The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-01-24
whom he could shift an amazing re

docks face.
l am her husband announced the
caller his hands still in his pockets.
Inc servants hand was stayed.
won't you call again. he tenn
porlZeo. i don't quite understand. 1t
oon | 90 down very easy, I'll say that.
Al any rate, o can't see her now, no
matter who you are. She was up all
nisht with Miss Braddock, who took
SICK suddenly. Mrs. Braddock has just
lald down for a.
christine sick?" demanded Brad
dock. The new note In his voice com
hehdeu attention lit can't be Sc
rlous, She was all right when she
ealne IN last night. What's the mat
ter with her? Speak up, What does
the doctor say?"
iney didnt call a DOCTOR"
ne was surprised to see the ominous
glare fade from B~raddock's eyes. They
"aVered and her fell. An uneasy
mlrthless laugh cracked In his throat:
'heh MS lip quivered ever so slightly
BROOKS could have sworn to it. For a
Siia D duoo1h stood IL Z
r~enecting, swayed by an emotion so
that he was a long time
IN accounting for 1t. Indecision sue
eeeded the arrogant assurance that
had marked his advances. He knew
why Mary Braddock sat up with her
A doctor? AS If a doctor
could prescribe for the afliction that
beset herr Too well he now under
stood what had transpired in that up
stairs room. A thing of horror had
come to rack the soul Of that happy.
beautiful girl-had come suddenly be
cause the time was ripe. She was suf-
tering because he was near,
A tense. bitter oath struggled
through his lips.
Then he turned away.
Brooks was not long In apprising
Mrs. Braddock Of the strangers visit.
She was with Christine when he made
the unhappy announcement.
i will see Mr.. Braddock when he
returns" Brooks blinked two or three
times, his only tribute to the stupen-
dous shock he had experienced.
oiid bfduuOCh walked 10 the
Battery. There he sat down on one
Of the benches and glowered out upon
the blue waters of the bay for an
hour or more No muscle moved in his
face, He waited with a patience that
was three years old.
When David drove up to the Port
man place. Mrs. Braddock arose from
ono Of thn nhn;rG in fbn nnrrnu ctnra
porch at the top of the steps. She,
too. had been waiting. but not for the
young man who dashed up the steps.
He has been here" she said. as she
gave him her hand. The tenseness OF
the clasp revealed the strain that was
upon her. He noted the pallor in her
cheek, the dread In her eyes.
"Yes?" he cried ~anyiously. Where
is he? / tried to get there in time.
Did he
"Sit down, David-here, please, be-
hind the balustrade. | am waiting out
here for him. He is coming back"
"You-y o sent him away?"
81 did not see him. You must not
think. David, that | am afraid to see
him. ! am nervous, upset. but it
really isn't fear. Christine-Christine
knows everything. | told her last
night. She is-well, you can imagine.
she is very unhappy. Everything looks
black to her. | did not hide anything.
She is crushed"
Where is she? I must see her. ]
can comfort her, Mrs. Braddock. Let
me see her before he comes back"
He was standing over her. his face
working.
"She will not see you, David" she
said in dull tones.
He started. What do you mean?
She must see me"
"Her father was in the penitentiary."
That was all, but it told all there was
to tell.
He cried out re~proachfully, Does
she think that will make any differ
ence i'm my"
she knows 1t won't. That's what
distresses her. I am afraid, David. aft
err all, you have brought your honor to
a wretched market. We are what we
are. we B%raddocks. We can't look be-
vond our environment. You cannot
marry a convict's daughter"
Mrs. Braddock," he said, his voice
ouiyering with decision, 81 am not go
ing to be put off like this. You may as
well understand that. first and last. |
love her. / want her. She loves me,
thank God. 1t won't be sc hard to
make her understand how impossible
it is for anything to come between us.
She is going to marry me, Mary Brad
dock"
A great light leaped into her eyes.
even as she shook her head. She reach
ed out as If to clasp his hand, a move
ment as involuntary as 1t was ~instinc-
tive. He had turned n was facing
the closed portals behind which his
hearts desire was beating all Joy and
hope out of her poor, tormented soul.
Il can't stand it," he cried. This
is the time for me to go to her and
say that | love her better than all the
world |