The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-11-21
CHAPTER fx-(continusd.

cHAPTER K-(Continued.)
NOW. said Sir Goeffrey. turning to
Prudence with smile, Fall that re-
mails y 2 pleasant ceremony OF con
graduating the bridegroom and salut-
Ing b bride, and then we had better
be going.
Prue was standing a little apart.
with downcast eyes and a certain trou-
Bile IN her pensive face, that almost
foretokcned tears. She drew back q
step at. Sir Goeffrey's words, and put
up her hand. palm outward.
Let us have no more mockery," she
said colby. I'VE have made ourselves
quite contemplate enough, without fur
Their buff0onery. So far from congrat-
ulating the briegroom, we should do
better ito apologize to him. She
stamped her foot slightly but posi-
lively, as he seemed disposed to persist
las to the BRIDE sir, for n she Is
in no humor for folly. BE kind enough
TO take my cousin out and find q chair
for her; then, YOU can return and see
me TO my carriage
And leave you here?o he exclaimed.
Where else would you leave me?''
she retorted, ir a jeering tone. Are
you afraid to leave me with my hus-
band2''
Sir Goeffrey would still have fingered
~ s. GIilOlLolEd ats 81 JILL CBBlGb WIO6G
ready sympathy OWNED her cousins
motive. placed her hand within his arm,
and drawing her veil closely over her
face, announced herself ready for de-
,sparture,
The gentleman is not my husband"
j remarked demurely. TT would
scarcely be proper to leave me alone
With him, and you cannot escort us
both at once II
y T,lIt y,hays thav xynra alana tba wards
Of ex~tenuation Prue intended to speak,
seemed hard OF utterance. There was
a little lump in her throat, and she
could think of no commonplace form
OF excuse that seemed TO fit the occa-
sion. Robin gazed at her as though
her image. Yet. although they were
scarcely 20 inches apart, he made no
attepmt TO touch her.
tMorituri te salutant,. he said, with
B. curious mingling or irvny and tender
f1ess I'm his yoicesfy"Accept the bless
Ing Of a 3dying man
Obj poor soul-must thou really
die&H sighed Prue, at last raising her
eyes, filled withttears.
AT the sight OF those sweet, dewy
eyes. the newly made husband thrilled
in every nerve. IF those tears are for
me. sweet Prudence, he said, death
Is not SO hard to bear
"s.ris sald; indeed, I would I could
do aught 10 comfort thee!n she mur-
INJURED. half turned away, yet lingering.
"a dark flush swept his cheek. II could
telbTyou, If I dared, how to make me
forget everything but-yourself," he
I said. X.
If you dared she dashed an arch
glance at him. eDn BieahmQor, you
were not $50 ceFemoniousS Sir High
wayplar. Ask me Cor what you please.
MNr fSnNSar& 4nArnr "a fYl1ttnAJ rhilfN II xyill clad
lysdo What Lean toseoHsole you
IAN thdu wouldst really comfort me,
kiss me once,i as though 1 were thy
ne az husband and thou lowest me" He
held out his arms TO her, with such
prayer and such insistence In his eyes,
that Prue. startled hung back an in
stanty and then. half involuntarily.
dropped toward him, and permitted her
self to be clasped in his passionate em-
brace
When she drew herself away, her
checks were rosy read and her eyes
cast down.. But Robin, transferring his
lips 70 her hand fell on his knees be-
fore her.
aoh!. he softly uttered, Il can bear
to die now. Death.itself cannot % me
of your kiss.
Then you forgive me t~ormarrying
your she said.
Forgive your Oil II you had killed
me, r could have blessed you, but would
not have presumed to think Of pardon
he ~passionately breathed. land now
Words failed and his lips finished the
invocation on her hand. "
She placed her other hand gently on
his bowed head, and pressing IL back,
sstooped&a and kissed him on the fore
head II WAS as pure and tender a
caresss as another could have bestowed
IN her sleeping babe, but II touched
both hearts as the most passionate EN-
brace OF love could not have done. It
was a farewell benediction.
Not another word was spoken, and
when Sir Godfrey returned, Prue al
lowed him to wrap her In her cloak and
hood and lead her away. without wen
"a backward glance at Robin, who, ais
Don az the door had closed behind
them, threw himself on the floor where
she had stood, and gave way to an
OF recollection, none the less
delicious because there was no future
to discount its bliss.
When at last he rose to his feet, he
gathered UP the manuscript at which
he had worked since daylight, and tore
IL into. fragments.
since my death viii benent her, /
will! not attempt to.live,H he exclaimed.
"She has paid for my life In full and
with Interest, and Ill not cheat her of
her bargain
lie SAT- OWE and OH MS la5L eIudlu
ing sheet Of paper, wrote a short LETT
ter. EtF.
'Friend steve:
aAs soon as / am dead and accord
ing to your promise I'm which I have
all confidenceE, buried, as we agreed
together. you will take the iron box
you wot OF and convey II to Mistress
Prudence Brooke. to whom8I b~eQueath
1t, to do whatever she will with the
conteHtss I do not know where this
lady lives. but you can easily discover
her, as she Is Of the court and a lady
!. or title. being besides OF a beauty SO
incompatible, that by It alone you can
trace her.
aDo not grieve after me. We must
all die. and j have ridden so often with
Death on the pillion. that we are old
comrades. Besides, I have reasons that
YOU wot mot OF Tor welcoming him as
q benefactor TO others besides.
Your friend,
Robin Freemantle."
He was sealing this missive, when
khe cell door opened. and a man OF
grave and imposing appearance was
ushered IN.
Fl am Lord ~Beachcombe's attorney