Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-12-01

note reached your hands and you kept
1t from Selma, fearing the shock
"'The note. Mr.. Dwight, came be.
fore you asked Mrs. Dwight to marry
you." the companion interrupted
sharply. you had written trife
earlier that you intended proposing
that evening. Miss Ashton told me
that she intended refusing you. Then
came this word from Leed-and she
married you
Dwight smiled incredulously, though
grim lines had formed about the cor
ners of his mouth.
You - had - better - 60 - imne-
diately-" He clipped OF the words
like steel particles. Mrs. Presley
turned in her hurried retreat but there
was something in those eyes that
checked her.
For long time the millionaire
stood there, his arm rigidly out
stretched as though he would drive
from the room the evil thoughts the
desperate woman had left behind.
Then be- laughed, laughed with an at
tempt at lightness. The crumpled
bah of paper fell to the floor from his
hand. .:ss
Slowly, slowly he reached down and
picked it up, tucking It in his pocket
carefully. Then he sank back in the
big chair, thinking, thinking.
It was q month after the discharge
Of Mrs. Presley that he stealthily
moved from his chair In the library
rs Selma slipped out into the night
air, followed shortly by Doctor Hol-
land. He had tried to convince him.
self that the change In manner toward
him on his wife's part was due to
some intuitional reading of his
thoughts. Even now he fought against
the impulse which caused him to spy
on the. pair. %sfa
Clearly silhouetted against the
night he made out her figure. Her
face was covered with her hands and
he could see she was sobbing silently
to herself. Doctor Holland was stroll
ing toward her. yet Dwight was aware
that the physician had not seen her.
He slipped quickly behind stone pill.
lar.
He caught the uncertainty, the sur.
prise of the doctor as he caught sight
of the woman. He caught the impulse
of the man to comfort her, saw the
fighting down of that impulse. Then
Doctor Hollond placed his hand upon
her shoulder, his voice but the gen.
tlest whisper of q sound as he called
her name. She turned and looked
up at him, then swiftly. some iron
band Of self.restraint within her
snapped, and she flung her arms about
his neck.
With her head resting upon his
chest he murmured words which thun'
dered back to the millionaire behind
the pillar, killing something inside tho
very soul of the man, even as it quick
ened the life in his body. awe
Suddenly Selma drew away, crouch
ing, fearful, as she regarded the man
toward whom she had gone in her
hour of weakness. Dwight leaned for
ward the better to listen. Her voice
was broken, wild with passionate
despair as it rang in his ears.
'No-No-You must not You must
go. will must be true to him
while he lives. You must go-you
must" T9s
David Dwight turned quickly and
CROPPED his way back to the house. In
the hall he paused uncertainty. his
hand upon the knob Of the library
door as though he had just come from
there. Selma entered and he called
softly, tenderly to her, putting his arm
about her, kissing her tenderly, even
as he reached out and clasped the
hand Of DR.. Holland, who came in i'm
mediately after her.
Slowly the pair moved up the stairs !