The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-06-24
mn mi mn
MARY MIDTHORNE
@ BY
GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON.
Author of ~Granstark." -Truxton King. etc.
COPYRIGHT. 1911. BY Dodd. Mead Il Co.
I'LL I'LL III
CHAPTER xI.-(Continued)

0 - E 49, Sct1SA M - lkIS e Acl4 n SlPS0
into bed and although the night was
very warm, pulled the coverlet over his
shivering frame, and closed his eyes
SO tightly that they hurt, in h eff
fort TO go to sleep instantly whether
his brain willed it or no. Many minutes
passed and sleep came not because he
courted 1t SO z~ealously. He heard the
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
eve struck the correct number. The
nour was 3, he knew, but he found
himself wondering how far out Of the
way the futile timepeace would prove
to be. He counted IL. Then the silence
was more deathlike than before. The
1~ncongruous thought flashed through
his mind that his uncle, being a me-
thodical person. was stngularly remtss
in allowing the clock to go on such a
prolonged tantrum as this.
Suddenly he remembered that he
had not said his prayers. He never
had missed saying them before. MI.
at1ve about the prayers. Formerly he
had knelt at the rail Of the bed to say
them, but Of late he had been mum
bling Their in bed, asserting an tnde-
p~endence that rather pleased him, all
though he was careful not to apprise
Q1A. IlSSDISy VI IAl0 oSpdILuIS. Lis
PEELED by q strange power which would
not be resisted. he slipped out Of bed
and knelt once more in the old, ac-
cepted way. Before he knew what had
happened, in the curse 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"
But there he stopped. Chetwynd!
The name seemed to strike back at his
lips. 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 ron the shock to his
overweight nerves. With bated breath
and glazing eyes, he waited for a repe-
tition Of the sound. It came a mo-
ment later, this time louder and with
a note of terror.
It 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 the matter,
Mary?"
Come here, Eric" she cried plain
dream. Please light the gas. just for
q minute. 1t was SO real. I wonder ii
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
ing. No one has been here"
Light h gas. I am SO nervous. I
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
to me. I couldn't catch all Of the words,
/ was so frightened, and his voice was
SO thick and hoarse. But I did under
stand part Of 1t. 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.
ooh, God, I wonder II he was here.
Can he be here now, in this room?"
a sh hai Mt little y0 laugh nshns aof ee course aae It w Waa
a dream. I'm wide awake now. I'm
sorry I disturbed you, Eric. But
please stay with me for Q little while.
It was SO real, and I'm such a cow
ard. You know how frightened I 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 darkness her eager little hand
How cold your hand Isl" she cried.
us it2" he asked mechanically.
Listen, Eric, and I'll tell you why
I had the dream. They say there is no
explanation for ones dreams, but ]
don't believe it. I think, if n can only
go back into ones mind, in some little
forgotten corner Of it, he will be sure
to find an impression. or a thought. or
q memory, that will furnish the cause
for every single dream. Sometimes we
may have to go back OF u present e.
istence, into the one before this, or
maybe we project ourselves into a flu
ture incarnation, but We
Don't talk nonsense. Mary" he in
t~errupted gruffly.
TT isn't nonsense" she cried. Joan
and 1 were talking about reincarnation
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 hand began to tremble. "I ought
not to tell you" she said ~nervously.
You will quarrel with Chetwynd. You
-you-oh, Eric, you might do some
thing dreadful"
What, for instance?" he asked de.
liberately.
You must promise me first that you
won't-fight him. oh. I am so afraid,
Eric. that you will let your temper get
| the better of you"
What has he said to you-what has
he done?" demanded her brother. his
hatred for his cousin lifting itself
above all other sensations, Oddly, he
Slt a sudden, fierce desire to fall upon
and destroy a living Chetwynd."
Premise me"
"All right. II shan't d. anything
he groaned, and she mistook the tone
for one of bitter resignation.
We'll. he insulted me today. II
can't tell you what he said to me. Eric,
It was too vile. I could have killed
him myself. He"
What did he say?" demanded Eric.
h was struck by the sudden, exultant
note in his voice. 1t was as lie he were
glad that she had been subjected
to the affront.
II can't tell you. He is the vilest
thing In all this world. Oh, I hope God
Will punish him-I know he will. When