Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-10-13
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better that he should not know.
You"
With a sharp. %inarticulate cry she
threw herself on his breast: she
hands and shook him desperately.
fiercely. Quick. hysterical sentences
rushed from her lips.
You are not a murderer. You were
not to blame. Do o hin l will let
you go away feeling as you do? Do
you think all this can change me in
the least? Except to make me you
more than ever-a ~thousand-fold more.
Eric. Eric, you must listen to me. I
mean it-every word Of it. l will not
let you 60"
An hour later. Eric walked down
! Blagden avenue. accompanied by Judge
Oswald Bright. The older man had his
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 1 should happen to wake up right
now" said Eric. a trifle u~nsteadily,
I'm afraid the disappointment would
kill me. OF course. it's only a dream.''
The judge smiled. You'v just come
out of a dream-and a very bad n
at thai. A nightmare six a long!
Good heaven. what an age! / shudder
to think Of what 1t has been to poor
old Horace and Mrs. Blagden."
They we're 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 1t is always a shock to a
father. even though he may have sus-
pected his daughters secret all along.
He agreed with Eric that it 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.
But IL can't ask Joan to be my
wife, Judge Bright, wen though I am
discharged Eric had started to say
/ back there In the house, only to be
stopped by the girl.
YOU already asked me-" she had
said. a I will not release you"
Whereupon Judge Bright had raw
ly said. laying his hands on the young
mans shoulders.
w have only the law to consider,
Eric. II the aw puts no barrier be-
tween you and Joan, I shall not do SO.
You understand? ?"
You a II the law q y I am in
%nocent?"
That's 1t. my lad"
II understand, Judge Bright"
They had considered ne 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 Chet-
wynd's father. Judge Bright volun-
teered to GO at once to the house on
the hill for h purpose Of arguing the
case before the real judge, he 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
~~~ - Aa,--AN3A~, AA~A =
he q known the great man of Cor
NTH all his life. He was not so SUR
that he could change his spots.
AS 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 foi break
fast the next morning. Eric and Mary
had sat up half the night, waiting In
suspense and dread for the library door
to pen to admit the gaunt figure Of
their uncle. AS friend or foe It mat
tered little toward the end of their Wig
II, 30 eager were they to have the or
deal " with. They could hear sthe
tread of footsteps overhead, and the
occasional murmur. OF voices through
the bedroom door. At midnight the
light in the room was extinguished and
the two who waited stole off to bed,
the unknown verdict hanging over
them.
They slept not. Lonx after the clock
struck 3-n0t the old clock In the hall.
but the new one In the court house
d ar "a tS.n heard 8 : .c door s. ogsn . e IL !,
10 the hallway. \ board Ia the. floor
Ecreaked nea Ericis door. He did not
move. but the cold Precipitation crept
out all over his body.
6omeone stood out6ide the door,
LISTENING. SHARP Z might have heard