Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-03-22
CHAPTER XII -tContinued.)

trying TO speak lightly.
But Cicely knew better. Without
wasting more words she seized the pa
per, tore it from Minna's hand and
read the message. 1t was from the
matron Of st. C~hristopher's hospital.
and ran thus:
Mr.. Duke Bennington has been run
over and brought here. Desires to
see you"
Il will CO." said Ciceiy quickly.
And so will l. dear"
They were both very quiet. Cicely
gave the order for the brougham TO be
brought round at once.
On learning that Duke was alive and
In no immediate danger, Minna decld-
ed not to see him. but to let Cicely 60
in by herself; for she guessed that the
husband and wife might wish for some
private conversation concerning the
visit OF Mr.. William Bennington.
Mr.. Duke was too i'll for that. JIG
wife was warned before she saw him
that she must say very little, and AVOID
all appearance of emotion or excite
ment. 1t was with difficulty that she
restrained an outburst of tears as She
bent over his little bed and kissed him.
Then she sat down beside him very
quietly, holding his hand without say
ing anything.
He would not be silent, as she
wished, The sight Of her excited him
too much for that.
mo. Cicely. | must talk" he said.
in a weak voice. II seemed to be liv
ing through a sort of dull dream till
YOU came in, but now | am VIDE
awake, and I must talk mYSeli sleepy
again. You think me very stupid to
get run Over like that; but L nave peer
so much on the rack lately. Il TINS
afternoon my uncle William turned up
and worried me with questions
Ssh! Yes. l know. But you
not talk about that. He's been down
TO East Hill. and I've seen him, ana
it's all right"
You've seen him. cried Duke. try
ing to start up, his face full OF despe
ate anxiety. And did he" contlhuei
the patient in a whisper, after a Ho-
ment's pause, worry you with QueS-
tons about Joe RadstockF
And his expression changed, not TO
one of remorse, but of loathing. Clcely
was shocked. ~.
Il told him we knew nothing OF his
movements after he left us last night.
That was right, was il notf' She said
in Il very low voice.
Quite right. OF course. But he
will find out-he is as cunning as a fo&,
and then-oh, Cicely!'
'Sh!" she said. and she played ten
DERBY With is fair curls, even Whlle Il
lrideous undercurrent of only half-con-
scious thought told her that this was
the hair Of a murderer. You u De
uuiet. and calm and trustfLl OF me
for nv sake and for the ohildren's."
II do trust you, oh! ] do trust you,
Cicely." he burst out, with more pas
sionate feeling than ever. Since this
morning-when you Were SO sweet
have thought of nothing but ycu-eycr
since I feel that / worrhip you, Cicely.
If I { could 60 away somewhere with You
only, / could forget everything-every
thing. But I can't l can't. l must stay
here to face 1t all, and God help me! l
have brought shame and wretchedness
uron you, too"
He laid his face upon her hand, cling
ing to her fingers, and speaking in shor
jerky phrases, the OF which she
could not always catch.
ut will not be known" she whisper
ed. I a prevent i'll have thought
of a plan"
You! But, Cicely"-
"Hush!"
Was it insanity he saw in her burn
ing eyes ?Duke thought so for a mo
ment, aad his heart stood still. She
was standing up, her eyes fere staring,
her lips moving.
"Cicely, my darling Cicely," he cried
in a broken whisper.
And he stretched out his arms to her.
She came nearer, and bent over him
again, still with the same strange ex-
altation Of expression.
A nurse was looking in at the door
for the second time, and she looked
gravely from patient to visitor.
With one kiss, which communicated
in its tenderness both comfort and
hone to the sick man, Gicely left the
room.
The drive back was less melancholy
thar the journey to the hospital.
Minna was brushing her hair fer the
night, having sat up rather late reading
in her own room, when the soft open
ing Of Cicely's door disturbed her. She
listened, and heard by the occasional
creaking Of a stair or board that her
S,ster-inlaw went downstairs That
was all she could discover, as she did
not like to play the spy by opening her
own door. She lay awake a long time,
however, In the hope Of hearing the
footsteps returning. but finally fell
asleep without having satisfied her
wish. But anxiety having rendered her
sleep unusually light, she was awaken
ed by a very slight noise, that Of some
one stumbling on the stairs. Then Oh
cely's door opened and shut.
Minna sprang out Of bed. struck a
light and looked Mt her watch. 1t was
4 O'Clock. Cicely had been absent from
her room three hours! What could she
have been doing?
Tinna repeated this question to her
with still more emphasis on the fol-
ing morning, when Cicely appeared.
white from apparent fatigue and want
of slepp, and with her right hand bound
up. She had broken her her SOAP dish
and cut herself. she explained. But
Ninna stole into her sister-in-law's bed
rom In the course of the morning, and
fond that this was not true. She had
hurt herself on that mysterious noe
turnal expedition evidently; and Minna,
who was getting more and more
alarmed about Cicely, decided that her
scruples shonlo not prevent her follow