Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-12-13
CHAPTER x1-(con,inucd.>

CHAPTER XI-(Continucd.)
VIII you wait in here, sir, until |
Inquire II her ladyship can See you?'
said James, the butler. What name
h 1 say"
1T would be useless TO give my
name replied a deep voice; "or stay,
sou can say bring tidings from Bleak
moor"
As the door closed, Prue rose TO her
feet with distended eyes and bristling
hair, and faced Robin Freemantlc.
He wore a long riding coat of wine
colored cloth and carried a broad bea-
Yer caught up on n side with u plain
silver buckle. A small quantity of fine
linen rufffe protruded from his vest and
the sleeves of his coat. and his left
iard rested in a broad black ribbon
sling. With his neat leather CATERS
and spurred heels. and the plain sword
III is black scabbard peeping from be-
Meath the full skirt OF his coat, he
iooked the travelling country gentleman
to the life.
For a minute or more the husband
and wife stood gazing upon each other
faded from Prue's face and was re-
placed by AN expression in which fear
and anger commended with relief.
1T Is really u she gasped-
"alive-and freew Then the recollec-
ton OF her futile tears and her hours
Of anguish ushed over her and she
stamped her little foot in unmistakable
Irritation.
You are angry with me-because l
= alive he said, recoiling as though
she had struck him.
;! nave no right to be angry" she
said coldly. On the contrary, i con-
graduate YOU"
You congratulate mo-" he repeated
slowly: But how about Yourself? I
am afraid Observation-Disclosures put
you In an awkward position"
She made no reply.
Am 1 to blame for that" he be-
gan, but she turned upon him swiftly.
you mean hat 1T is my own fault
that you are my ~husband?' she inter
rupted, her blue yes flashing like steel.
IF you choose to blame me for that, l
have not a word to say in my own de-
tense"
III I dared, l would bless you for it."
he aAid. in a low voice. although you.
perhaps. were waiting impatiently for
news of my death, when I interrupted
you?"
Remembering how she had been m
ploycd, Prue had no answer ready. She
WAS silent a minute. n then abruptly
blurted out, "How did you escape, and
why did you come here? Good heaven,
Il they should follow you and find you
here! oh, how could you betray me?
Sure. ] am the most unfortunate wom-
an In the world"
Listen to me: there is nothing for
you to be alarmed about he cried,
hurriedly coming to her and Selling
her hand. II am free-reprieved-par-
one" He. stopped suddenly, n looked
nxedly at her. What has happened?'
he asked, in a tor of deep concern.
"You are SO pale-your eyes are red
and swrllen-you have been weeping? q
Il thought you were dead!" she said
half resentfully.
And you wept because you thought
was dead?" he said incredulously-
"Y0u We're sorry for me?" He stood
gazing at her. lost in an amazement
no profound that 1t seemed like a re-
proAcf.
She drew away her hand.
Il should be sorry for any poor soul
condemned to die" she said, with an
effort at indifference.
~Vhcn last I saw her. he said doubt
fu!.;-. ~ II reasoning u a strange
brehisM against which his reason CON
tended. '.she was fresh and smiling.
and rrinked out like q princess for her
marriage with q highwayman. Today
she IL pale and sad his " ran e
her solnber figure. land all In black
Tor my sake
You u on too fast!" Prue inter-
fupted p~etulantly. Can I not wear q
black DRESS without putting on
Ing for your sake? Methinks Ill have
Z wear It for my own! Never. surely,
was q woman 20 caught In her w
though for visible NJ OF escape.
Suddenly : thought Of horror glanced
spid YOU come here to claim me?''
she tasbed. sinking into q chair. paaiid
with .