The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-01-31

tones.
There's been talk"
Talk? About what?"
"Us!"
About us? What can you mean,
Mr.. Rawn?' she asked.
THE world is so confoundedly
small, my dear girl, that it seems ev-
erything you do Is known by every
body else. or course. a mar like my
self is in the public eye; but we've
always minded our business. and it
ought not to have been anybody else's
business beyond that"
you disturb me, Mr.. Rawnl What
has happened"
But now, tonight, n%ow-just a
little while ago--I met this fellow Ack-
erman-you know him-big man in
the company-used to be general traf-
fc manager down In st. Louis, on the
old railroad where I began-well, he
was drunk, and he talked"
What could he say?"
"He got me by the coat collar and
proceeded to tell me how much-how
much-well. to tell the truth, he CON
nected your name and mine. If he
wasn't drunk-and a director-fd go
down there yet and smash his face for
hint What business was 1t of his?
OF course, men don't mind such things
so much. But when 1t to you
why. my dear girl"
The truth has already been stated
regarding John Rawn; that, batra-
chan, ~half-dormant for almost half
a century, and then putting into bust
ness what energy most men put into
love and sex, he had passed a life of
singular innocence, or ignorance, as
to womankind. He had never counte-
nanced much gossip about women, be-
cause he had little interest in the
topic. The grande passion marks
most OF us for its own now and again,
or 10 to be feared now and again; but
the grande passion had passed by John
Rawn. He was now approaching fifty
years Of age. Married he had been,
and divorced; but he had not yet been
in love.
He now spoke to his like. his mate
In the hunt, of the opposite sex, a
young woman who at that very mo-
ment was as beautiful a creature as
might have been found on all Man
haitian, a woman known in all Man
haitian now as the mysterious LADY
OF the Lightnings.' the goddess of the
stock certificates of one of the most
mammoth American corporations, a
creature over whom Manhattan's most
critical libertines were crazed-and
helpless; moreover, a who, out
OF all those In the great caravanserai
at that moment might as well as any
have been chosen as the very type of
gentle breeding and of gentle m
hood alike. But she had not yet been
In love.
Il don't understand, Mr.. Rawn," re-
peated she slowly. What possible
ground could Mr.. Alderman have had?
You surely don't think he could have
spoken to anyone else?"
Il wouldn't put hat past Alderman
when he's drunk. If he'd talk to me,
he would to others. And you know
perfectly we'll that when talk begins
about a woman. it never stops!"
mo, that is the cruel part of it,"
Her voice trembled just enough, her
eyes became just sufficiently and dis
creetly moist: she choked a little, just
sufficiently.
1T is cruel" she said, with a pa.
thetic little sigh, but the hand of ev-
cry man seems to be against a woman
Did you ever stop to think, Mr.. Rawn.
how helpless. how hopeless. We really
are, we women"
He flung himself closer upon the
couch beside her, his face troubled, as
she went on with her gentle protest.
"All my life I've done right as near
ly as | knew, MI. Rawn. Perhaps l
was wrong In coming to trust SO much
to you-to depend on o so much. II
all seemed $50 natural, hat I've just
let matters go on, almost without any
thought. I've only been anxious to
do my work-that was all. But this
cruel talksabout us-well-it can have
but IN end. | must go"
go? Leave me- You'll do nothing
of the sort! I'll take care of this thing
myself, | say-ITl stand between you
and all that sort Of talk"
MIR. Rawn, | don't understand you"
They sat close together on this bro
caded couch among many other bro
caded touches. Crystal and color and
gilt and ivory were all about them;
pictures, works OF art In bronze and
marble and costly %porcelains. The air
was heavy with fragrance. dripping
with soft melody and music. She was
beautiful, a beautiful young woman.
He caught one glance into her wide,
pathetic eyes ere she turned and bent
her head. He caught the fragrance of
her hair--that strange fragrance OF a
woman's hair. Detected, dropping as
she sat. her hands clasped loosely In
her lap. he could see the bent column
of her beautiful white neck, the curve
of her beautiful shoulders, white, flaw
less.
The flower on her bosom rose and
fell in her emotion. She was a wom-
an She was beautifuI She was