Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-08-25

| ucuSlOn ana lSmdy
Are you turning against me?" he
cried. Wait! Where are you going?'
II am going to my room in the hotel.
Day after tomorrow we may hear OF
C~hetwynd's death in South America. l
am expecting a message to that effect.
Believe me, 1 hope to receive the news
before you go to your uncle with this
tale of yours. 1t would hurt me more
than 1 can tell. to be called to the
witness stand against you, Eric. I am
glad that l came here today. A good
fairy must have sent me. l came for
an entirely different mission, but-upon
my soul, I've quite forgotten what 1t
a Goodbye"
He did not offer to shake hands with
the amazed. panic stricken young man,
but walked calmly out Of the door and
! into h street. an ominous figure that
filled their eyes until it was lost be-
| hind the hedges-and even longer, for
they had him in mind for many min
! utes.
They had followed him to the door.
! Mary chung to her brothers rigid arm,
staring down the gray, wind-swept
street, a great and growing dread in
her lovelv eyes,.
."What are you going to do, Eric?'
| she asked DULY.
He started. and turned to look down
! into her eyes, as II suddenly aware Of
her nearness to iii
"Do?" he asked blankly. "Why. he's
gone. He's in Baxter street by this
time"
81 wasn't thinking of him." she said,
a shrill note beginning to make itself
felt in her voice. 81 mean about go
ing to Uncle Horace"
81 can't believe that Adam a turned
against me-" went on Eric, as 1t stupe-
fed. But there vas something ugly
in what he said. wasn't there? lit
was like a threat. God! 1t was a
threat"
She shivered. us this all real, Eric?
Am 1 having another of those terri
| BILE dreams? I am SO cold. See! My
hands are like ice. IL"
He clasped her in his arms. God
forgive me. little sister! I've blighted
your whole life. Why-oh. why did 1
tell you this beastly thing? Mr.: Adam
was right. He did his best to stop me.
I'm d beast. "a"
"Don't. ~Errie-don't! Oh, brother,
brother! My big, good brother!"
He drew her back into h room, still
holding her in his arms. For a long
time they stood motionless and silent
in. the middle of the little parlor, dry
eyed. dry-lipped and unseeing. She
| shivered again.
"Close the door. Errie,' she MUIR
INJURED. Its queer how cold the air
has grown. It's off the sea. When did
the wind
TN stir up the fire in the CRATE" he
said. with nervous haste. Its the
dampness." He closed the door.
She watched him poke up the m
] bers and pile on the chunks of wood.
II hadn't noticed the change" he
said mechanically. 1T is off the sea-"
Where do you suppose he has gomez"
He did not look up. She noted the
grayish. bloodless look of his neck
and half averted cheek.
I'VE were standing at the corner
above the Massasoit house When Uncle
Horace somehow felt his presence. That
was not more than 10 minutes before
l. What are you asking. Mary? Ex-
cuse me"
where has he gomez" she repeated
shrilly.
See here, Mary. I'm in for something
nasty" he exclaimed. coming to his
feet and running his hands into his
pockets once more. II don't know
now. Adam Carr will turn squarely
against me. That's plain. Somehow, 1
can't find it in my heart to blame him,
either. l suppose 1 ought to consider
his position as we'll as my own. On the
other hand, 1 can't go o n this way any
longer. It's unbearable. I can't ven
look at Uncle Horace and Aunt Rena
without cursing myself for a beast.
Adam Carr has never let up on them
not for an instant. He's been a devil,
so far as they are concerned. I should
have stopped 1t long ago."
He threw himself into a chair and
stared. wide eyed. at ire cracking,
swapping logs: Mary stood at his ell
bow. looking down upon him, her eyes
full Of love and pity. Presently she
laid a hand on his shoulder.
1T don't believe Uncle Horace can
forgive you. Eric" she said.
HE can't forgive me for letting 1t
go on in the way 1t has, he groaned.
Mary
II pity them now" she said simply.
ST never can love them-never! But /
do pity them. If there is anything I
a do, Erie dear, to make life easier,
happier for them. ! shall try my best
to-"
He did not look up, but as she hes
itatcd he said quickly:
''They don't want you to marry Jack
Payson."
"Oh. Erie. can't they overcome"
"There's q great n sufficient rea-
son for their opposition. dear. Some
Adam Cars greatest triumph over
Uncle Horace would come the day you
married Jack Payson."
II don't understand" she cried, be-
wildered.
He checked the impulse to blurt out
the horrid truth. as he took 1t to be-
concerning John Payson. She loved the
fellow. Why strike at a heart that was
already sore and bleeding? Why add
another cruel slash to the wounds that
perhaps were marking It for life? And
then. up from some dark, secret recess
of his own heart. came an astonishins
throb of pity for John Payson; q curl
Gus revolt within himself. After oil,
what wrong had John foayson done!