The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-09-30
I'm mn nm
MARY MIDTHORNE
BY
GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON.
Author Of "Graustark." "Truxton King" etc.
COPYRIGHT. 1911, BY Dodd, Mead q Co.
It'll I'LL I'LL

- 30
She forgot Eric and Adam Carr and
the sinking feeling she had experienced
on seeing them together not five min
utes before. There Is something Inn
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 off together, down the street.
An hour later she said goodby to her
lover at the gate and hurried III 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 sun was
warmer, the buds on the trees were
greener than they had ever bee be-
fore. She tripped up the steps and
fa1rly danced across the porch. There
was in her mind a great resolve to do
something she had never lone 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 he library door, to compose her
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
lSi ot1iiliSSS VI lldI we'll remembered
hous was not unlike this that now
closed in about her, smothering the
joy that SO lately radiated from her
warm, %throbbing heart.
a In fear, Gle laid her hand on
the kncs1 or the library door. A mo-
ment passed before she turned it. 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.
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 mmov-
able, SO still were the four figures that
made up the tableau that she could
think Of them only as 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.
1t was as II he had turned his back
upon a 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 sat
MS uncle n aunt, the former stiffly
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 in~terminable
length Of time, her brother lifted his
eyes and saw her standing there.
stunned, i~rresolute. He stared for a
moment with haggard eyes, and the
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 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 our persons who
We're left to play out the drama. With
deliberate intent, he banged the library
It's 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
fngly, 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 cues
ton Of him.
How can 1 ask them to forgive me?''
he groaned, and that was his answer to
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 ran over his frame.
There is nothing more to be said .
fell clearly, mechanically from his lips.
His eyes We're upon the white face
Of his nephew. I'VE know all there
is to know. 1t is all over. The truth at
last" His voice rose to a sort Of wall.
tt 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-
tainty, our-our endless waiting. See!
See what it has cost us!"
God forgive me-" groaned Eric,
burying his face in the arm that now
rested on the mantel.
With IN effort. Horace struggled to
his feet. Slowly he crossed over to the
young mans side, towering above the
bent, shaking figure. After a moments
hesitation, he laid his hand on Eric's
shoulder. His nephew cringed.
Give me time" he began, but went
back to correct himself, revealing the
new phase that marked his manner in
these days. Give Us time, Eric. It is
hard to take all this In at once. We
must work it u for ourselves and
by ourselves. Just your aunt and I
When the shock has worn Off" He
was speaking jerkily, brokenly, as II
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
Eric looked up. amazed. Harsh?
Unjustg" 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 q great
emotion cried out shrilly: He didn't
mean Toto kill him. Uncle. You know
he did not mean
Mrs. Blagden shook herself free and
II turned on the girl. There WAS q Wild.