The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-11-28

is-.'', cs-..., ~
whispered behind it to Peggie. until
that lively damsel was quite ashamed
Of her levity. Not one word could she
be induced to say about Robin. AS
tontshed at her Indifference, Peggie
tried in a variety OF ways to entrap
her into some expression Of feeling
about him, but she became impatient
gestions Of sympathy with cold flip.
pancy or even more provoking silence.
All the afternoon, a stream of visi-
tors poured through the little house in
Mayfair. Superb equipages and stump.
uous sedan-chairs blocked the thor.
gorgeous array. offered their c%ongratu-
lat1ons to the Lady Prudence, and
slipped weak tea and chocolate out Of
her grandmother's egg-shell CLANCY
cups. Lady Drumloch did not venture
into such a crowd, but, decked in her
priceless cashmeres and laces, received
a favored few in her dressing room,
and listened with a flush Of pride on
her pale face to the praises Of Prue's
beauty and the representations Of a
future even more brilliant and event
full han her past.
You must persuade her to marry
Well and settle down. dear cousin"
aooy I'iiAIeI1Sh duNlSeu. IWenty-CWO
IS quite old enough, even for a widow,
to give up frivolous 1irtations and
choose a husband. The men are all
wild about her, 1 know; but If she jilts
a few more of them, the rest will get
frightened and leave her in the lurch,
Inc she will have to be satisfied with a
crooked stick, like many another spoilt
beauty"
She must please herself" Lady
Drumloch replied. 1.-THE harder she
finds it to choose before marriage, the
less likely she will be to repent after
ward"
For all that the old lad took oc-
sharp lecture upon the necessity of
mending her ways before too late. To
which, Prue listened r~everentially, and
promised speedy amendment. Five
minutes a~fterward. in the privacy of
their w ROOM. she was making Peg
gle die OF laughter at her ~caricature of
herself as a reformed character, with
all her fascinating caprices exchanged
for the cares of the nursery and still
room, obedience to a tryrannical
spouse replacing her sway over a score
Of s%uitors, while she welded Mrs.
Grundy's birch instead Of defying it.
Not one solemn or repentant thought
clouded the laughter of her blue eyes,
and when her cousin kissed her good
night n babe her sleep we'll, she
cried put:
Why, I'm two-thirds asleep al
ready" and turned upon her pillow
with a sigh of voluptuous drowsiness.
slept with the communicating door
open between the two rooms, was awak-
ened by a sound SO strange and unac-
customed, that her heart stood still
for a moment, with awe. From the
little white bed, wherein Prue usually
Clant a. 0o1Yp1u ao n ohs1l -. -o,aJ-
OF grievous weeping, signs and sobs
and broken words Of se~lf-reproach, and
prayers for pardon for herself and
pity for n In extremity.
Peggie started from her bed and
crept stealthily to h door. where she
was not long discovering the cause Of
this unexpected outbreak.
Oh! If I could only once ask him
to forgive me-" Prue sobbed. "Oh!
Robin, Robin, I did not want you to
love me; 1 did not mean to b cruel.
MY God! he will die without knowing
oh! me, oh! me-
Poor little Prue, how unjust I have
been," thought Peggy remorsefully. II
was past all patience with her heart
less indifference, M here she is
breaking her heart v e a frolic mar
riage with a highwayman!'
She crept in quietly, and lying down
beside Prue, put her arms round the
little %quivering form and drew the
tear-damp a upon her kindly bosom.
"Wha is the matter, Prue? Don't
cry so dreadfully," she said.
soothing and petting her There,
there. be comforted, darling
You are not to blame. We per-
Is none the worse for knowing he leaves
some one behind to weep for him"
But he doesn't know 1t. How car
hep sobbed Prue. HE thinks me g
heartless, mercenary coquet-just as
Sir Godfrey does, and you, too. You
know you thought SO, Peggie-"
Margaret was conscience-stricken
but could not deny it. II know you
are a dear little thing, Prue, and
though I thought yesterday you did not
care, l know better now. I'm so sorry
for you. dear. Your poor head is sc
hot and your hands are SO cold. You'll
be sick tomorrow, and after all, it isn't
your fault"
Prudence threw her arms round her
and buried her face on her shoulde,
In q fresh burst Of tears.
oh, Peggte. / am a very wicked
woman. l fear" she sobbed. "Can any
thing be worse than to make a solemn
vow before God to love and honor g
man ! do not mean eve to see again
to swear to keep him in sickness and
poverty, when ali I wish for is that he
may die a violent death to save me
from my just debts? Oh! no, no.
do no wish it, Peggie. The man loves
me! If ever 1 saw love in a mans
eyes, 1t was when Robin held me in his
arms and prayed me give him one kiss
and then forget him! Alas, Peggie.
can forget him! He will haun,
me with those eyes that can look death
In he face without %blenching, and yet
will be closed forever In a few hours
Oh! Peggie. Peggie, he must not die
for me-"
He does not die for you, dear Prue
He dies for his crimes. Faith, Tn
sorry for it. thought he isn't my hus-
band. But think what a plight you
would be in If he were to live!" Peggy
demonstrated.
Prue looked at her like a child sud
denly reused from sleep n finding
its way back gradually from dream
land.
"Tis true" she gasped. What would
become Of me?"
You are his wife," Peggie went on
and as long as he Ives you can not
marry any one else. AS to your debts
III he were not to die, he would haye
TO pay them or go to prison."
"Oh, Peggie. stop. Every word yor
say makes me hate mystelf worse anc
and worse + mI1St haya boon MOD +r