The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-10-14
IN Hll RI

"a
arm linked with that OF his companion.
From the porch OF the house they had
Just left, Joan waved to them as they
turned to look back from the corner
below where the hedges grew high and
wall like.
IF should happen to wake up right
now" said Eric, trifle unsteadily,
"rm afraid the disappointment would
kill me- OF course, it's only q dream"
The judge smiled. You've just come
out OF a dream--and a very bad one
al that. A nightmare six years longl
Good heaven, what an agel / shudder
to think OF what It has been to poor
old Horace and Mrs. Blagden."
They were on their way to the Of
nee Of a lawyer In Bank street, pur-
suant to a plan Of action advanced by
Joan's father, after he had recovered
sufficiently from the effect OF the two
shocks---for II Is always q shock to q
father, even though he may have sus-
pected his daughters secret all along.
He agreed with Eric that II was best to
put himself In the hands OF the law
without delay, and to go through the
form of being legally relieved Of the
charge Of granddaughter. H
but IL can't ask Joan to be my
wife, Judge Bright, even though I am
discharged" Eric had started to say
back there In the house, only to be
stopped by the girl
you've already asked me-" she had
said. ''and / will rot release YOU"
Whereupon Judge Bright had grave
ly said. laying his hands on the young
mans shoulders.
1--WE have only the law to consider,
Eric. II the law puts no barrier be-
tween you and Joan. I shall not do 30.
You understand
nocentT
THAT'S it. my lad" .4
II understand, Judge Bright"
They had considered the designs of
Horace Blagden, who, for reasons best
known to himself had carefully avoid
ed Eric since that narrowing scene IN
the library. In order to anticipate any
inimical move on the part OF Chef
wynd's father. Judge Bright volun-
teered to go at once to the house on
the hill for the purpose Of arguing the
case before the real Judge, the real
prosecutor. He tried to share with Eric
the belief that Mr.. Blagden would re-
fuse to prosecute. But he was not yet
able to view Horace Blagden In the
aspect of humility that Eric described;
he had known the great man OF Cor
NTH all his life. He was not 80 SUR
that he could change his spots.
Az a matter of fact, neither Mr..
Blagden nor his wife left the room dur
ing the remainder Of that awful Sab
bath, nor did they appear for break
fast the next morning. Eric and Mary
had sat up half the night, waiting In
suspense and dread for the library door
to open to admit the gaunt figure OF
their uncle. As friend or foe IL mat
tered little toward the end Of their Wig
Il, SO eager were they to have the or
deal over with. They could hear the
tread of footsteps overhead, and the
occasional murmur of voices through
the bedroom door. At midnight the
light In the room was extinguished ana
the two who waited stole off to bed,
the unknown verdict hanging over
them. r.......
They slept not. Long after the clock
struck 3--not the old clock in the hail,
but the new one in the court house
dome--they heard q door open stealth
ily and then the soft shuttle Of feet
creaked near Eric's door. He did not
move, but the cold perspiration crept
out ell over his body.
Someone stood outside the door,
listening. Sharp ears might have heard
the beating of the heart that drummed
in Eric's breast. Then the ghostly
creaking OF the board again, and the
tant door whined softly and lock
clicked. Then the house was still once
more. sa....a.
Eric sprang out Of bed and opened
his door. There was no light In the
transom down the hall.
He and Mary brealfasted together.
Martha, more mystified than she had
ever been in all her life, informed them
that the master and Mrs. Blagden
would have their coffee upstairs.
Eric had hurried off Immediately
after that dismal meal. He was bare
ly out OF sight beyond the hedge at the
bottom of the yard when Horace came
down the stairs, meeting Mary In the
hall.
"where has Eric gomez" he demand
ed, yisibly agitated. His manner was
SO strange that the girl involuntartly
drew back against the stair rail.
"He--he has" she stammered. ...
Speak, Where has he gomez" in
terrupted her uncle sharply.
HE has gone to the--the court house,
Uncle Horace, to give himself"
He did not wait for her to COM
plete the sentence. but turned and as
cended the stairs with unusual SWIFT
ness. A few minutes later he came
down, attired for the street. As he
passed her in the hall. he said:
'tYour aunt would like you to come
up to her for a little while, Mary. I
am obliged to go out for short time"
He went down the walk swiftly, his
tall figure as straight as a ramrod, his
cane pegging resolutely on the hard
gravel path. He left the gate open, an
absolutely unique oversight on his part.
Such q thing had not happened in the
memory Of man. Even Chetwynd had
been punctilious about closing the high
iron gate In the wall at the bottom of
the yard. But today Horace himself
left ii wide open as he hurried, Off In
the direction Of the city center.
Mrs. Blagden did not keep Mary long
In the room upstairs. To the girls sur
prise, the shades were UP as high as
they would 60, the lace curtains and
the chintZ over-hangings were drawn
back and caught In loops over the long
unused brass hooks at the sides Of the
windows. The sun streamed into the
room. Her aunt sat by window,
looking into the yard. AS Mary en-
tered. she turned toward her, holding
out her hand.
Come here, Mary" she said, her
voice clear and steady, and full of a
rare sweetness. The girl crossed quick
Iy. "Do you think you can learn TO
love me? Can you forget the unkind-
ness"
49,. - -. A. 49,. f~...,. h,.l1o xH,a