Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-01-04

ance Companies desire any Information
from me / am always ready and willing to
afford it,"
Lord Harry gave this letter to his wife.
She read il. and lail IL open in her lap.
"Must IL be, Harry Oh! must IL be?"
There is no other way possible, dear.
But really IL is nothing. You were not at
Passy when your husband died. You had
been in Loudou-you were in Brussels
anywhere: when you arrived it was all
over; you nave seen his hea9stone. DR..
Vimplny had him in his care; You knew
he was i'll. but you thou yht it was u tri-
fine matter which time would cure; YOU
go 10 the lawyers aud present the Will.
They have the policies, aud will do every
thing else; YOU will not even have TO sign
anything. The G1ly thing that you must
do is TO get Il complete rig -out of widows
weeds. Mind - there VIII not be the
slightest doubt or question raised. Con-
sidering everything. You will be more than
Justified in seeing no one aud going no
where"
Hugh's letter breaking in upon her
fools paradise had awakened the poor
woman to her better self. She had gone
so far with the fraud as to acquiesce Ia
it: but she recoiled with horror aud shame
when this active part was forced upon
her.
"Oh. Harryr'-she burst into tears. ~
cannot-I cannot. You ask me to be a
liar aud a thief-oh! heavens.--a vile
THEIR
at is too late, Irisl We are all vile
thieves. 1t is too late to begin crying
.'Harry"-she threw herself upon her
knees-"spare me! Let some other woman
go and call herself your widow. Then l
will 90 away aud hide myself"
"Dou't talk nonsense. Iris" he replied,
roughly. 81 tell you it is far too late. You
should have Thought OF this before. II Is
now all arranged
az cannot co. she said.
"You must 90; otherwise all our trouble
NAV prove useless"
'T6en | will not gol' she declared,
springing to her feet. II will not degrade
myself any further. will not go"
Harry rose too. He faced her for q mo-
ment. HIS eyes dropped. Even he remem.
bered, at that moment, how great must be
the fall of a woman who would consent TO
PLAY such n part
You shall not co." he said, unless
you like. You can leave me to the conse-
quences Of my w acts-to my w deg
radiation. Go hack to England. In one
thing only spare me. Do not tell what Won
know. As for me, | will forge a letter
from you"
Forge a letter.
at is the only way left open, giving the
lawyers authority to act, aud inclosing
the will. What will happen nexty BY
whose hands the money Is TO reach me
know not yet. But you can leave me, Iris.
Better that You should leave mel shall
only drag you lower"
WIN must YOU forge the letteri Why
not come with me somewhere-the world
Is largei-to some place where you are not
known. and there let us begin . new life,
We have not much money, but l can sell
NV watches and chains and rings, aud We
shall nave enough, Oh, Harry! for once
be guided-listen TO mel We shall fiud
some humble manner OF living, and we
may be happy yet. There Is no harm
done if you have only pretended to be
dead: nobody has been injured or de
frauded-"
"Iris. you talk wildlyl do you imagine,
for one nom mt, that the doctor will re.
lease me from my bargain"
what bargain?"
"Why-of course he was to be paid for
the part he has taken in the business.
Without him 1t could never have been
done ut ALL"
You are to pay him some OF the money!"
she said, conscious that such agreements
belonged To works OF fiction aud to poles
courts.
Certainly l have to a him Q good
large slice our OF the money"
III Is nfteea thousand pounds, Ii II uoti
low much Is to be paid to the--to the doc
I'VE agreed that he was 10 have the
asif." said Lord Harry laughing lightly.