The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-09-30
TIL IIl IN

on seeing them Iogetner not HNe MIN
utes before. There IL something i'm
measurably selfish In young love.
Jack Payson came striding toward
her. Perhaps from q window In the
Briscoe house Horace saw them meet
and move of 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, brightness In her
eyes; a song In her heart. Somehow
the world was brighter. the sun was
| warmer, the buds on the trees were
/ greener than they had ever been be-
fore. She tripped up the steps and
fairly danced across the porch. There
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
side the library door, to compose her
| SELF As she stood there, breathing
1 quickly, the curious stiffness she had
noticed on entering the house became
more pronounced. She recalled, with a
| shudder, having been In q house once
where a dead woman was lying up
stairs In the winding sheet. The ut
ter stiffness OF that well 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
happened2 Who In the house was
dead2
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 the tableau that she could
think OF them only an statues.
First and naturally, her gaze fell
upon the square, thick set figure In the
| window. Adam Carr was standing
there, his back to the room, his hands
clasped behind him, staring at the
porch through the white lace curtains
II was as II he had turned his back
upon q particularly narrowing scene
Eric leaned against the mantlepiece
his chin lowered, his arms folded
across his breast-the picture Of utter
detection. On the sofa before him sal
his uncle and aunt, the former stiffiy
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 interminablt
length OF time, her brother lifted his
eyes and saw her standing there
| stunned, irresolute. He stared for g
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 q
movement of his head, he directed heI
to attend the stricken pair on 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 II. The shock served
its purpose 1t broke the spell.
With infinite gentleness, 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, even wonder
ingly. at the face Of the girl TIL
white, drawn lips moved in 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 ask them to forgive me p
he groaned, and that was his answer tc
the question that lay In her eyes.
Mrs. Blagdon's lips parted. A dead
Iifeless voice uttered these words:
Let me be alone with you, Horace
Let me die with your arms about me-
Then 1t was that Horace relaxed
His strong gaze wavered. A great
shudder ran over his frame
There is nothing more to be said,
fell clearly, mechanically from his lips
Of his nephew. I'VE know all there
IL to know. II ls all over. The truth al
last" His voice rose to a sort of wall
II can't understand why you have
allowed us to suffer all these years
Eric, when one word from you would
have ended our misery, our uncer.
talnty, our-our endless waiting. See!
See what 1t has cost us!"
God forgive me-" groaned Eric
burying his face In the arm that now
rested on the mantel
With an effort, Horace struggled Il
his feet. Slowly he crossed over to the
young mans side, towering above the
bent, shaking figure. After q moments
hesitation, he laid his hand on Eric'E
shoulder. His nephew crfnged.
"Give me time" he began, but wen
back to correct himself, revealing ChC
new phase that marked his manner iI
these days. GIVE us time, Eric. 1t II
hard to take all this In at once. We
/ must work It out for ourselves anC
by ourselves. Just your aunt and !
When the shock has worn off," HC
was speaking JerlKily. brokenly, as Il
the effort to control himself was try.
ing his every power. I'VE do not want
to be harsh. or unjust, Eric. We shall
| seek" NJ ... a...,. .|..
Eric looked up, amazed. Harsh
UnjustT' he said bitterly. why I've
forfeited all claim to"
'Hust my boy" said Mr.. Blagden.
| Give US time-giVe us time" ~.
Mary, in the intensity OF O great
emotion cried out Bhrilly: He didn't
mean to-to kill him, Uncle. You know
he did not mean"
Mrs. Blagden shook herself free and
turned on the girl. There was q wild,
insane glare in her eyes.
HE treatened Chetwynd 100 times, -
He threatened Chetwynd 100 times,
He hated himl He wanted to kill
| himl" .......- ...t
my dear. my dearI" pleaded Horace.
Calm yourself. Let US Judge this poor
boy as God will Judge him. Remember,
we called him our son but yesterday"
Il cannot cannot forgive" mourned
Il ~ Ill ~