The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-01-31
A Startling Test-Continued.

ond, then into her eyes, wavering-
ly, uncertain as to the impulse that
moved her. He suddenly regained
control OF himself. He grasped the
slender hand in his great, crushing fin
gers. The sullen, repellent glare leap
ed back into his eyes. Alert and
shifty. he held up his free hand to
command The silence of David. Then,
like a hunted creature at bay, he
glanced over his shoulder. Seeing an
open door almost at his elbow, he reso-
lutely drew his wife after him into
the room beyond. AS he turned to
slam the door with vicious energy the
tense, incisive voice called out once
more from the head of the stairs:
"Father!"
The door banged as If propelled by
the added energy Of sadden fear.
An instant later David was dashing
up the stairs, three steps at a time.
She had started down.
Not just now, dearest" he cried
Walt! He wants to see your mother
first"
Isis she safe, David-,s he him
self? oh, | must go down there. |
know ! can reason"
She Is perfectly safe"
Her head dropped, her lip quivered.
Then she quietly withdrew her hands
and sank to a sitting posture on the
step,
David dropped to his sweetheart's
side. His arm fell about her shout
0nrC Ha mhicnoral marl. ~ ,,oo,,c
agement and sympathy, his soul in ev-
cry syllable.
David h interrupted, 1T is so
good of you to say these things to
me, -but--oh, can't you see how
Impossible it is now? Go away, Da-
vid. Do you think that | can marry
o now? 1t was bad enough before,
but now! What am ! that you should
take me to be your wife! You must
go away and forget
He drew her head to his breast,
s~mothering the heartbroken cry by
the fierceness of his embrace.
Open your eyes. Christine. Look
at me- She looked up, utter desola-
ton ~ her eyes. Nothing on earth
can keep you from being my wife
nosaing! / couldn't give you up"
1T cannot be. pavid-it cannot bel"
h moaned.
Meanwhile Thomas Braddock was
pacing the floOr Of the library almos:
directly beneath them. His wife
watched him In silence. 1t was the
Mrst time she had seen him in five
years. A curious analysis was going
on In her p%erturbed brain. The change
In him! She could O lake her eyes
from the haggard, heavily lined fnce,
90 unlike the blithe, youthful one she
had loved, or the bloated, bestial one
abe had feared md despised. She
marveled. This Vas not the vacillat-
ing. whisky willed man she had known
Tor SO long; herr was a determined
character. swelling with force, fierce
An the resources OF a belated integrity
OF purpose. No longer the careless,
handsome youth. nor the hornless
man, but a power! Whether that
power stood for good or evil it matter
ed NOT. He was a man such as she
had never expected him to be.
He stopped in front of her.
This is the first time | have ever
been asked into this house." he said,
lips curling In a bitter, unfriendly
smile.
"Tom." she said. taking a firm grasp
ON her nerves, 'let US talk it over
quietly. Sit down."
He halted. Il can talk better stand
Ing" he said grtmly. He came up
close to her. she stood her ground,
hooking him sQuarely in the eyes.
There isn't much to say, Mary. You
know who made me SO. He's got to
nay, that's all. We won't go into the
past. It's not easily forgotten. I guess
NE remember everything"
I'm not excusing myself. I'm past
that, and besides it wouldn't go down
with you. l did a lot Of rotten things
while you and I were ploddin' along
&hrough those last two years with the
nhow-you know what they were. But
L WIS whisky! l tool money that
didn't belong to me-yours and Chris.
Gtne'a. and Grand's, and tensions. l
did worse than that, Mary. l sold you
put to Bob G~rand--you knew that too.
but TN going to try to pay up all my
hebts-,all Of 'em, in a day or two. l
I'VE you my ugly, worthless life. I'm
soing 70 pay you in full by ending 1t.
I owe Colonel Grand for everything l
Was, for what | am. I'm going to
nay him, 30 help me God. Don't in
ferrupt! MY minds made up. ! came
here to Gsk you just two questions. l
want yoa to answer them. I'm going
- believe you. You eve lie. l know
that"
II viii answer them, Tom"
He nesitated. hts gaze wavering for
~ ffst time. IL hate to ask you
~ arst one. Mary" he said. ITS q
900 question. but rye just got to
Heor youssay NO. Did you 60 to Eng
Hon1 With Bob 0rand?"
no.
"A ~ffere's tho 0ther. Did he give You
RWMWE ~ M&&A