The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-09-19
The HEART OF A WOMAN
". ~ BARONESS ORGY.
Author Of sThe Scarlet Pimpernel" "Petieoat Rule" Etc

The consequences OF his crime can
not be faced-not by any one-not by
me. There's Uncle Rad to think of
first. He Is broken and i'll. he has
more than one foot in the grave. The
trial and the scandal couldn't be kept
from him; it would be bound to leak
out sooner or later. 1t would be too
big a scandal, and it woul kill him
never do should be Earl of Rad
clyffe and a felon--it wouldn't do. now
would 1t? Who has ever heard of a
peer undergoing a life sentence-or be-
ing hanged? 1t wouldn't do-you know
1T wouldn't do
He reiterated this several times, with
quaint lnsistence, as IL he were discuss
Ing with her the possibility or impos-
sibiiity Of attending a race meeting,
or a ball In Lent. she proving obstinate.
She did not reply, leaving him to
ramble on in his somewhat wild speech,
hoping that If she let him talk on I'M
interruptedly he would sooner or later
betray something Of that enigma which
lay bidder behind the wooden mask
which he still so persistently wore.
Besides" ne continued, still argu-
Ing. there's Frank to think of-the
next heir to the title. I believe that
people In penal servitude live an I'M
IL tiny
are wanted to die. Think Of poor old
Frank waiting to come into his own
into an old title held by a felon. 1t is
all much too much Of a muddle, Lou.
1t is simpler that 1 should GO"
But" she said, really trying now to
speak as simply, as calmly as he did
himself. all these arguments which
you are using now Luke, will equally
apply II you make yourself a fugitive
from Justice
"oh. T shouldn't be that for very
long!" he said lightly.
You are thinking of suicide?"
NO." he replied simply, II am not.
Only of the chances OF a wandering
life"
You seem to look at every chance,
Luke, except one"
Which one is that"
THAI though you might be arrested,
though you might be accused and even
tried for the murder of-of that man
truth might come out, and your in
nocence proved"
THAT would be impossible. Lou" he
said quietly.
exclaimed passionately, why"
MY dagger stick was found inside
the ratings Of the park-and the stains
on 1t are irrefutable proofs"
That's only ctrcumstantial evidence"
she rgued you can demolish 1t, If
you choose"
II cannot" he replied. ~ should
plead guilty-Mr. Dobson says h If
l plead guilty, counsel can plead ex-
tenuating Observation-Disclosures pro-
vocation and so forth-and l might get
a more lenient sentence"
Luke, 81 said, looking him
stralght In the face. compelling his eyes
to meet hers, for in their clear depths
she meant to read the truth. to compel
the truth at last. He had never lied
in his life. If he lied now she would
Know 1t. she would read it In his face
Luke! you are shielding some one by
taxing the crime on YOU own Shout
| ders."
But his eyes remained perfectly clear
n steady as they gazed straight into
hers. There was not a shadow in
them, not a CULVER. as he replied quiet
ly:
No, Lou, I am shielding no one"
1t was you who killed that man
Philip lie Mountford-or Pau Baker
whoever ne may Beg"
And he answered her firmly, looking
steadily into her face:
ut was l."
She said nothing more then, but rose
TO her feet, n went quite close up to
MN. With a gesture that had no
hought of passion in it, only sublime,
motherly love, she took Luke's head
IN both her hands and pressed it to her
heart.
MY poor old Luke!" she murmured.
mo S : sm 1nSa his hair as a
child; the motherly instinct was up in
arms now. wen fighting the womanly,
the passionate instinct of a less self
less love. She bent down and kissed
his forehead.
Luke" she said gently, 1T would do
you such a lot of good if you would only
let yourself 60"
He had contrived to get hold Of her
hands; those hands which he loved so
dearly, with their soft, rose tinted palms
n the scent OF sweet peas which
chung to them. His own hot fingers
closed on those small hands. She stood
before him. tall, elegant-not beautiful!
Louisa Harris had never been beauti-
ful, nor yet a fairy princess Of ro-
mance-only a commonplace women!
A woman of the world, over whose
graceful form, her personality even,
convention invariably threw her man
tle-but a woman for all that-with
a passion burning beneath the crust Of
worldly sang froid-with heart attuned
to feel every CULVER, every sensation of
JOY n of pain. A woman who loved
with every fiber In her-who had the
supreme gift Of merging self in love
of giving oil, her soul, her heart. her
mind and every thought woman who
reused every chord Of passion in a
mans heart--the woman whom men
adore!
And now as luke de Mountford held
her hands, and she stood close beside
him, her breath coming and going in
quick gasps, with the suppressed ex-
element of latent self sacrifice, he,
eyes glowing and fearless, he half slid
from he chair on which he was sitting
and one knee was on the ground, and
his face turned up to hers.
He almost smiled as she repeated
with a little sigh:
If you would only let yourself go!'
IF l would let myself dwindle down
to the level OF drivilling FOOLS" he said
God knows, Lou, it would be easy
enough now, when 1 hold those lovely
little hands of yours, and the scent OF
sweet peas which ONE from youI
dear self reminds me of summer, of old
fashioned gardens of enduring peace
Lou! l dare not even kiss your hands
and yet my whole body aches with the
longing to press my lips on them. You
see how easily l drift into being a driv-
cling fool? Would to God 1 could lie
on the ground here before you and fee
the soles of your feet on my neck. How
lucky slaves were in olden days
weren't they? They could kneel before
their mistress and she would place her
naked foot upon their necks. l am q
| Il ri y-nlJir, er fool D, 4 =, IL o,l tolJ