The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-12-05
cHAPTER xr-(continaed.,

+.H..H .+.I .# MH4.wNEH.s
CHAPTER xI-(Continued.)
will you wait in here. sir, until
inquire II her ladyship can see your
said James, the butler. What name
shall / say2o
1T would be useless to give my
name" replied a deep voice; "or stay
You can say I bring tidings from Bleak
As the door closed, Prue rose to her
feet with distended eyes and bristline
hair, and faced Robin Freemantle.
He wore a long riding coat OF wine
colored cloth and carried a broad bea-
Yer caught up on one side with a plain
silver buckle. "A small quantity Of fine
linen ruffie protruded from his vest and
the sleeves of his coat. and his left
hand rested in a broad black ribbon
Sling. With his neat leather CATERS
and spurred heels. and the plain sword
In its black scabbard peeping from be-
meath the full skirt of his coat, he
looked h travelling country gentleman
to the life.
For a minute or more the husband
and wife stood gazing upon each other
In silence. Gradually the look of terror
faded from Pruets face and was re-
placed by an expression in which fear
and anger contended with relief.
ct lis really you p" she gasped-
Ar t#a ~ - =
ton OF her futile tears and her hours
OF anguish rushed over her and she
stamped her little foot in unmistakable
Irritation. III
you are angry with me--because
am aliye?" he said, recoiling as though
she had struck him.
Il nave no right to be angry" she
said coldly. ION the contrary, ! COM
gratnlate you"
YOU congratulate mel" he repeated
slowly. But how about yourself? ]
am afraid Observation-Disclosures put
you in an awkward position
She made no reply.
Am Il to blame for that-?' he be-
gan, but she turned upon him swiftly,
You mean that 1t is my fault
that you are my husband 2" she inter-
rupted, her blue eyes flashing like steel,
Elf you choose to blame me for that, ]
have not a word to say in my own de-
Tense" NV
'If I dared, / would bless you for it,
he said. in a low voice, although you,
perhaps, were waiting impatiently for
news OF my death, when / interrupted
you 2"
Remembering how she had been en-
ployed, Prue had no answer ready. She
was silent a minute, and then abruptly
blurteds out, How did you escape, and
why did you come here? Good heaven,
If they should follow you and find you
here! oh, how could you betray me?
Sure, I am the most unfortunate wom-
an in the world"
Listen to me; there is nothing for
YOU to be alarmed about he cried,
hurriedIy coming to her and selling
her hand. Il am Observation-Disclosures
doned. No one viii follow me herei no
one He stopped suddenly, and looked
ixedly at her. What has happened?'
he asked, in a tone OF deep concern.
=. ~ AIaL 81 axrnG a rOIrn6
and s~wollen--you have been weeping =
II thought o were dead" she said
half resentfully. .
and you went because you thought
/ was dead?' he said incredulously-
you were sorry for met He stood
gazing at her, lost in an amazement
SO profound that It seemed like a re-
pr0ach, (
She drew away her hand.
.I should be sorry for any poor SOUL
condemned to die" she said, with an
effort at indifference. .
when last / saw her. he said doubt
fully. as IL reasoning out a strange
nrobism against which his reason con-
tended. she was fresh n smiling,
and prinked out like a princess for her
marriage with a highwayman. Today
she IS pale and sad his eye ran over
her sonber figure, 'tand all In black
ivan run IN too fast!' Prue inter
rupted petulantly. Can i not wear a
black dress without putting on mourn
ing for your sake? Methinks I'll have
Ia wear ii for my owni Never, surely,
was a woman 30 caught IN her OWL
trap!" She cast her eyes round, as
though for Visible means q escape;
suddenly q thought of horror glanced
ssDid YOU come here to claim me r
she Easped, sinking into q chair, pallio
with Jfear
.sYou need not fear me, / have no
such design Upon you," he SAID, re-
garding her with plying tenderness. he
Mas sorely wounded, though more. for
her sake than his own. 'Can You NOT
understand that / would rather perish
nv the most cruel fortunes thar give
YOU one moments pain? OH rather
than see that look of fear n hatred
upon your face, / would 4 were now
hanging upon the gallows! Az ieas.'
you would pity me there, and u not,
I should be none the worse off for your
scorn. I am free, it Is true, but an
exile, and unless I leave these shores
\ within eight days, an outlaw. In q
week, then, should ! still live, snall
be dead in law and you VIII be free
from me forever,
1 speaking, and her face lost Its tense
look OF terror. Once or twice she
Glanced furtively at him, noting the
power n grace of his tall form, his
easy self confident bearing and the
manly frankness of his strong. swarthy
fsce--more attractive than mere beau
ty to asweman so essentially feminine
as Prudence, She was not afraid OF
him nav, but she was extremely angry
with fate, and at the moment he rep
resented fate In its most inexorable
form, so she wanted to be very angry
with him. Yet she could not reproach
him. for the harder she struck at him,
the more ahe would wound her own
pride.
"It rs all so terrible" she said, sigh
ing YEARLY. Then the door was hune
open and Peggie darted In with the
| News sheet In her hand.
sPrus, Prue," she cried, fifnging hel
arms around her cousin without OBJ