Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-04-28

SOS 1 might have killed someone else
before l got Chetwynd."
Eric" she cried in distress. how
strangely you talk"
He grasped her by the hand. moved
by AN impulse to run wildly. Come
on" he shouted. I've got to do some
thing. I've got to wear it Off. Let's
run. Let's run to Stone WALL"
Stone Wall was the name given to a
rocky stretch of coast beyond Tod
the surf beat with incessant roars or
signs, as the case might be. always
pounding. A resting place for gulls,
abhorred by man. useless and scorned
as a place unfinished by the Creator.
Thither Jared all those who sought
solitude for reflection. all those who
contemplated suicide. or those who
pursued Love when it was least timid.
Hours afterward, Mary and Eric
came away from the moss covered
rocks of Stone Wall, and slowly made
their way through the dense thickets
and across sweet meadows. back to the
hated little gate in the Blagden gar
den wall. They We're calm and strangely
d They had talked it all out,
down there on the rocks. and they had
found solace in mutually resigning
themselves to the inevitable.
said.
No he said. gritting his teeth.
God won't let it go that far"
And so it was. that Eric found out
what troubled his sister Mary. why
her eyes We're full of dread.
They passed by old Jabez on their
way up. He was leaning over the gate,
blandly surveying them through tho
smoke of his pipe.
Where's MIR. Adam. Uncle .Jabe?:"
sang out Eric from across the road.
He went to New York on the 2
j n'.InrE Vni in - ~, .
Quite sudden. too. But he's allus
dom things he didn't intend to do 10
minutes afore he does 'em. Dangdest
boy l ever see"
The boy and girl dreaded the ordeal
of dinner with the family. They would
and 1T was going to be hard for Eric to
be polite and agreeable. But they were
to be spared the presence of Chetwynl.
it afterward developed.
Just before the inner gong sounded,
Eric met his aunt In the upper hall. He
swailowed hard n then put as much
heartlness in his voice as he could
muster.
Where's Chetwynd, Aunt Rena"
He has gone to New York. Why?"
New York? In the middle of the
week 2"
Certainly. He has been half sick
for a week. A few days rest from the
tedious work in the bank will do him
a world of good. He's to see DIR.
~Throgmartin tomorrow about those
dreadful headaches"
The judges We're to award the prize
this afternoon" observed Eric. Didn't
he care to wait see how the con-
test came out?!"
She smiled ~complacently. comfort
ably. oh, he wasn't worried. He is
so sure to win. And why shouldn't ne?
He has made such a study of it,"
II guess that's why he has the head
aches" said Eric in%nocently. She
looked at him again, very sharply.
Where is Nary" she demanded.
I'm her room. 1 think. You needn't
question her. Aunt Rena. She told mo
what Chetwynd did to her, and what
you SAID to her. l want you to know
that l know 1T. It
Eric" h said, II must ask you not
to be so insolent. You must not stand"
He held his ground, confronting her
with set face and unwavering eyes.
Il do not mean to be insolent, Aunt
Rena. But we've lust got to UNDER
stand each other. 1t needn't go any
farther, if o like.-1 mean Uncle
Horace isn't to know 1 just have to
say this: Mary was not to blame. I
know 1T. and down in Jour heart you
know it. Chetwynd acted like a .lirty
brute, and you took his part. 1 'lon'r
want him to apologize to Mary. 1 "on't
want a word more said about it. I'm
not afraid to sa" this to you because
l know and you know that if Mary
went to Uncle Horace with that STORY,
led believe her and ned kick his own
son out of the house. That's just what
Uncle Horace would do, and you know
1t. He knows Mary isn't that kind Of
a girl, just as we'll as you know it.
That's all 1 have to say The incident
is closed. unless you choose to reopen
it,"
She stood there staring after f1im.
with a linn lower lip, and the glaze Of
stupefaction over her eyes. He coolly
descended the stairs and entered the
library. Then she went into her he'd
room and wept softly until dinner
time.
Mary found Erie on the porch soon
after the meeting in the hall.
Eric" she whispered. in awed tones.
Aunt Rena is crying in her room. l
heard her as plain as anything"
1t always does a woman good TO
cry" remarked h young philosopher,
jaw.
Mary was looking down the tree lined
walk.
ooh. goodness she cried. in dismay.
See who's coming to dinner with
Uncle Horace"
Eric turned UP his eyes and groaued
with sepulchral devoutness.
Horace was entering the gate with
the estimable Presbreys, both of whom
were rugged up fit to eat-and that is
really what they had got themselves I'D
for.
AS they came up the steps, Mr.. Blag-
den blandly addressed the boy and girl
standing at the rail above.
Il suppose you're waiting to hear
who won the price,"
Eric began to tremble with a sudden.
overpowering excitement. He was to
hear himself proclaimed the winner!