Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-06-24
CHAPTER XI.-(Continued)

NSiS WARM, pulleO the cOVeTlel over his
shlverlng frame. and closed his eyes
SO tightly that they hurt, in the eff
fort to go to sleep instantly whether
hlS brain Willed it or no. Many minutes
passed and sleep came not because he
courted it SO zealously. He heard he
muff1ed strokes. of the ancient clock
In the hallway below. He remembered
that 1t was out of repair-it had been
ever since he could recall-and was as
likely to strike 15 as it was one; it
lever struck the correct number. The
hour was 3. he knew, but he found
himself wondering how far out of the
way the futile ,timepeace o. prove
to be. He counted II. Then the silence
was more deathlike than before. The
incongruous thought flashed through
his mind hat his uncle. being a me-
thodical person, was ~singularly remiss
In allowing the clock to go On such a
prolonged tantrum as this.
Suddenly he remembered that he
mad not said his prayers. He never
had missed saying them before. Mr..
Preshrey had been particularly imper-
atlve about the prayers. Formerly he
had knelt at the rail Of the bed to say
them, but of late he had been mum
bling them in bed, asserting an indie
pendence that rather pleased him, al
though he was careful not to apprise
Mr.. Presbrey Of the departure. I'M
PEELED by a strange power which would
not be resisted, he slipped out OF bed
and knelt once more in the old, &C
cepted way. Before he knew what had
happened, in the course Of the set
prayer which the minister had pre-
pared for him, he mumbled the SEN
tence. bless Uncle Horace and Aunt
Rena and Cousin Chetwynd and bless
my dear sister,"
The name seemed to strike back at his
NDS, The PRAYER was ended,
AS he started to rise, a long, quaver-
Ing cry came from Mary's room. He
sprang to his feet, electrified, his
whole body rigid from the shock to his
and glazing eyes, he waited for a repe-
tition of the sound. 1t came a mo-
ment later, this time louder and with
a note of terror.
Erie"
1t was Mary's voice after all. A wave
Of relief surged over him.. In two
bounds he was at her door.
What is it? What is he matter,
Mary?"
Come here, Eric" she cried plain
lively. oh. I've had such a terrible
dream. Please light the gas, just for
1t could have been true. Did you hear
any one go out Of my door,"
No" he replied, stopping in the
middle Of the room, conscious of a
strange premonition. You were dream
ing. No one has been here"
Light the gas. l am so nervous !
thought Chetwynd was in the room,
standing. at the side of my bed, with
his hands reaching out to grab hold
of me. He had the most awful look
In his face. He was saying something
to me. l couldn't catch all of the words,
was SO frightened, and his voice was
SO thick and hoarse. But | did under
stand part of it. 1t was bad, oh, SO vile.
I don't know why. 1 should dream such
things. Won't you light the gas,
Eric, please"
But he stood there as if turned to
stone-the blood in his veins CONCEALED.
She heard strange, mumbled words on
his lips.
"Oh, God, I wonder if he was here.
Can he be here now. in this room?"
NO, no, you ninny." cried she, with
a shrill little laugh. "Of course, it was
sorry disturbed you, Eric. But
please stay with me for a little while.
1t was so real, and I'm such a COW
ard. You know how frightened l am
OF him, anyway. Sit down on the bed,
Eric
II shan't light the gas" he said res,
olutely. He would not let her see his
face. That was out Of the question.
He sat down on the edge of the bed.
In the arknes her eager little hand
sought his, and found 1t as cold as Ice,
How cold YOU hand Is" she cried
lis it?" he asked mechanically.
Listen, Eric, and I'll tell you why
l had the dream. They say there is nc
explanation for ones dreams, but ]
don't believe it. l think. If one can only
go bac into ones mind, in some little
forgotten corner Of it, he will be sure
to find an impression, or a thought, OF
n memory, that will furnish the cause
for aJarv SINGLE dream S0matSreS we
may have to go back of our present TX.
~istence, into the one before this, OF
maybe we project ourselves into a flu.
ture incarnation. but We
Don't ak nonsense. Mary" he in.
%terrupted gruffly.
and 1 We're talking about reincarnatior
today. She believes in it. just as l do
She thinks when we die our souls pass
on to another body, and the good in US
grows while the bad decreases"
Tell me: what caused this dream OF
yours?"
Her han began to tremble. IT ought
not to tell you," she said nervously
"You will quarrel with Chetwynd. Yor
-you-Oh, Eric, you might do some
thing dreadful"
What, for stance he asked de
iberately.
You must promise me first that yor
won't-fight him. oh. I am SO afraid
Eric, that you will let your temper ge,
the better Of you"
What a he said to you-what has
he done?" demanded her brother. his
hatred for his cousin lifting Itself
above all other sensations. Oddly, he
felt a sudden, fierce desire to all upor
and destroy a living Chetwynd."
Premise me-"
A right. IL shan't do anything
he groaned. and she mistook the tom
for one Of bitter resignation.
We'll. he insulted me today. L
can't tell you h he said to me, Eric
1t was too vile. I could have killed
him myself. He"
What did he say?" demanded Eric
She was struck by the sudden, exultan-
note in his voice. 1t was as If he were
glad that she had been subjected
to the affront.
II can't tell you. He is the viles,
thing in all this world. Oh, 1 hope Coo
will punish him-I know he will. Whe1
I cried and told him never to speak t.
me again, he said-Oh, Eric. dear,
can't tell you"
""Go on, go on"
."He. said / wasn't any better thar
mother was. and for me to StOn whip