The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-05-30

Coverly, and then say goodnight"
VERY we'll" assented the father.
SO the tired musicians We're taken
off to the servants hall to be Toasted.
and Grace, who seemed To have devel-
oped an unusual amount of animation.
declared they would have some prime
fun.
Her excitement was infectious. and
and they were all found sooner or
later, while the boughs of the mistie-
toe that were hung so profusely about
the castle offered IN excuse for kisses
that would never have been yentured
upon in the presence of chaperon,
let the excuse be ever so valid.
This romp had been going on for
some time, but Kate had taken no
part in it.
There had been plenty of girls will
ing enough to hide, and others eager
TO find them. so that had escaped but
Grace at length would take no refu-
sal.
Come. Kate" said her sister in a
low disagreeable tone, lit seems as
though you We're too prudish to join
us. and you need not be afraid; Lord
Roland is sure to find you. | am sure
you two have been spooning there long
enough for all the world to know
what it means
Kate made no reply. but she rose to
her feet. gave one smiling glance to
Roland, then turned and followed her
sister.
Where shall we hide:" she asked.
indifferently.
"Oh, know a splendid place" was
the reply; 1--WE will hide in the west
turret. You shall have the little cham
Der leading out of this roOm." she
said, throwing open a door at the top
of the staircase. land Iii shut myself
up in the one above you"
But it is dark and it is cold" OBJ
jected Kate, with shiver. as they
crossed the room toward the little tur-
ret chamber which opened out of it.
Nonsense! you won't be here five
minutes, and the corridor is lighted.
Go in quickly; | think | hear them
coming"
SO saying. she pushed her half-re-
luctant sister through the narrow door,
then closed it upon her with a silent
spring.
She did not 90 into the room above,
however, but she stood pale and mo-
tionless, listening for the faintest cry.
None came; and at length, unable to
bear the suspense any longer, she eau
tiOusly reOpened the door, and pro-
nOunced her sisters name.
No answer was returned. but blast
of cold, dark air seemed to rush up
from far below, and to strike to her
heart with its it's icy breath.
Grace Lilburne was not surprised,
though she had only been there once.
many years ago. In her childhood she
had been shown the chaSm at her feet.
and had been threatened by Frank
Fairfield, the son of Hates foster
mother, that If she listened at doors
ana told tales about him again he
would throw her down here, and she
would never be heard of again.
The threat had been etficaciouS. and
the horror of it fingered long in her
memory. and she remembered as
though it had happened yesterday how
terrified she had been at seeing what
looked like the solid floor glide noise
lesSly away when he touched a spring,
leaving uncovered Il dark and terri
BILE chaSm that seemed to have no bot
tom.
While Lord Roland had been telling
Kate he loved her, and after she had
made up her mind to kill her sister,
Grace had taken a lamp, and with no
slight difficulty had pressed the long
ali fi.in TO
make the false door slide out of it's
place, revealing the foul, dark chasm
below, which had once been such a
source of terror to her childish mag
nation.
She had left the floor of the turret
chamber open, though she had care
fully closed the door-but now, when
the murderous work was done. she
dared not bring a light, neither dared
she leave the place uncovered, and
she felt cautiously about for the hid
den spring, and, at some peril to her
self, since she was working in the
dark, she managed to find it, and the
floor slowly moved back into its place
with grating noise, closing with
sharp snap.
lerrlleu lest she SHOULD DE detected,
and confident that the search had al
ready begun, Grace almost flew to the
room above, and there stood. pale and
well-nigh spellbound with horror at
the foul deed which she had deliber-
ately planned and 50 completely &C.
cOmpished.
But she knew she must not give way
to her fears in the presence of other
people, or she would soon betray her
self, for an awful time of anxiety
and dread was still before her.
1t was with an intense feeling Of re-
lief that she heard the door open and