Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-06-22

ed" he resumed, "and asks who has done
it, lie again. Goodnight, Miles and
mind those dangerous places on your road
hpme.'
The groom darkened his lantern, and the
wild lord was lost to view. round the side
OF the house.
Left by himself, Miles raped mt the
door with the handle Of his whip. "A let
ter from Mr.. Arthur" he called out.
Mrs. Lewson at once ook the note. aud
examined it by the light of the candle on
the hall table. "Somcbody has been read
ing tbis!' she exclaimed, stepping out to
the groom. and showing him the torn en-
velope. Miles, promptly obeying his in-
structions, declared that he knew nothing
about il, aud rode away.
Iris descended the stairs and Joined Mrs.
Lewson in the hall before she had closed
the door. The housekeeper at once pro.
duced Arthur's letter.
'Its on my mind, Miss" she said, ito
write an answer, and say something To
Mr.. Arthur which will persuade him to
take Gaze Of himself, on his way back to
the farm. The difficulty is, how am To
express itr You would be doing n kind
thing II you would give me a word Of al.
vice"
Iris willingly complied. a second note.
from tie, anxious housekeeper. might help
the effect of the few lines which Lord
Hurry had written.
Arthur's letter Informed Iris that he had
arranged to return ut 3 O'Clock. Lord
Harry's question TO the groom, and the
mans reply. instantly REQUIRED Ia her
memory: Are there any strangers at
Rathcof"-"Two new men at work in the
grounds" Arriving ut the same conclu-
sion which had already occurred to Lord
Harry. Iris advised the ~housekeeper, in
writing TO Arthur, to entreat him 10
change the hour, secretly, at which he
left his friends house on the next day.
Warmly approving Of this idea, Mrs. Lew
son hurried into the parlor to write her
letter. Don't go to bed yet, Miss" she
said. 81 van you to read IL before |
send II away the first thing tomorrow
morning"
Left alone in the hall, with the door open
before her, Iris looked out on the night,
thinking.
The lives Of the two men in whom she
was interested-in widely different ways
were now both threatened. n the imrni-
nent danger, at that moment, was the
danger o. LOrd Harry. He wa an outlaw
whose character would not bear investiga-
ton: but, to give him his due. there was
no risk which he was not ready To con.
front for Arthur's sake. IL he was still
recklessly lingering, on the watch for as
sassins in the dangerous u~eighbOrhood OF
the farm, who but herself possessed the
influence which would prevail on him To
leave the place. She had joined Mrs.
Lewson at the door with hat conviction
in her mind. Ia another instant she was
out of the house, and beginning her search
In the dark.
Iris made the round or the building
som etimes feeling her way In obscure
places; sometimes calling to Lord Harry
cautiously by his name. No living crea-
ture appeared; no sound OF a movement
disturbed the Stiffness OF the night. The
discovery OF his absence, which she had
not dared 10 hope for, was the cheering
discovery which she had now made.
On her way back 20 the house she be-
came conscious Of the rushness of the act
into which her own generous impulse had
betrayed her.
IL she and Lord Harry had met. could
she have denied the tender interest In him
which her own conduct would then have
revealad9 Would he not have been iusti-