The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1913-01-16

II NHMFT
''But hasten she interrupted, LISTEN
ing atteHtively and holding UP her
hand to silence him. II know who you
are n that you are concerned in
Jacobite plots. Soldiers will surround
the house and you will be arrested and
taken to the Tower as q traitor. You
have very little time to escape
table and began to gather them up and
conceal them about him. In doing this,
he uncovered a jewel-case OF purple
velvet embroidered in gold with the
royal arms.
Prue uttered a faint shrek and v
cred her eyes, 81 II to shut out the
sight that confirmed her worst fears.
"oht RobinlT she gasped. THE
queens necklace-,"
Was ii the q~ueen,s?" he replied
carelessly. We'll, now II is yours, ii
you care to have it, He opened the
case and displayed the diamonds flash
Ing like q string or fire. my faith!
the gems are gorgeous; they will look
well on the peerless neck OF my beau-
tiful Prue."
II wear the queens diamondsi You
must be mad! What possessed YOU TO
take them7 oh. I hoped so that 1t was
a mistake and that You were innocent
OF this"
innocent OF whatg DO you really
think I stole the necklace? MY dear
Lady Prudence, 1 am q highwayman
when occasion serves, but / am not a
thief. Last night, on the kings busi-
ness, / waylaid the wrong man, ana all
1 got for my pains was this fine casket
which i eve opened until now. EVIL
IDENTITY i robbed the thief, confound
him. and the papers !! was commanded
to secure are God knows wheret"
.Ohl Robin, ] am 80 glad" she
OrfaI " atfrhor .o "a ID aHl.4 A. rs-L.wx. /.
man v q at his tricks again, and had
stolen the queens necklace from Mari
borough House, and oh, I was so
ashamed 70 think such a thing could
be said of--my husbandl"
She half turned away, murmuring
the last words so softly that only the
ears OF love could have caught them.
"Ohl Prue--angel-is 1t really pos
sible that you think OF me as your
husband? Oh! / know there has been
ar empty ceremony which meant moth
ing to you. and TO me only vain long
Ing and q mad dream of unattainabIe
happiness: hut what q fool Il ami OF
course ! ought to have understood that
you fear to be brought to shame IL u
should be suspected that the thief of
the queens necklace Is your"
Prue's eyes flashed and her little
high-heeled shoe tapped angrily on the
floor. tas.. ri
"You are indeed a fool!" she ex-
claimed. IT do not know why I have
any patience at all with you. VIII
you begone from here at once, sir, and
not offend me by tarrying when / have
risked so much to save your life?"
He started and flushed guiltily. 'Sel-
fish brute that / am! I forgot the
danger to you. A thousand thanks,
dear Lady Prudence, for your warn
Ing. / will profit by 1t when / have con-
Quoted o to safety" y.
You will do nothing OF the sort"
she retorted imperiously. when I arr
rived you were preparing to depart:
do so at once, for II you wait for the
house to be surrounded by the soldiers
It viii be too late. Even now, IL you
leave 1t alive, you may fall into an
ambush. Is there no exit except into
Eyes; this room opens on a terrace
overlooking the river, and although /
believed myself safe In London for a
few days, ] have a boat In readiness
in~case I should be forced to leave in
a. hurry" said Robin. There are
hiding places in Southwark and Lam
beth where the queens whole army
might hunt a week for me in vain"
BE cautious. then, for that may be
known to your enemies; and, above
all, be speedy" ~"
While she was speaking, the door
was flung open abruptly and Steve
Larkyn-his a c blazing with fury
darted tn.H s ,#%E
"You are betrayed, Captain" he
calculated. This woma has brought
the soldiers with her. For the love OF
God, do not stop to listen to her, but
escape while there Is time"
You hear?" cried Prue, in a frenzy.
"Go-go Instantly I command you!"
What, 90 away and leave you
here TO meet the soldiers alone?
Never" said Robin, with a calm
ness that contrasted strongly with the
excitement OF the others. ..|
Then I will remain with you, and
when the soldiers come ! will declare
that j helped you enter Marlborough
house, n show the diamonds to prove
that I Was your accomplice; nay, ] will
say that my familiarity with the Ouch
ess' apartments gave me access where
you could not AVE entered and that
stole the diamonds and gave them to
you'll" .r&l~ IA.
"You win do this?" he gasped, ut
terly stupefied. s.
II will; and II necessary i win pro-
claim myself your wife and let them
think I had had my share in whatever
you r accused Of" G"3Na
But why? In the name of God, what
Is the meaning OF this madness?"
She stretched out her arms to him
with a gesture OF utter self abandon-
ment. TT means that love you, Robin,
7 love you, and would rather die with
you than live without youI"
He caught her in his arms and
strained her TO his breast with all the
pent-up passion Of his being in that
Leave you--now, my darling. my
hearts heart"
-. US e.. .- I'll 9. - 1. g. n.EF.a. gH-a