The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-02-06
LII. Ths B~ob6slkardll Cempany

ask me BuCn q question n ne lnIST-
rupted, in q tone of vehement r~eproach.
Il only give you credit for Fastening
to warn your-husband OF his danger
and carrying away the discriminating
proof OF his guilt; and | admire your
courage and generosity though I de-
pore Its object"
Have you quite finished this roman
tic story, Sir Godfrey" queried Prue,
dismissing his personal opinion with a
~disdainful toss OF her fan.
The preface only, but the rest will
wait" he replied, with q sinister smile.
Then perhaps you would like to hear
what really happened? II would be
useless for me to d~eny--even NJ 4
wfshed-that I spoke with Captain
FreemantIe, at the ball
Quite so.'' Sir Geoffrey agreed
blandly. ..a. @#a
Not that I wish to deny It." she
went on ~petulantly: ',atf a masquerade
everything Is permitted. and you, my
dear Sir Geoffrey, know better than
any one else, this gentleman's claim
upon my attention. Still, / fail to see
any connection between Captain Free
nantes presence at the ball and the
disappearance of the necklace-about
which, o must acknowledge, that i
know more than any one else, since 4
found--and restored It."
~ SiE NeOllTey fDONeQ MS aCQuleScSnGe
but his smile was not reassuring.
I'VE all know what an admirable
~raconteuse Barbara is, and / was nat
urarly much worked UP by her story OF
the lost necklace; in fact i could
scarcely restrain my impatience to hear
a more authentic account Prue pro-
ceeded, recovering her self-confidence,
which for a moment had wavered under
Sir G~eoffrey'si attack. $50 the moment
II my ViEifnrG laff. ma 7 ganf fG,~ an n a.,
and started for Marlborough House, to
Eget my information at first hand. AT
q short distance, however, / was ,in-
terrupted by q person who thrust this
paper into my hand .#a
She drew from her bosom the,
crumpled document which had already
played an important part in her yer-t
sion OF he affair, and handed Il to
him. .H.a. ~ @
Sir Godfrey read it carefully. re-
, ided 1t, and meeting her eye, bowed,
graVely, as though to intimate that he
was too much interested to break the
thread OF the narrative even by a word.
You know my love of adventure too
well to doubt that l. instantly decided
to risk anything and follow this clue.
IT took me to a dismal old house
empty, 1 believe, except for an old hag,
who, keeping her face concealed, thrust
the Gasket into my hands and at the.
first sound OF the soldiers approach,
disappeared" ~, UGM.4 1 H
Sir Geoffrey softly clapped his hands.
as though in applause. 4.
Capital! excellentip he cried. my
dear PTue, with shame 4 confess that
I never before have done justice to the
vast of your WITT. I actually
dared to wonder how you had managed
to forestall suspicion and snatch safe
~ out Of the Jaws Of peril. You have,
surpassed YOURSELF To plan so subtly:
to execute so promptly! TO omit moth
ing-even the written proof-and to
crown Ii all with a guileless frankness
that might disarm the most captious,
and certainly would have deceived me.
II i had not been close beside you from
the on you emerged from your
own door until that of Robin Free
mantle hid you from my Jealous eyes!''
Then suddenly, without giving her
time TO disguise the startled dIsmay
that sprang to her eyes, he bent for
ward seized her two hands in his.
Why treat your faithful lover So
harshly, sweet Prue ?"S he went on pas
sionately. Have I not proven my love
again and again In the defense Of your
reputation and in unGuestioning sub
mission to your c~aprices? Have / not
endured your GOODNESS and yielded my
just claims before the scruple that
prompted you to deny you future hus-i
band h smallest favor, while the
phantom OF a vow linked you to a
felon? And am I to have no reward,
not even enough OF your confidence to
enable me to give the lie to your ira
.ducers pr
my t~raducers!" she cried impatient-
ly. who are they? At present the
only person who has dared to cast a
doubt on my veracity is--Sir Geoffrey
.Beaudeserti" ".em" "8.
"And how long do you expect to es-
cape the pack Of damned good-natured
friends who have been accustomed to
feed upon the choice morsels OF scandal
you have literally provided for them ?''
he demanded. Before tonight every
gossip in town will be in possession OF
the story Of your adventures, and each.
one who %recounts II will put his WI
construction upon IT. .@
Tits true" b murmured. II have
often assisted at such feasts OF reason.
They are highly entertaining, and every
one is eager to add a dash OF spice or
vinegar to the witches broth. And there.
is nothing / can do to stop those busy
bodies" She glanced resentfully at Sir
.Geoffrey, yet there was inquiry in her
eye. %. r. ~ {
Certainly there is something" he re-
piled, answering the unspoken question.
You can give them something else to
talk about that win throw the escapade
OF the nSCkldCe INTO the Sudue. Inc
shade, do I say? Rather Into utter
oblivion An ironclad smile began TO
dawn upon her face, bue he did not
leave her time to speak. you car give
them q wedding to talk about, q sub
ject that eclipses every other; III you
prefer It, an elopement: indeed, / think
that would be more dramatic. Say but
the word. dearest, and in an hour, a
postchaise-" .aG - sm'
"Oh, Sir Geoffrey." she exclaimed,
bursting into a hearty laugh Can you
really seriously propose such an abb
surdtsy to me? An elopement2 a post
chaise? Methinks j should be like a
man who jumps into a river to avoid
being wetted by q passing showerI
We should indeed give the town some
thing to talk about; and not only talk,
but laugh at"
LET them laugh" said Sir Geoffrey
doggedly, $50 can !; and he laughs
longest who laughs last"
witt me for the butt OF your hilar-
ity? Thanks, I am always pleased to
have my friends-and my enemies
laugh with me, but to have them all
Laughing at me is scarcely to my taste.
Besides, for you, Sir Geoffrey, to sug-
gest such a thing to me-you who
know that I a already another mans
wife and can not therefore legally be-
come yours--for you to make such an
offer Is an ~insult--no less"
my dearest Prue, spare me these re-
proaches. r grant that yesterday, while