Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-09-30
I'LL IN m
I'LL iii iii

SAla <hNoA44 "a 49,
the sinking feeling she a experienced
on seeing them together not five min
uteS before. There Is something i'm
m~easurably selfish in young love.
Jack Payson came striding toward
her. Perhaps from a window in the
Br1scoe house Horace saw them meet
n move off together, down the street.
An hour later she said goodby to her
lover at the gate and hurried up the
walk toward the suddenly attractive
portals of the Giants Castle" There
was a %gladness, a brightness in her
eyes; a song in her heart. Somehow
the world was brighter. the u was
warmer, the buds on the trees were
greener than they had ever been be-
fore. h tripped up the steps and
fairly danced across the porch. There
was In her mind a great resolve to do
something she had never done before;
to put her arms about her uncle's neck
and kiss him. not once, but many times.
She paused for a moment just out
self. AS she stood there, breathing
quickly, the curious stiffness she had
noticed on entering the house became
more pronounced. She recalled, with a
shudder, having been in a house once
where a dead woman was lying up
stairs in the winding sheet. The ut
ter stiffness of that we'll remembered
house was not unlike this that now
closed in about her, smothering the
joy that SO lately radiated from her
warm. %throbbing heart.
Half in fear, she laid her hand on
the knob of the library door. A. mo-
ment passed before she turned 1t. The
sense Of impending disaster increased
with each second of delay. What had
happened? Who in the house was
dead?
The door opened quiet, slowly, and
she looked into the partially darkened
room. No voice called out a welcome
to her.
The shade in the big front window
was high; that end Of the room was
flooded with sunlight. Her eyes were
slow to take in the details of the pic
ture that lay before her. So immov-
able, SO still were the -four figures that
made up h tableau that she could
think Of them only as statues.
First and naturally, her gaze fell
upon the square. thick set figure in the
there, his back to the room, his hands
clasped behind him, staring at the
porch through the white lace curtains.
1t was as II he had turned his back
upon a particularly narrowing scene.
Eric leaned against the m~antlepiece,
his chin lowered. his arms folded
across his breast-the picture of utter
detection. On the sofa before him sat
his uncle and aunt, the former stiffy
upright and tense, the latter droop-
ing Imply against him, her hands
covering her eyes.
1t was all over. Eric had confessed.
The blow had fallen.
After what seemed an interminable
length of time. her brother lifted his
eyes and saw her standing there,
stunned, irresolute. He stared for a
moment with haggard eyes, and then
let his arms droop Imply to his side
The act was in itself an acknowledge
ment of potent despair. Then, with a
movement of his head, he directed her
to attend the stricken pair OF the sofa.
AS she glided across the room, Adam
Carr turned from the window and
swiftly left the room, without so much
as a glance at the four persons who
were left to play out the drama. With
deliberate intent, he banged the library
door in closing it. The shock served
Its purpose. 1t broke the spell.
With infinite g%entleness, Mary drew
Mrs. Blagden's stiff, cold hands away
from her face and held them close to
her own warm. heaving breast. Mrs
Blagden stared blankly, ever wonder
ingly, at the face Of the girl. The
white, drawn lips moved in a voiceless
question.
They know everything" came In
hoarse tones from Eric.
The tears sprang to Mary's eyes
Through the mist that blinded them
they asked the great, important Ques-
ton of him.
"How can I ask them to forgive me?
he groaned, and that was his answer tc
the question that lay in her eyes.
Mrs. Blagdon's lips parted. A dead
~lifeless voice uttered these words:
Let me be alone with you, Horace
Let me die with your arms about me-
Then it was that Horace relaxed
His strong gaze wavered. A great
shudder a over his frame.
There is nothing more to be said,'
fell clearly. mechanically from his lips
His eyes were upon the white face
Of his nephew. I'VE know all there
is to know. 1t Is all Yer. The truth a,
last" His voice rose to a sort of vail
tt can't understand why you have
allowed us to suffer ali these years
Eric, when one word from you would
have ended our misery, our uncer-
tainty, our-our endless waiting. See!
See what it has cost us!"
God forgive me- groaned Eric
burying his face in the arm that nov
rested on the mantel.
With an effort, Horace struggled tt
his feet. Slowly he crossed over to the
young mans side. towering above the
bent. shaking figure. After a moment:
hesitation, he laid his hand on Eric's
shoulder. His nephew cringed.
"Give me time" he began, but Wen
back to correct himself, revealing tn,
new phase that marked his manner il
these days. Give us time, Eric. It il
hard to take all this in at once. We
must work it out for ourselves ant
by ourselves. Just your aunt and
When the shock has worn off, H,
vas speaking jerkily, brokenly. as 1
the effort to control himself was try.
ing his every power. I'VE do not wan
to be harsh. or unjust, Eric. We shall
seek"
Eric looked up. amazed. Harsh
Untust?" he said bitterly. why, Pv.
forfeited all claim TO-
"Hust, my boy said Mr.. Blagden
Give us time-give US time"
Mary, in the intensity Of a great
emotion cried out shrilly: He didn't
mean toto kill him, Uncle. You know
he did not
Mrs. Blagden shook herself free and
turned on the girl. There was a wild
insane glare in her eyes.
He %treatened Chetwynd 100 times
H threatened Chetwynd 100 times,
He hated him! He wanted to kill
him!"
INV dear. INV daari" nleaded Horace