Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-05-28

Dack LOT me dIItr, Il uOnt mind tdhink SOu
TO the Duchess's. What, not of yet, Nico-
las?' as that gentleman appeared arrayed In
one Of those amazing coats that some for.
eigners patronize for travelling.
'Can / assist?' he asked in his little Off
cious way.
SO he and / together conveyed the picture
TO the room In which IL was to hang. and,
leaning 1t against the wall, stood discussing
II fT a few minutes. Then he discreetly re-
tir.d while the Princess, with some gracious
words, placed in my hands a check for three
hundred pounds-a welcome sight In those
years of scarcity. She offered 10 take me In
her carriage as far a. our ways laid together.
She was to go with the two Miss Bosworths
to the opera, and had to dine with them first
i went back to the studio to bid goodbye to
Ferendia, whom / found crouching over the
stove, declaring himself stiff with sitting,
while the ever-obllging Nicolas, on his knees,
blew the fire 10 a red-hOt glow.
'Stay and have a cigar" he said; "Ive
Just opened a fresh box. Take one"
1 declined, and directly after that the Prin-
cess, looking like the White Cat this time In
her furs, came tripping up to hurry me. /
shook hands with Ferendia, and she nodded
gayly, then, mo-ed by some impulse, rushed
back TO him, and taking his face between her
hands kissed his forehead twice.
He stood up 10 his full height, out OF her
reach. half vexed. half laughing.
what now, Hersilie? You are coming
back TO me? You will see me again?-
"When / come back" and without 0nOther
word she darted dow the stairs and was
buried in the depths Of the carriage, her hood
over her face, when | joined her.
Give me a match, Nicolas" the Prince
had commanded in his usual imperious man
ner, and Nicolas obeyed promptly.
That was the last glimpse / had OF them
then. Prince Ferendia, standing erect and
stately, his face illumined by the sputtering,
flaming light which the other held, and NicO-
las looking up at him with an amiable smile
curying his gray mustache and the light Of
the match ~twinkling back from his specta-
cles. He closed the door on me as | left the
room, and the picture vanished.
That night an experience so singular hap
pened to Inc that | hardly know how TO de-
scribe il. / woke about midnight with a
sudden start, followed by a horrible choked
feeling that made me struggle violently to
raise myself and to try 10 tear something's
knew not what-from my face and throat.
but | was powerless; my arms were held at
the elbow by an invisible bond, and / was
too stupefied to realize where | was or what
was happening 10 me-, except that / must
die. / grasped and strove, but in a dull,
dizzy fashion, and then at last the whole
world seemed Keeling with me, and / slid off
the solid ground into great sea of blackness
and peace. Then, with a tingling shiver, /
~woke-myself again. L sprang up 10 find
Jack Morris watching me.
What were you shouting 'Helpr for like
thatg'
/ told him.
Il have been dreaming, too. Come along!"
was all he said. helping me to dress with all
speed, and we both descended through the
sleeping house and stepped out into the
clear, wet, shining streets. Without another
word between us we made straight for the
Ferendias' house. At no great distance from
1t we had to cross one Of the principal main
thoroughfares, alive and busy even at this
hour, 50 that the sight Of a cab, stopping 10
pick up a gentleman, need not have attract
ed any special attention. 1t a me stop,
however, and lay my hand on Morris's arm.
lie saw it. too, and drew me back into the
shadow of a building. The light from a gas
lamp shone full into the cab window. and
glanced for a second on the glasses Of a pair
of spectacles and the curl of a gray mus
tache.
Not on board the Ostend bOat" l said.
where has he been?"
Jack only responded by Q%uickening his
steps, and 4 few more brought US In front of
the house. There were lights in some of the
windows and l WAS about 10 ring, when Nor
ris stopped me and gently tried the door. 1t
opened readily, and we entered. The table
was laid for supper in the dining room, but
there was no sign of Gny one about. With
out further question or hesitation we ran up
stairs straight 10 the studio. The key was
outside the door, but ii was not locked. Be
fore | couldtum it a breathless servant came
rushing mp after VS..
ave have come IN supper with the Prince"
said Morris coolly; hasn't he come in yety'
BEG your pardon. Sir" said the man, re-
cogniZing me. Il had only Just stepped
across the road with a letter to the post. /
hadn't left the house a minute. The Prince
has not come in yet, Sir" Before he had
half concluded his apology ] had turned the
handle and opened the door. The room was
close and the air felt heavy, though the win
dow was wide open and the stove black.
That was all | saw al first By the light that
streamed IN from the landing; the next mo-
ment the man clutehed my arm with a jerk
that nearly overSet ME. The Princev" he
whispered, and we all stood still and looked
at him. He sat in an easy attitude i'm the
chair in which l had painted him, his elbow
resting on the table. His head, leaning back
and turned slightly upward. was supported
ON his hand: the other hand dropped beside
him, a half-smoked cigarette between two
of the fingers. His eyes seemed to watch us
oddly from under his half-closed eyelds--
that was all; and yet / stepped forward and
with q shaking hand touched his cheek. 1t
was warm, yet no breath or pulsation stirred
his frame. | moved the candle before his
face; still that fixed, CLASSY stare.
Look there!' whispered Jack, pointing
to a fleck of bloOd-stained froth on the heavy
mustache. Ring the belli Rouse the housed
And YOU" To the footman, run for a doctor
at oncer'
While he ran out to the landing we tried
to change the position of the body, loosened
the collar and Tie, and chafed the stiffening
fingers, but each effort only made il palmer
that IL was a hopeless task. The household
gathered, clamorous and bewildered, and a
doctor appeared as by m~agic-theA another,
and another. TOO late y the first had said,
and none of the others disputed the sentence.
We had laid him on the low stage that had
been put up FOR the sittings, with a cushion
under his handsome head, and the doctor had
Just risen from his last fruitless ministra-
tions when the crowd around the doorway
stirred and parted, and the Princess in her
floating laees and sparkling gems rushed for
ward and flung herself upon the dead body.
''There'll be an inquest" i said uncom-
fortably as we walked home together that
night. 'Shall we have To appear? Suppose
the circumstances are considered suspicious,
it'll be am awkward position, Ell, Jack?"
''rhere'll be no inquest, and the circuin-
stances will not be considered in the least
suspicious" he replied confidently. do you
think they do not know better how to man
age than that? Prince Ferendia will be found
to have died decently and in order, YOU may
rest assured. Why nota II l happen to
know what had been burning In that stove
not many hours ago, and il l guess what NJ.
Nicolas's last GRAND to that house has been,
do you think / am fool enough 10 say SO?
No one else can tell. You have been paint
ing a man with the rope round his neck-I