The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-03-02
CHAPTER Extraordinarily

Duke came first looking flushed. ex.
cited, and as if scarcely master Of him
self But there was no relief in his
face; he seemed strung up to a high
pitch OF nervous anxiety. Algy Hurst
followed. plump and placidly self salts
fled, Il little too much like very high
Unfinished fashion plate, perhaps, with
his glossy clothes, his silk Innings and
his white flower, but withal beautiful
to look upon Then came Leorard Har-
vey gaunt figure, on whom the e;,s-
iest-fitting clothes would hang loosely.
And last Of ALL in shufflcd the quaint
est figure that ever wore wore evening
dress.
Mr. Joseph Radstock was evidently
overwhelmed by the honor of dining
wlth his prosperous nephew. To do
justice to the occasion. he had appar-
emily borrowed the waistcoat and trous
ers of city waiter. while the coat he
wore was evidently Il cast-off one Of
Dukes and was Il great deal too short
in the waist and sleeves. He was a
tail, lean man, with Il STOPPING. sham
bling figure and sodden, mean face.
His manners were those of the most
offensive type of poor relation, alter
corded him. half-tilerant half-insolent
patronage. but Tire rest, with the excep-
ton Of Cicely. ignored him as far as
they could. RadStock, who had a great
deal more aStuteness than any one
present gave him credit for. observed Il
discreet sobriety in his enjoyment OF
the wines. though he Sazed with loving
eyes on the decantcrs In servile graft
I'D ~. = h a.,1
III Dkes remuarks but directed his con-
versation chiefly to Cicely. In whose
gM.tle courtesy he found l refuge from
the o,llness Of the rest
But. although she listened to the un-
welcome guest with patience, and an
syersl him with kindness. Cicely was
absorbed all the time in watching her
husband, who, under the influence OF
the wine, was growing more and more
excited, more reckless in manner, loud
or in tolk. The young wife fingered at
the table. unwilling to lose sight Of him
ard full Of vague uneasiness. Leonard
Harvey noticed the anxious look on her
face and ne and Algy became resolute-
" slow in emptying their glasses.
why. you drink nothing, either Of
you" cried Duke, impatient ut their
moderation Here, Ra&lstock, can't
you set them an example: Or have you
all an idea that there is something bet
ter in the cellar than anything l have
offered you?'
No, indeed, Mr. Bennington; moth
ing in any gentleman's cellar could be
better than what you have put before
Us, I'm sure"
"'There you're wrong. Uncle Joseph.
There's some wine in my cellar COM
pared to which what we've been drink
ing is rs tenpenny claret to Chateau
Iafitte You know" he went on, turning
to Hurst, "that I bought this house, just
as it stood, from the son of a wine-mer-
chants who had built it out of the pill
ferings Of lifetime. Well, the young
fool hadn't taken the trouble to SO into
the details of his inheritance, and l
have had the benefit Of his neglect. In
the cellar. the designing Of which had
evidently been labor Of love to the old
boy discovered, not long ago. 4 row Of
secret bins where the eX-wine merchant
must have buried his heart 1t WAS the
strangest find in the world | was try
ing TO poke into a rlt-hole behind one
Of the bins. and came upon a padlick
Ell door Quite exciting, eh: But moth
ing romantic inside; only bin after bin
Of choice wine in a small room"
won't you let us have 4 peep at your
mysterious chamber. Duke?' asked
NLinna, who wanted to relieve Cicelys
anxiety by getting her husband away
from the table I'VE are little in
c.ined to be scepdcal about treasure
trOve"
"Come along. then. all OF you. You
shah sample my discovery and il I've
oye'ratel it / give you leave to smash
every bottle.
He sprang up from his chair, found
the cellnr-key after momentary forget
fnlness where he had put it, and led the
way downstairs The rest all followed
The cellars Of Dial House, had evident
ly, rs Duke said, been a hobby Of the
builder They extended under the
ground for some distance
1t was grewsOme after the soft lights
and the scent of flowers they had left
In the dining room. The spiders had
spun their webs from wall to wall in
the dark corners, and these, thckly
hung with dust, yelled the dark hooks
before which they We're suspended. and
gave an uncanny suggestion OF there
being unexplored vaults and passages
behind. As they approached the fur
ther extremity OF the range Of cellars.
Duke, trying to turn up the last gas jet
with unstead.. fingers, put out the light
altogether
Never mind" he said, with bolster
ons laugh, II can find my way in the
dark
However the next moment crash Of
broken glass was heard, and i,e uttered
a sharp exclamation of pain and impa-
tience
Duke you have hurt yourself" cried
Cicely's voice in agony.
A stealthy figure passed the rest, half
seen in the nhescalaity Hurst Sfin,clr a