Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-05-31

tray your secret.
That is we'll. You have promised
faithfully, remember. l am here as a
guest, and not a sou in the house
knows my previous history. When l
knew you were coming here, ! man.
aged to meet you first, so that ! could
ask you to keep silent. You wonder
why am here-I will tell you. My
daughter Laura is to marry Lucian
Maxwell the day after tomorrow"
Like a flash a memory rose before
my mental vision. If there was one
subject on which Maxwell, in my
opinion, was a little overparticular, it
was on the dreaded topic of heredity.
Frequently he had assured me that far
rather would he remain single all his
life thar bring disease into his family.
You think l lave trapped you"
said Mrs. Joliffe, who vas watching
my face i%ntently. well, l meant to
do sc. l hold you to our word-to
the bond of professional secrecy you
have given me-"
do you consider 1t right to keep
Maxwell in the dark?" l demanded.
Yes, from my point of view" she
retorted. When 7 heard last night
that you were coming here, the chief
friend Of the bridegroom, l experience
ed a sensation of agony, which you
with our cool, well-balanced life,
could never understand"
you can rest assured that l pity
you," l said. But the promise you
have wrung from me. Mrs, 1aliffe.
means injustice to my friend"
Nevertheless, I refuse to release
you from it," she said firmly. Il have
but one child, my only treasure. She
knows nothing whatever of the doom
which hangs over me. h is beauti-
full, lovable, worthy of the best that
life can offer her. l will not AVE her
happiness tempered with, no matter
what the cost may be-"
SIS your mania of a slight charac-
ter?" l asked hopefully.
NO." she answered sullenly. There
is no use in mincing matters. l am
at intervals pursued by the most hor-
rible, CHASTITY fear that l am being
poisoned. My mania rises to hatred,
and unless something is done to arrest
it's progress, I should think very little
of trying to take the life of the person
whom l fancy is conspiring against
me. Even at the present moment /
feel the sure approach of the terrible
cloud which shuts away the sunshine
Of my life. l am convinced, however,
that l shall be able to control myself
until Thursday morning, when l shall
return Immediately to Fairleigh SAM
tarium.'
"And your daughter knows nothing
of this?" l queried.
mo. l have been very careful. Ny
husband died soon after her birth, and
when Laura was five ear old she
was taken from me and sent to school.
We used to meet in the holidays, and
we always correspondent regularly,
When with her / have had power to
restrain myself, and she suspects moth
ing. Your terrible theory of heredity
cannot be correct, for Laura Is men
tally sound in every way. l have done
all that l could by placing her in the
healthiest environments. But II she is
the victim of a cruel blow l cannot
answer for the consequences. She is
very fragile and physically delicate;
were you to tell what you know of me-
to Mr.. Maxwell 1t would in all proba,
bility render my daughter insane fol
life"
rose to my feet. You Place me
in a bad position" l said, but I will
not go back on my word. l only hope
l am not committing a crime in sc
doing"
Il trust you, and thank you," she
said. Here come Lucian and some OF
It. -.,o+, CHI rDin$od I0u,o a victo
through the wood, where the forms OIL
several people were visible under the
trees, and ran forward to me- them
Il have been the first to greet DR.
Halifax" she said, going straight VI
to Maxwell. My friend rushed for
ward and shook hards with me.
II cannot say how acceptable your
presence is" he exclaimed. II have
much to tell you, but first of all
want 20 introduce you to Laura. We
will go to her at once"
In a little while we entered a long
low conservatory. A slender young
girl was standing by an open window
twirling a rose in her fingers. When
she saw Maxwell the rose fell from
her hand, and she advanced to meet
him.
Here l am, Laura" he exclaimed
land whom do you think / have
brought with me? No less a person
Than my best mar and greatest friend
DR.. Halifax.
Il have heard of you, of course, and
l am glad to meet you." she answered
raising shy eyes to my face. She was
| saw at a glance, her mother in NINA.
ture, but with a sort Of halo cast w
her. Under her Wonderfully brilliant
eyes there were somewhat dark
shadows, which seemed to throw ul
and intensity their expression. adding
TO the ~etherealness an fragility of the
delicate face. She began to speak tc
me in a low. sweet sJtce. Al times
3 fancied that her bcnws knit as if ir
f momentary pain; INV and then hel
lips dropped slighz'y; and once / felt
certain that Intercepted a startled
light of perplexity, almost terror, in her
ayes. l said to myyelf, however, that |
was %preiudiced, gl,at the knowledge OF
tha. mothers h.s.ory mad me read
more than / ought in the daughters
| face.
The dance that evening was a par
ticularly brilliant one. Many guests
4 arrived. and the grounds were lighted
with Chinese lanterns and other va