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

CHAPTER MI.
IF your wife dies YOU will be left Il
comparatively poor man" No matter
what other sounds came to the Captains
ears, those words were paramount. A
poor man. He had run through two for
tunes, he had no expectations of money
from any other source and his tastes
were more luxurious and ~eXtravagant
than ever.
He could not live IN Il small ncome;
and ne felt that he deserved blame for
not having been kinder to his wife and
more careful of her. 1t was II grave mis-
take on his part, he admitted to himself
But his thoughts wandered to other con-
t%ingencics. If Angela died, and his frag-
lie, delicate wife followed her, then the
position of affairs would be quite differ
ent. He would be free, and the property
would be his.
Free. AT the very word his heart beat
with a Quickcned pulsation. He knew
what he should do with his freedom. He
should go straight TO Gladys Rane and
ask her to be his wife. He closed his
eyes as though the better to realize the
possibility of such Il thing. Master of Il
splendid estate, and free to marry Gladys!
As the days passed. as they grew dark
er and colder. So his Icmeanor seemed
to change with them. He grew grave.
stern and cold, the bantering words. the
light jests. the brilliant smiles. the cheer
full. genial manner all vanished. Tho
master of Rood Abbey went about with Il
gloomy face, absorbed in thought, for the
shadow of a great crime was over him.
One morning. when Captain Wynyard
came down to breakfast, he found his
newspaper lying untouched on the table.
He unfolded it, and almost the first thing
he saw was Il paragraph headed, Fatal
Accident ut Newton Mere" 1t related
how a young lady. out skating with some
friends at Newton Mere, had met with II
sad end. She had been told which part
of the mere was safe. and whore ii would
be dangerous Fur her 10 go. She had evil
IDENTITY mistaken the directions. for she
went to that part of the mere where the
alder trees bent over the ice. against
which she had been especially warned.
Either she had mistaken the locality or
the directions, for she tried to cross the
mere. and SO to get to the alder trees.
The thin ice at once gave way, and. be-
fore the unfortunate young lady could be
rescued. she was dead.
Some impulse made the Captain fold up
the paper and take it to his study. lest
any one else should read the account. and
it should become the subject of comment.
He read it over and over again with ever
increasing interest. Then. when he had
read and re-rcad until he knew the whole
paragraph 10y heart, he destroyed the
newspaper. lest any part of the story
should be seen.
The visitors at the Abbey wondered on
that day what had become of the Cap
tain. Instead of going out in the nrorn-
ing. as usual. To- skate, he remained in his
study. The ncXt morning he seemed
more like himself. 1t was not often that
he addressed Angela voluntarily. but he
did SO during breakfast.
You like skating, Angela" he said.
in~terrogatiyely.
Yes; ii is my f|avoritc amusement in
winter. | enjoy it even more than dancing.
/ like the sensation of seeming to fly
through the frosty air
"Therc will not bc many of us this
afternoon.' he said; "the Delancys can
not come. We shall hardly number
enough to have Il quadrille on the ice
II do not care for quadrillcs." She said.
Ike Il lonS' StfalSnt Sntct or ice ana Il
swift run.
Then you shall go to Hettield Pool
he decided. There is a straight run of
quite a half mile, and it is completely
frozen"
rs it safe asked Lady Laura. low
ingly regarding the sweet face of her
daughter.
Safer than our lakes and ponds are,
and of greater extent" he replied. The
ice is quite thick. We will go there to-
day"
But, when the time for starting came.
there were but four in the party-the
Captain and Miss itooden, with young
Squire Arden and Lady Bell Norton, who
were staying ut the house.
I'VE are going to lictde!d Pool to-day
said the Captain. I'VE will drive there,
then we shall nave more time on the ice.'
Go be c~ontinued.)