The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1916-12-28

his pocket, as II he had just hidden
something there.
She was not familiar with firearms.
Her mother had been afraid Of them
and her brother had never flouyished
any around the house. yet she knew by
instinct that some weapon of defense
was in Gordon's possessions; and a
nameless horror rose in her heart and
shone from her blue eyes, but she would
not speak a word to let him know it. If
he had not been in such haste, he would
have seen. Her horror woul have been
still greater If she had known that he
already carried one loaded revolver and
was taking a second in case of an
emergency.
Don't worry" he called as he hur-
ried out the door. Henry will get
anything you need, and l shall soon be
back"
The door closed and he was gone. She
heard his quick step down the hail,
heard the elevator door slide and slam
again, and h she knew he was gone
down. Outside an automobile sounded
INC she seemed to hear again his words
at the phone. "The rear door," Why had
ne gone to the rear door? Was he in
hiding? Was he flying from someone?
What. oh what, did it mean?
Without stopping to reason it out. she
flew across the room and opened the
door OF the bedroom he had just left.
then through it passed swiftly to a
bathroom beyond. Yes, there was a
window. Would it be the one? Could
she see him? And what good would
1t do her IL she could?
She crowded close to the window
There was a heavy sash with stained
glass, but she selected a clear bit Of
yellow and put her eye close. Yes.
tnere was a closed automobile lust be-
low her, and it had started away from
the building. He had gone, then.
Where? ~ ~
Her mind was a blank for a few
minutes. She went slowly. mechanic.
ly back to the other room without no.
ticlng anything about her, sat down in
the chair, putting her hands to her
and tried to think. Back to
the in the church where he
mad appeared at her side and the serv-
zee mad begun. Something had told
ner imam that he was different, and vet
there had been those letters, and how
could 1t possibly be that ne had not
written them? He was gone on some
dangerous business. OF that she felt
sure. There had been some caution
given him by the man to whom he first
phoned. de had promised to take pre-
cautlon-tha meant the little, wicked.
cleaning thing in his pocket. per-
maps some harm would come to him.
ana she would never know. And then
she stared at the opposite wall with
wonder titled eyes. Well, and suppose it
dld! Why did she care? Was he not
the man whose power over her but
Two snort days 6 would have made
her welcome death as her deliverer9
why was all changed now? Just be-
cause he had smiled upon her and been
KIND? Had given her a few wild flow
eTs n said her eye were like them?
Had hair that waved instead of being
stralght and thin? And where was ali
memory? How could she mind that
danger should come to one who had,
threatened to tell terrible lies that
should blacken him in the thoughts Of
people who had loved him? Had she
FORGOTTEN the letters? Was she willing
u. LOT roaslve all Just because lie had de-
CARED that he did not write them?
How foolish! He said he could prove
that he did not. but Of course that
was all nonsense. He must have writ
ten them. And yet there was the wave
In his hair, and the kindness in his
eyes. And he had looked-oh, he had
ooked terrible things when he had
read that letter; as if he would like
70 Wfeak vengeance on the mar who
had written 1t. Could a mar masouer-
AIDE that way?
And Their a new solution to the prob
lem came to her. Suppose this-who-
eseT ne Was-this man who had mar
rec her' a gone out to find and
punish George Hayne? Suppose
But then she covered her eyes with
her hands and shuddered. Yet whv
should she care? But she did. SUP
pose he should be killed, himself! Who
was he if not George Hayne and how
did he come to take his place? Was
1T Just another of Georges terrible
tricks upon her?
A quick vision came of their bring
ing him back to her. He would lie.
perhaps. on that great crimson leather
couch over there, just as he had lain
in the dawning of the morning in the
stateroom Of the train, with his hands
hanging limp, and n perhap across ,ia,1es
his breast, as if he were Guarding
something. and his bright waves Of
brown hair lying heavy about his
forehead-only, his forehead would be
white, so white n cold, with a little
blue mark in his temple, perhaps.
The footsteps of the man Henry
brought her back to the present again.
She smiled at him pleasantly as he
entered, and answered his questions
about she would have for break
fast; but it was he who selected the
menu, not she, and after he had gone
n could not have told what she had
ordered. h could not get away from
the vision on the couch. She closed
her eyes n pressed her cold fingers
against her eyeballs to drive it away.
but still her bridegroom seemed to lie
there before her.
The celcred nan came back pres
emily with a loaded tray, and set it
on a little table which he wheeled
before her, as though he had done it
many times before. She thanked him.
and said there was nothing else h
needed, SO he went away.
She toyed with the cup of delicious
coffee which he had poured for her.
and the few swallows she took gave
her new heart. She broke a bit from
a hot roll, n ate a little Of the de-
Icious steak. but still! her I11ind vas
at work at the problem. and her heart
was full Of nameless anxiety.
He had gone away without n
breakfast himself, and he had had no
supper the night before, she was sure.
He probably had given to her every
thing he could get on the train. She
was haunted with regret because she
had not shared them with him. She
got up and walked about the room.
trying to shake off the horror that was
upon her, n the dread OF what the
morning might bring forth. Ordinarily
she would have thought Of sending a
message to her mother and brother.
hut HNr q 4.~ A----AR