The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-12-31

~ VI ~ ''N
tn" gates of Rood opened To admit the
man who was now practically its master.
81 did not write or telegraph To you
that was coming" he said 70 his pale,
startled wife: II thought my arrival
would be a pleasant surprise for you"
ut is indeed Il SURPRISE" she responded.
coldly; but she did not add that it was
II pleasant one.
To Angela th" Captains return meant
every kind of annoyance. He had been
passivoly Indifferent to her before. now
he WAS actively ~antagonistic. He lost no
opportunity of annoying and irritating
her. and his ~favorite method of attack
was to speak lightly or snceringly of the
father she had loved SO dcvoteily. He
never lost an opportunity of w%ounding
the heart of the girl whose chief fault in
his eyes was the great love she bore her
mother.
IoL call this place an abbey. Laura"
said the Captain. laughingly, one morn
ing. ut is really a hermitage. Pray let
us have some visitors down."
You can invite whom you will" re-
turned Lady Laura.
IL wish to heaven | could.' he cried,
impetuously: and she knew we'll of whom
he was thinking. Give me carte blanche,
Laura" he went on, "and you shall have
the Gayest party ever gathered within
these walls"
Hcr mind went back for n minute to
the noble men ami fair womcn who had
lived under the roof of Rood. and the
smile that curved her lips was one of I'M
utterablc contempt. The Captain. in no.
wise dauutcd by this. became only more
eager in respect of his plan.
They We're Il happy and noisy party;
music. laughter and singing hardly ccas-
ed resembling within the old walls. The
guests seemed scarcely ever TO be at rest.
Every hour Of the day brought some new
amusement, some new occupation. and the
Captain thoroughly enjoyed hustle and
movement. Lady Laura, however. felt
that she should be thankful when it was
over ana quiet once more secured.
So the rest of October passed. The
Captain contrived always TO have the
Abbey full of visitors; but he did not
again propose to invite Lady Kinloch and
Gladys Rauc.
The state of affairs at Rood Abbey did
not quite escape the notice of the guests
assembled there. 1t was Il matter of COM
'A' 'Aitt Nv HGllNiSolht Adl1iulH. 50
chiyalrous. SO devoted To other women,
was most noglectful of his wife.
One morning the Captain and Sir Hal
Markham stood on the terrace, smoking
and talkin" after their usual fashion.
what Il grand old place this is" oh
served Sir Hal. What Il fine thing for
YOU To step into it. You were close to the
waters edge at the time. were YOU mott"
YES: | could not have held my ground
another month" replied the Captain.
What would you have done if she re-
fused YOU asked Sir Hal.
Il knew that she would not refuse me-"
said his friend. Il was pretty sure of
success
But what" persisted Sir Hal. SHOULD
YOU have lone if she had said NO"
81 must have left the country" the Cap
tain replied.
Then at least you owe her some graft
tudc.' said Sir Hal.
Il suppose So responded his compan
ion, carclcssly.
Then. after Il few seconds. Sir Hal
asked. abruptly:
what hccame of that beautiful girl we
met in London-Miss Ranc:'
The Captains dark face flushed.
she j. in Paris again, with Lady Kin
lock-" he replied.
You were very fond of her, Vance,
said his friend.
"Shc was the one love of my life!'
That is hardly fair to the woman you
have married
at makes but little dilfcrence.' was the
Captains
"l0T nave certainly been Il most fortu-
nate man" remarked Sir Hal.
81 should consider that | was if the
estate Were wholly min" and without in
cumbranco." said the Captain.
Il have heard people speak of the late
Sir Charles Rooden's Will" continued Sir
Hal. Rather an cNtraordinary me-. was
il uli:"
~ very foolish one. some people think"
replied the Captain. He left the whole
of hi estate and fortune. without any re-
>trictiun. to his widow, and after her de-
cease il was To go to her daughter"
Then. if Lady Laura died. YOU would
be a poor man again, Vance,"
Il should indeed. unless"
But he did MOI finish the sentence.
UNLESS WHAT asked Sir Hal.
Unless her daughter died also" re
piled the Captain.
And what them asked his friend.
"Why. then-but remember, Hal, it is q
most unlikely thing to nappen-the whole
of the property would come to mel
Sir Hal gave Il prolonged whistle, while
the Captain looked at hin with serene I'M
consciousness.
only those two lives between you and
a vast fortune:" he said, musingly.