Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-05-06
CHAPTER XIII.
A STORY STRANGE But TRUE.

IL was not until the 10th of February that
Basil wrote again, and then came bulky
letter from him. closely and carefully writ
ten.
II was The narrative Of what had passed
within his ken since that terrible 81. Valen-
tines Eve, when the murderous hand OF
Bardolph Dimsey az the bidding OF a pas
sion-led woman, sought his life.
lie told his-tory briefly, and, as far as he
could, clearly.
Much that was mysterious to him Is al
ready known 10 our readers, and we have
only to reproduce his letter to make his full
story cicar.
" Ny own DAZZLING RrTH,-l write, as
hope and believe, To yOn for the last time
from my hiding-plsee. When you have
read this you need keep our secret no longer,
for shall promptly follow il, and | feryent-
ly trust be with you On the coming St. Val
entine's Eve.
WAS ever st0ry of man so strange as
mine? 4 year ago ! was on my way 60 you,
and | was within almost speaking distance
of my darling, when my life was attempted
by a scoundrel whose full history will tell
YOU when we meet. l know il now, al
though IL was strange to me onlya few days
ago.
ION the eve of last St Valentine, | had
Just passed the old church. and Gordonfells
was in sight when a masked man sprang
from the fence and stood full In my road.
My horse swerved, and at the same moment
the fellow fired two shots. The bulletsmlss-
ed but my no. SO rnadly plunging, l fell
heavily 10 the earth and became insensible.
AS afterwards learned lay like one dead,
without visible breath or motion.
Much that am telling you ! have only
what was told me To give, but believe 1t TO
be true. 1 was given To some OF the would
ha-u FdaFprfa frlanHg far huFial and Il WAa
actually laid In my grave when L gave out
signs of returning life.
"A repugnance against finishing the work,
or pity, saved me. They lifted me up, filled
In the grave. and carried me 10 a travelling
van belonging To one of their body, whom
only knew rs Jim the Snowman. He set
ont at once, making his way north.
For three weeks was delirOus, but con-
f.ant care on the part OF the showman's
wife brought me back 10 life, and l found
myself in lonely country knew nothing
OF, and practically q prisoner. was with
a gang OF gipsies who kept watch over me
day and night.
"The men were always armed, and was
given 10 understand that any attempt 10
escape would lead 10 my being shot We
were joined by another band shortly after, at
the head Of which was an old woman Of very
great age, named Hecate. i was an object
Of interest 10 her, and she associated me
with one Bardolph Dlmsey in u way that i
slTailRt. ulllli tul- WAC
the man who attempted to murder me.
But why did he attempt II? He had not
robbed me, nor did any Of his people take
single thing from me except my liberty.
They allowed me to retain everything, and
received the kindest care. was in one
sense rs a master among host or attentive
hired servants.
Il thought ON the prospect OF escape, but
could see none. We were living in broken
country, removed, il seemed 10 me, from all
ciyiiisation. My sleeping place was cave,
and never walked abroad without half-a-
dozen to guard me. Escape with life was
hopeless.
"Gipsies went away, and gipsies came,
and like watchful sentlnes took up their
duty and performed IL faithfully. 1t was
useless 10 attempt to bribe them. The least
hint about money was met with a laugh ana
the assurance that il could not be taken.
Il saw old Hecate was at the bottom of
II all, for after her arrival she took COM
mand of all and remained Sometimes she
would send for me TO Ia k, and the theme
was always this Bardolph, whom she SEEM
ed 10 love with d passionate devotion.
After many weary months began to
note change in my guardians. They were
more kind 10 me IL possible, and there SEEM
ed To me to be 4 feryent desire TO gain my
good opinion. Old Hecate was like the rest,
and thought ] saw the light Of liberty
ahead.
MY darling. the thought of what you
must be suffering, or what you might have
been led 10 believe, tortured me exquisitely
day and night, and would have done much
10 ease your aching heart and put myself
rsght In your eyes. Dc you wonder then
that promised these people exoneration
for their keeping me captive IL they would
finally set NE free?
They asked IL. and promised Ii must
not be forgotten that owed my life 10 their
forbearanc,,, and TO the ceaseless care of the
shownan's wife lt was to Bardolph DlIn-
sey that punishment for my misery was due,
and did not say that he would be forgiven.
Nor did they solicit IL, and l found OUT
the reason ere long. a suspicion had arisen
among the gipsies that this man had desert
ed his people. They spoke of his marriage
and his going away Tor year, but 10 SEEM
ed that he ought 10 hayecommunicatedw with
them in some way, and he has not done so.
lie has left us, heard llecate say; turn.
ed his back on the people who loved him.
He is q traitor
In the next breath she walled over him.
and said he would come again, and ere long
learnt that should not be set free until
the anniversary Of the day on which my life
Was attempted, so as to give the absent man
little grace.
III he returned they would beg forgive
ness for him, but II he did not was at lib
erty 10 do as i wished. could play the
part Of avenger TO them and myself II II
"Bardclph Dimsey, they told me, thought
that was dead and buried. They concea .ed
my recovery from him. because they knew
that he would have completed his work II
he found had escaped his smurderous hand.
Hecate also, ID seemed, was anxious to save
me, so thst the sin of taking life did not
rest upon him.
But what had lever done 10 this man
that he should seek 20 murder me? Nothing.
Therefore II Is clear that somebody set him
on. Who could have done SO cruel a thing?
Whom have so bitterly offended that they
should seek my life:
Il hope when come that l may DO able.
my darling to clear up much OF this mys-
terry. There Is a growing disposition on the
part Of the gipsies to cOniide IN me, and
they may yet tell me all. But can even
bear this weight OF the mystery II they will
set me free.
"You have, l hope, heard from me ere
this, as have written twice, but am given
10 understand that my letters have been
posted far away--passed on from one wan
dering tribe to another, so as to give no clue
TO my whereabouts.
my darling, l have nothing more to tell
you now. except the glad tidIngs that the
tribe are firmly assured that Bardolph has
deserted then, and ! shall bs free " lsaye