The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-12-23
CHAPTER w

CHAPTER "
turned and hardly conscious of
my actions, stumbled from the room.
It was several minutes before
found myself alone and making for
the little room into which Beaton
had vanished hall -hour before. l
approached the doorway and was
about to enter when a heavy step
shook the threshold oelore men anu
/ found myself confronted by the
advancing figure of an elderly lady
whose portrait IS now tine tor me
to draw.
Imagine, broad, weighty woman
of not much height, with a face
whose features were usually forgot
ten in the impression mane by her
great cheeks and falling Jowls. If
the small eyes rested on you. you
found them sinister and strange.
She was a woman of immense means
and an Oppressive consciousness of
this spoke in every movement of her
heavy frame. Add to this that she
was seldom seen without display
of diamonds which made her broad
bust look like the bejeweled breast
of some Eastern idol, and some idea
may be formed of this redoubtable
woman whom l have hitherto con-
fined myself to speaking of as the
gorgon.
The stare she gave me had some
thing venomoJs and threatening in
It. Yet why should the old woman
l.o,s.. Oh a. "a n "iu Inutr
"Sn once that she regarded me
with great 1avor. hau 4 unwlCting-
~ done: something to displease her?
l entered the room. Two men and
one woman stood in rather an en-
barrassed. silence about table on
winch lay some cards. One of the
men was Will beaton, and It was HI
who now remarked:
"Sne has just found out that the
youn. peoaie afe enjoying them
selves. | wonder upon which OF her
Two unfortunate nlcces she Wal ex-
pend her temper tOnlght!
''Oh, there's no quesoion about
that remarked the Iauy who stood
near him. Ever since she has naI
"a. reasonable prospect of working
>Gilbertine off her hands she has de-
voted herself quite exclusively to her
remaining burden. l hear that the
south hail was blue today with the
talk she gave Doroty Camerden. No
one knows what about for the girl
evidently tries to please her"
Il gave Beaton look and stepped
out on the veranda. In minute he
followed me.
~" '"Beaton," said I, "we have not
known each other long, but | am dis
posed to be frank with you. am in
trouble. My affections are engaged,
deeply engaged, in quarter where
/ find some mystery. You have help
ed make it. l refer to the story you
related the other morning of the
young girl you had seen hanging ov-
er the verge of the cliff with every
appearance of Intending to thriw her.
self over"
at was as dream I related it,
he remarked.
'That | am aware Of. But it was
no dream to me, Beaton. I fear
know that young girl; also fear
tina, | know what drove her to con-
templating so rash an act. The con-
versation just held in the card room
should enIighten you. Beaton, am
Wrong?"
1T was dream. Remember that
insist upon it's being dream. But
some of its details are very, clear
in my. mind. When l stumbled upon
the dream-naden in the moonlight
her: face was turned from me toward
the ocean, and l did not see her fea-
lures then or afterwards. Startled
by some sound / made she crouched
drew back and fed to cover. That
cover I have every reason to believe
was this very house."
"This drcam-maiden was wo.
man." inquired. zone of the wo.
mon now in this house,
Il He replied reluctantly.
.atShe was a young woman and she
wore black cloak. My dream end:
there"
l started for the nearest window
which proved to be that Of the mus
ic-room. / was about to enter wher
I saw two women crossing the oppo.
site doorway. The aunt had evident
ly come for the niece and they were
leaving the room together. Not
amicably however. Harsh words hat
passed, or am no judge of the hu
man countenance. Dorothy especial
ly bore herself like one who find
difficulty in restraining herself from
some unhappy outburst, and he
hands were held clenched at he
sides.
II stepped into the room. Anothe
person was sitting there. It was Gil
'hertine Murrav sitting alone in a,