The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-11-27

position, but he lay back among she
cushions in q kind of apathy, the
whole journey seeming to him to be a
kind of hideous nightmare.
Suddenly the cab stopped. and TIE
trap-door In the roof was opened by
the driver.
This is Hampstead, sir" he said,
in a hoarse voice. land the limit OF
the radius"
Very good" replied Adrian DULY,
Il will get out here"
He jumped out on the sodden ground.
turning up the collar Of his coat for the
rain was still coming down heavily. and
gave the cabman ten shillings in gold.
Il have no change, sir. began the
driver. .I'll"-
1T doesn't matter" said Adrian,
waving his hand. ..Good night" and
he tramped off into the darkness while
the cabman, with a muttered express
sion of thanks drove back to town.
1t was a lonely road. with a. high
fence on each side. topped by trees
and beyond. great houses all in dark
ness, as the inmates had apparently
gone to bed. Adrian had no idea
where he was but walked slowly along
the muddy path with downcast head.
and his hands thrust we'll into his
pockets. His boots were more adapted
to Piccadilly than to country. roads
and the cold chill struck through the
thin soles, but he paid no attention.
mechanically walking onward without
needing whore he was going.
At last he found himself walking
along under a weatherstained brick
wall, on the top of which grew lux
urious ivy, and toward the end a low
door appeared which stood slightly
open. Half thinking that it would
admit him into some park where he
could conceal himself. Adrian. with
no very definite purpose in his mind,
pushed it wide open and entered.
He found himself in dense darkness,
standing in a path which apparently
ran through a belt Of beech trees
whose branches meeting overhead
shut out the midnight sky. With out
stretched hands he carefully advanced
following the windings of the path.
and carefully avoiding collision with
the trunks Of the tall trees on other
side. At last he emerged into a wide
lawn half ringed by dense masses of
trees, while at one end stood a large
house with many gables and turrets
standing black against the clear sky
beyond.
Adrian recognized it as one If those
old country houses which still remain
in Hampstead, isolating themselves in
sullen pride amid their wide parks.
although enclosed on all sides by rows
Of red brick villas and desirable resi-
dences. The long drive. the frightful
excitement through which he had
passed. and the dampness of the
night were all telling on him physi-
cally. and he longed to find some
place where no could lie down and
rest With this idea he stole across
the lawn toward the house, and on
turning the corner of a great beech
tree which stood high up on a knoll,
he saw a bright light shining through
an open French window. With steal
thy steps and abated breath no stepped
up to it keeping in the shadow beyond
the stream Of light and on looking
through espied a large comfortably
furnished apartment with a man
seated in a chair near a table
covered with a white tablecloth,
on which was spread a comfortable
supper: Hardly knowing what
he was doing, but only anxious to
have some one to talk to and relieve
his overburdened mind, Adrian boldly
stepped into the room. a tall, sombre
figure with muddy boots and wet with
rain.
[To BE CONTINUED.