Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-03-23
The Haunted Chamber.
BY aTHE DUCHESS.

~ oilCt- SIT cOInnialius Lady f1tHAl-
mont, IN a menacing tone. largely min
gied with abject fear. As she speaks she
retreats precipitately behind Florence,
mus pushing that young lady to the
fore.
when my cousin ~unhappily STUN
bled against me. and the revolver went
OIL" goes on Sir Adrian. I'm deeply
grieyed. Lady FitZAlmont, that this
should have occurred To disturb the
household: but. really, it was a pure
accident
y pure accident" repeats Arthur,
from between his cOlOrless lips.
lie looks far nor distressed by this
occurrence than sir Adrian. who had
narrowly escaped being wounded. This
only showed his tenderness, and proper
yelling. AS almost all the women pre-
sent mutually agreed. Almost all. but
no quite. Dora Talbot. for example.
grows deadly pale ~ she listens to the
explanation and watches Arthur's
ghastly face. What is il likcy The face
of a murderer
"Oh. no. no she gasps inwardly;
surely not tlat.'
1T was the purest accident. | assure
you, protests Arthur again. as though
anxious to impress this conviction up-
WI Ills wv iillil.
1T might have been very serious
one, says the surgeon CraNely. regard
ing nm with q keen glance. 1T might
have meant death to Sir Adrian!"
Florence changes color and chances
AT her host with parted lips. Dora Tai
bot. pressing her way through the
group i'm the doorway. goes straight M
to him rs il impulsiyely. and takes his
hand in both hers.
Dear Sir Adrian. how can we he
thankful enough for your eScape:' she
says sweetly, tears standing i'm her
bright bin eyes. She presses his hand
warmly, " even raises it To- her lips
IN y transport of emotion. Standing
there IN The pretty pink drcSsing-gOwn
that shows off her complexion To per-
lection, Dora Talbot looks lovely.
You are very good-vrry kind" re-
turns sir Adrian. really touched bv
her concern. but still with ewes only
for the white vision in the door NAV:
but YOU make too much OF nothing. /
am sorry ! have been the Unhappy
cause OF r]ousing you from ycitr rosy
dreams: You will not thank me to-mor-
row when there will be only lilies in
your cheeks
The word lily brings back 10 him his
last interview with Florence. He CLAN
ces hurriedly at her tight hand: yes.
the same lily is claSped in her fingers.
Has she sat ever since with his gift be-
fore her, in her silent chamber? Alone
in grief perhaps. But why has she
kept his flower: What can it all mean?
We shall mind nothing, now YOU are
safe Dora assures him TREMENDOUSLY.
II think / might be shown some rom
sheraton puts in Arthur. trying by
a violent effort to assert himself. and
to speak lightly. Had anything hap
pened. surely | should have been tile
one to be pitied. 1t would have been
my fault. and. Mrs. Talbot. | think YOU
might show some pity for me" He
holds ont his hand, and mechanically
Dora lays her own in it.
But it is only for am instant. and she
shud.lcrs violently a. his touch meets
hers. Her eyes are ON the ground. and
she can not bring herself To look at
hlm. Drawing her fingers hurIiedly
from bis, She goes 10 the door and dis
appears from view.
In the meantime, sir Adrian. having
made his way To- Florence. points to the
lily.
You have held il ever since?" he
d-hN. III ~ NV Aplit. 1 HtfAilN IODtNl
for so much. But YOU have not con
graduated me. you alone have said
nothing
why need | speak? have seen You
with my own eyes. You are safe. Be
lieye me. Sir Adrian. | congratulate
you most sincerely upon Your escape"
Her words are cold. her eyes are
downcast. She is deeply annoyed with
herself for having carried the lily into
his presence here. The very fact of
having noticed IL and spoken To her
about II has shown her how much i'm
pOrtance lac has attached to her doing
80. What will he think of her. lie will
doubtless picture her 10 himself sitting
weeping and brooding over a flower
given To her by a MAJ who loves hen
not. and To whom She has given hel
love unsolicited.
Her marked GOODNESS So Expresses
him that he steps back. and does not
venture To address her again. Ii &C.
ours 10 him that she is resrrycd because
of ArthurS presence.
Presently, Lady FitZAlmont. marsh
aling her forces anew. carries them all
away To their rooms. soundly rating
the sobbing Lady Gertrude for liel
want of self-control.
III Hlel, 700, SHoltiN dllcTM ara us
perse, and one 10y one drift away To
their rooms. Captain Ringwood and
Maitland the surgeon being the last to
60.
"WhO is the next heir Ia the castley"
asks the latter musingly, drumming
his fingers idly on a table near him.
"Dynecourt, the fellow who nearly
did for Sir Adrian this evening" re-
plies Ringwood quietly.
All"
1T would have meant "a very good
thing for Arthur if the shot had taken
effect says R%ingwood, eyeing his COM
panion c~uriouSly.
1T would have meant murder, sir!'
rejoins the surgeon shortly.