Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-08-31

winch he was unable to Justify to himself,
took possession of him. Come what might
of IL, he determined to set at rest the
doubts Of which he was ashamed. by com
~municating with Iris. His card-csse prov
ed to be empty When he opened IL: but
there were letters I'm his pocket, addressed
TO him at his hotel in London. Removing
the envelope from one OF these, he handed
IL to the servant:
"Take that to Miss Henley, and ask when
/ can see her"
The girl left him in the passage, and
went upstairs to the drawing-room.
In the fiimsily built little house he could
hear the heavy step Of a man crossing the
room above, and then the resonant tones
of a mans voice raised as II In anger. Had
she given him already the right to be an
CRY with herr He thought Of the time
when the betrayal Of Lord Harry's vindic-
tive PURPOSE in leaving England had
frightened her-wheu he had set aside his
own sense OF what was due TO him, for her
sake-and had helped her to communicate,
by letter, with the man whose fatal as
cendancy over Iris had saddened his life.
Was what he heard now the return that
he had deservedt
After a short absence the servant came
back with q message.
Miss Henley begs YOU will excuse her.
She will write to you"
Would this promised letter be like the
other letters which he had received from
her In Scotland. Mountjoy's gentler ma
ture reminded him that he owed it to his
remembrance Of happier days, aud truer
friendship, to wait and see.
He was just getting into the cab, on his
return to London. when closed carriage,
with one person in il, passed him on it's
way to Redburn Road. In that person he
recognized Mr.. Henley. AS the cab-driver
mounted TO his seat Hugh saw the car
riage stop at Number Five.
CHAPTER xxL-THE PARTING SCENE.
The evening had advanced aud the can
dies had just been lit in Mountjoy's sit
ting-room at the hotel.
His anxiety To hear from Iris had been
doubled and trebled since he had made the
discovery OF her fathers visit TO the doc
tors house at a time when it was impossi-
BILE to doubt that Lord Harry was with
her. Hugh's jealous sense OF wrong was
now mastered by the nobler emotions
which filled him with pity and alarm when
he thought Of Iris placed between the con
tending claims OF two such men as the
heartless Mr.. Henley and the reckless
irish lord. He had remained at the hotel
through the long afternoon on the chance
that she might write TO him speedily by
the hand Of a messenger-and no letter
had arrived. He was still 10 expectation
of news which might reach him 10y the
evening post, when the waiter knocked at
the door.
"a letter." Mountjoy asked.
mo, SIR" the man answered: "a lady"
Before she could raise her veil Hugh had
recognized Iris. Her manner was sub
dued; her face was haggard: her hand
lay cold and passive in his hand when he
advanced TO bid her welcome. He placed
n chair for her by the fire. She thanked
him and declined 20 take it. With the air
of a woman conscious Of committing an
intrusion she seated herself apart in a col.
ner OF the room.
II nave tried to write to you and | have
not been able TO do It," She said that with
a logged resignation Of one and manner
so unlike herself that Mouutjoy looked AZ
her in dismay. my friend" she went
on, your pity Is all | may hope for: | am
no longer worthy Of the interest you once
felt in me-"
Hugh saw that II would be useless 20 re
monstrate. He asked if il had been his
misfortune TO offend her.
NO" she said, you have not offended
me-"
Then what, in heavens name, does this
change in you mean"
ut means" she said. as coldly as ever,
that | have lost my self respect; IL means
that my father has renounced me. aud
that YOU will do well to follow his exam