have guessed.
"Ha. az laughed the woman ironically.
Here il is! 1t is"
Mine." cried a strong voice. and the
packet was deftly snatched from her
fingers.
with a shrin cry the woman turned.
"Maurice..'
Laura"
And the shrinking girl opposite them
knew that the former lovers had met
again.
so you have come back again to rob
M % ,,,,,i nria1 {ttap1x s.Onro hafnra
you fooled me and stole from my father
and me. and now--'
"And now,'' retorted@ the woman fiercely,
in~terrupting him and turning his words
against him. you have found consolation
-thcre.' And she pointed at Nora, who in
stinctively shrank from her and placed
herself by the side of Maurice for protec-
ton. He drew her to him with his left
hand, and his arm crept round her waist.
You must tell me where the other
stones are said Maurice decisively. "If
YOU do that you can go free: II not he
added. as he made "A defiant gesture, you
go TO prison."
Never screamed the now Infatuated
woman.
She made a catlike spring toward the
couple. who stood between her and tho
door. but she recoiled as Maurice released
Nora and attempted to seize her wrists.
She stood before him with heaving chest
and flashing eyes. She wanted to hate him,
to strike him down. yet she could not con-
quer the love that had manifested itself
after she had lost him. If she had only
been a better woman. Nora saw the ex-
preston in her eyes and comprehended 1t:
placing her hand on Matrices arm, she
spoke gently:
Let her co." she said. She has been
punished
All the hardness and fury died out of tho
woman's features; she hesitated for a mo-
ment to take advantage of Matrices
movement to the side of the room to al
low her q free passage out.
You are right" she said quietly. And
l deserve 1t. Make him happy"
She passed through the door and they
never saw her again.