Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-04-13

last she gives expression to it.
What have YOU done with him?" she
breaks forth, advancing toward him,
as though to compel him to give her All
answer to the question that has been
torturiRg her for days past.
With whom" he asks coldly. Yet
there is a %forbidding CLEAN in his eyes
that should have warned her TO for
bear.
With Sir Adrian-with your rival,
with the man you hate" she cries, her
breath coming In little irrepressible
gasps. "Dynecourt, l adjure you to
speak the truth, and say what has be-
come OF him"
You rave" he says calmly, lifting
his eyebrows just a shade, as though in
pity Tor her foolish excite .nent. Il con-
Tess the man was no favorite of mine,
and that | a not help being glad of
this chance that has presented itself in
his extraordinary disappearance of my
inheriting his place and title; but real
~, my dear creature, l know as little of
what has become of him, as-I pre-
sume-you do yourself
troll over herself. you have murder
ed him, To get him out of your path.
His death lies at your door"
She points her finger at him as
though in condemnation as she utters
these words, but still he does not finch.
They will take you for a Bedlamite,"
he says, with a sneering laugh, IF you
conduct yourself like this. Where are
your proofs that l am the cold-blooded
ruffian you think me"
Il have nOne"-in a despairing tone.
But l shall make it the business of my
life to find them"
You had better devote your time to
some other purpose" he exclaims saw
agely, laying his hand upon her wrist
with an amount of force that leaves
a red mark upon the delicate flesh.
Do you hear meP You must be mad to
60 on like this 70 D. | know nothing
your designing conduct, and your wild
jealousy Of Florence Delmaine. All
the world saw how devoted he was to
her. and-mark what | say-there have
been Instances of a jealous woman kill
ing the man she loved, rather than see
him In the arms of another"
"Demonl" shrieks Dora, recoiling
from him. You would fix the crime
on me?'
why not? / think the whole case
tells terribly against you. Hitherto l
have spared you, l have refrained from
limiting even at the fact that your jeal-
Ousy mad been aroused Of late; but
your conduct Of to-day, and the willy
manner in which you have sought TO
accuse me Of being implicated in this
unfortunate mystery connected with
my unhappy cousin, have made M for
get my forbearance. Be warned in
time, cease to prosecute me about this
matter, o~r-wretched woman that you
are-I shall certainly make IL my bust
ness to investigate the entire matter,
and bring you to justice!"
He speaks with such an air of truth,
of thorough belief in her guilt, that
Dora is daIed, bewifdered, and, falling
back from him covers her face with her
hands. The fear Of publicity, of hav-
ing her late intrigue brought into the
glare Of day, fills her with consterna-
ton. And then, what will she gain by
II? Nothing; she has no evidence on
which to convict this man; all is mere
superstition. She bitterly feels the
weakness Of her position, and her ina
bitty to follow up her accusation.
All, how like a guilty creature you
stand there!" exclaims Dynecourt, re-
garding her bowed and trembling fig
uAc. DOC Pialuiy tndt tulS uiuSt NC
looked into. Miserable woman! II
you know aught Of my cousin, you had
better declare it now"
"Traitorl" cries Dora, raising her
pale face and looking at him with hor-
ror and defiance. you triumph now,
because, as yet, l have no evidence to
support my belief; but"-she hesitates.
"Ah, brazen it out TO the last!" SAYS
Dynecourt insolently. "Defy me while
you can. To-day l shall set the blood
hounds Of the law upon your track, so
beware-beware!"
"You refuse to tell me anything?' ex-
claims Dora, ignoring his words, and
treating them as though they are un-
heard. $50 much the worse for YOU"
She turns from him, and leaves the
room as she finishes speaking; but,
though her words have been defiant
there Is no kindred feeling in her heart
to bear her up.
When the door closes between them,
the flush dies out Of her face, and she
looks even more wan and hopeless than
she did before seeking his presence.
She can not deny 10 herself that her
mission has been a failure. He has
openly scoffed at her threats, and she
Is aware that she has not q shred of act
ual evidence wherewith to support her
suspicion; the bravado with which he
has sought TO turn the tables upon her
self both frightens and disheartens her,
and o she c~onfesscs to herself that
she knows not where to turn for coun-
sci.