Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-10-28

NAoo ~ Soo4Ay II ~ lSl wv SlCSp.
h house belongs TO me; also the
office building at the corner of Main
and Fourth streets. That should bS
sufficient security Cor"
oh, Jack, 1 didn'a come here to ask
you to go bail for him." she cried, a
deep flash in her cheek. I'VE couldn't
think of it. You didn't understand me,
/ am sure"
You mean that Eric would not ac-
cept me as surety" he asked, his face
clouding.
No, no-not that either" sire said,
greatly distressed. only that you
should not be asked to risk your
property
Nonsense " he said, and there was
NO installing the relief in his voice.
Now, go home. please, and rest Sc
cure. Don't stay here, little girl. /
will go to the court house as soon as
the doctor comes out to report.
Mother won't mind being left alone
for a while. Provided, of course, there
Is no Immediate
She caught the note of anxiety in
his voice. mo, Jack dear, you must
not leave her. l will mot let you do
1t. Your place is here. ut was hor-
riblhy. selfish Of me to even think"
A door near at hand was closed
gently; then came the rustic of heavy
curtains, and the tread of footsteps in
the parlor. Mary shot an anxious look
over her shoulder, arresting her own
self-arraignment.
The DOCTOR" said he quickly. He
crossed rapidly and opened the door.
Then, With a glance at her, he left
the room. closing the door behind him.
She was left alone.
Not more than a minute passed be-
fore he returned. She could read
nothing in his face.
Pardon me-" he said. DIR. Spooner
says there is no change. He may die
within the hour or he may live for
years. We have have sent to New
York for nurses and another doctor.
They get here this afternoon. He-he
Is hopelessly paEalyzed. There was an
apoplectic stroke as well. So, you see,
1T is Impossible to tell what the out
come will be-"
in horror, not i'll the effort to speak
Il can't leave her just now" he
went on painfully. 1T wouldn't be
right. ! can't do it. not even for you,
Mary. She wants metto come in there
now. Go, please, 1andatry to forget that
L ever He could mot complete the
sentence, but turned away to hide his
tWitching lips and moist. eyes.
She waited for a long time before
speaking. Her heal was aching as it
had neve ached before.
Listen, john" h said at last, "Iet
IlC aSh aSaIS 4uSSllCI. WAon were EOG
told the truth about yourself, and by
whom"
He faced her reluctantly. Last
night. She told me. We were sitting
in this room. He-oh, why should We
go into all this? 1 can't all about it.
Goodbye, Mary. Don't stay a minute
longer. You must 60"
Yes, John" she said gently. II will
go now. | WON'T ask you to tell me
anything more. l don't want to hear
it. But, listen to me, dear. Moth
ing-nothing in all his world, can
alter my, owe for you, nothing
can come between us. 1t is you ! love.
Do you understand? She went up to
him and laid her hands on his Shout
ders. There was a wonderful sweet
ness in her voice.
M little Mary" he murmured,
shaken by a mighty storm of emotion.
He put his hands to her cool white
cheeks and kissed her on the brow: not
the kiss Of passion, but of boundless
alteration.
She smiled, her eyes looking full in
to his: a smile SO steadfast and grave
that he was never to forget it.
Let me know, John, If there is any
thing l can do for-you,' she said
simply. Il will come If you need me-"
She passed from the room and out Of
the house. He followed her to the door.
She did not look back When she was
out OF sight beyond the row Of houses,
he turned back, a great sigh escaping
his lips. His feet dragged, his shoul-
ders dropped as he crossed the parlor
and drew aside the curtains.
The bedroom beyond was darkened.
Closed shutters and drawn shades kept
out the cheerful morning sun. The
habit Of darkening a sickroom still OBJ
tanned in Corinth. In the corner be-
You'd the window was the bed. white
against the shadowy walls. Heavy.
stertorous breathing came from the
| lungs OF the motionless Figure that
stretched its length Imply under the
ooNerlet. There was no other sound to
be heard about the house. Only this
CHASTITY breathing. Payson stopped in
the doorway, his heart sick with sud
den, Overwhelming pity for the once
strong, Nirile man he had known all
his life as a friend, steadfast and true.
Whatever else, he was a friend worth
having.
The Widow Payson sat near the foot
of h bed. Either she did not hear the
man at the door or she was Indifferent
to his presence in the room. At any
rate, h did not look up, but kept her
chin lowered and her eyes closed. She
rocked gently, mechanically. in the low
old fashioned chair.
He watched her in silence for a few
minutes. A great sob swelled UP in
his throat, his eyes smarted with the
TuSl OF Years.. gong to her side, he
dropped to his knees and began kissing
the worm, bony a of the woman who
sat sentinel over the man who was his
father.
She opened her tired, dry eyes, and
after a moment smiled.
Don't cry, laddie," she said, laying
her hand car~essingly on his head. Il
am sorry l told you. He may never
speak again. 1 could have gone to my
grave with the secret SAFE, and you
would never have been the wiser. 1t
would nave been better. He meant
you never SHOULD know, and he was
right. 1 betrayed him. Sometimes l
think he knows that ] have told you.
It's a queer feeling l have, with him
lying there senseless and unknowing.
Yet l have the feeling that he heard
me talking last night, that he is listen
ing now. II he does know, he must be
hating me with all his sol He must
be despising-"
Ssh! Don't say that. mother. Hate
you? Why. how could he hate you
you who have don SO much for him
and for me? Think of all the years OF
mothering ME-
"All the years." she sighed. Thirty
odd. And now they're behind me. with
only blank les ahead. All. my little
laddie, 1t is l who have suffered the