Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-04-06
CHAPTER. VIII.

Florence, feeling IL will be selfish Of
her to cut short Dora's happy hours
with her supposed lover, signs. and
gives in, and sacrifices her own wishes
on the altar Of friendship.
1t is five o'clock, and all the men,
gun in hand, have been out since early
dawn. Now they are coming stray
Cling home, in II or twos. Amongst
tie first to return are Sir Adrian and
his cousin Arthur Dynecourt, who,
having met accidentally about a mile
from home, have trudged the remand
er of the way together.
On the previous night at dinner, Miss
Delmaine had spoken Of a small gold
bangle, a favorite Of hers, she was
greatly in the habit Of wearing. She
said she had lost it-when or where she
could not tell; and she expressed her
self as being very grieved for its loss,
and had ~laughingly declared she would
give any reward claimed by any one
who should restore it to her. Two or
three men had, on the instant, pledged
themselves TO devote their lives to the
search; but Adrian had said nothing.
Nevertheless, the bangle and reward
had remained in his mind all that
night and all to-day. Now he can not
refrain from speaking about it to the
llldiI Ht tOllSlutlo UlO NV III.
odd thing about Miss Delmaine's
BANGLE" he remarks carelessly.
VERY odd. dare say her maid has
put ii somewhere and orgotten it,"
Hardly. One would not put a brace
let anywhere but in a jewel-case or in
a special drawer. She must have
dropped it somewhere"
II dare say; those Indian bangles are
very liable to be rubbed off the wrist"
"But wherey | have had the place
searched high and low, and still no It'd
ings Of il can be found
There may have been since we left
home this morning"
Just at this moment they come with
in full view of the old tower. and its
strange rounded ivy-grown walls, and
the little narrow holes i'll the sides they
show at its highest point that indicate
the position of the haunted chamber.
What is there at this moment in a
mere glimpse of this old tower to make
Arthur Dynecourt grow pale ard to
start so strangely? His eyes gfow
brighter, his lips tighten and grow
hard.
do you remember" he says, turning
to his cousin with all the al. Of n 10
whom a sudden inspiration has come,
that day when we visited the haunted
chamber? Miss Delmaine accompanied
us. did she noty"
"Yes"-looking at him expectantly.
Could she have dropped ii there?"
asks Arthur lightly. by Jove. it
would be odd if she had-ehy Uncanny
sort of place to drop ones trinkets."
1T is strange | didn't think of it be-
fore" responds Adrian, evidently
struck by the suggestion. why, it
must have been just about that time
when she lost il. The more | think of
it the more convinced l feel that it
must be there"
Nonsense, my dear fellow; don't
jump at conclusions so hastily! 1t is
highly Improbable slivuia o~y that
she dropped it anywhere else in the
world"
well. I'll 60 and see, at all events"
declares Adrian, unconvinced.
1t is some lingering remnant of
grace, some vague human shrinking
from the crime that has begun to form
itself within his busy brain. that now
induces Dynecourt to try to dissuade Sir
Adrian from his declared intention To
search the haunted chamber for the
lost bangle? With all his eloquence he
seeks to convince him that there the
bangle could not have been left. but to
no effect. His suggestion has taken
firm root in Sir Adrian's mind, and at
least, rs he frankly says, though it may
be useless to hunt for it in that uncan-
ny chamber. it is worth a try. 1t may
be there. This dim possibility drives
him to his fate.
well, if you go alone and unprotect-
ed your blood be on your Owl head"
says Dynecourt lightly. ut last surren-
dering his position. Remember, what
ever happens, l advised you not to go!"
AS Arthur finishes his speech a SIMS
ter smile o~verspreads his pale features,
| and a quick light, as evil as it is pierre
ing comes TO his eyes. But Sir Adrian
sees nothing of this. He is looking at
his home. as ii stands grand and ma
jestic in the red light of the dying sun.
He is looking, too, at the old tower,
and at the upper portion OF it, where
the haunted chamber stands, and
| where he can see the narrow holes that
serve for windows. How little could a
man imprisoned there see Of the busy
| world without!
yes. III remember" he saws testing
ly. when the ghosts OF my ancestors
claim me as their victim. and incarcer-
shall remember your words and your
advice"
"You don't mean to 60 there, OF
course?" asks Arthur careiessiy, whilst
watching the other with eager scrutiny.
1T Is quite a journey TO that dismal
hole. and it will le useless"
swell, If it distresses you. consider !
haven't gone" says Sir Adrian lightly.
That Is right" rejoins Arthur, still
with his keen eyes fixed upon his
cousin. Il knew you would abandon
that foolish intention. i certainly shall
consider you haven't gone"
They are at the hall door as these
words pass Arthur's lips, and there
they separate, Sir Adrian leaving him
with a smile, and going away up the
large hall whistling gayly.
When he has turned II corner, Ar
| thur goes quickly after him, not with
the intention of overtaking him, but of
keeping him In view. Stealthily he
follows, as though fearful of being
seen.
There is no servant within sight. No
friend comes across Sir Adrian'S path.
LAll Is silent. The old house seems
wrapped in slumber. Above, the pref
ty guests in their dainty tea-gowns are
slipping Bohea and prattling scandal;
below, the dOmestics are occupied i'm
their household affairs.
Arthur, watching carefully, sees Sir
Adrian go quickly up the broad front
staircase, after which he turns aside,
and, AS though filed with guilty fear,
rushes through n passage OF another,
until he arrives in the corridor that be-
longs to the servants quarters.
Coming to a certain door. he opens
It, not without some difficulty, and,
moving into the dark landing that lies
beyond it, looks around. To any casu-
al observer il might seem strange that
some of the cobwebs in this apparent
ly long-forgotten place have lately been
or descending the gloomy staircase.
To Arthur these signs bring no sur
prise, which proves that he, perhaps,
has the best right to know whose figure
brushed them aside.
Hurrying up the stairs, after closing
the door carefully and ~noiselessly be-
hind him, he reaches, after c~Onsidera-
BILE mountings of what seem to be in
terminable steps, the upper door he
had opened OH the day they had visited
the haunted chamber, when Ringwood
and he had had q passage-at-arms
about his curiosity.
Now he stands breathing heavily
outside this door, wrapped la the dis
Wal darkness Of the staircase, listen