The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-06-18
XII.

Ile accident 10 Lady Cau!held had no
serious consequence. 1t was, indeed,
alarming: arising as it did in the highly
~undi-niied maneuver on her part Of catch
ing IA crab. and thus upsetting the very
small boat in which she and Jack Forbes
were. They were no sooner in the water
"a fact which. as neither of them could
swim a yard. terrified them beyond meas
ure-than they found themselves, TO their
intense delight, on land; land. that is. at
the bottom Of the water-the lake. which
was for the most part deep. being toTtu-
nately bat about three feet SIX in depth
at that particular part.
rs Horace and Lady Susan reached the
brink on one side, Sir Howard and Lord
Cauiield did 50 on the other; and the only
wonder is. how these four well-hred per
sonagps managed to keep their risiblc
faculties within any reasonable bounds.
There. at some twenty yards from the
shore, stood the drowners. who had called
so Justify for help. c~linging to each other
in a fashion which looked like nothing but
the most tremendous hugging.
a room had been prepared for her lady
ship. and when they had got her comfort
ably TO bed. such a quantity Of hot grog
was poured by different hands down her
throat. that besides being horribly scald-
ed about that region and her mouth, the
poor lady was madc-well-mOSt SuSpi-
ciou>ly laxative. Of course all with the
best intentions in the world.
Jack Forbes. not being 30 illustrious an
individual. WAS suffered to content him
self with such attentions as he might
choose 10 bestow upon himself, which
We're almost nil.
AS TO Sir Howard. when he found that
the little contretemps was likely to have
no serious consequences. he began TO look
upon it quite as a providential blessing.
He insisted upon the Caultields sending
off for such baggage as they might require
for a couple of nights, and was uncom-
monty proud Of the dash and generalship
exhibited by his beloved nephew under
Lady Susan's eye, and for the deliverance
from her awful position of that rich young
, lady's mamma
But no sooner had the general good
night been given than Horace sought the
Old butler. and telling him he was certain
he should never close an eye all night I'M
less he went out first for a ramble, ar
ranged thar one Of the pack doors should
remain unbarred. he being provided with
the keys thereof.
And what is his errand and whittier is
he bent: In sooth he knows not.
Yet not more surely does the homing
pigeon wing its flight to the parent dove
cot than a lover in~stinctively wends his
way toward that particular spot of earth
where his lady dwells.
lie was just emerging from a little
copse. at not much more than a mile from
SIlyermead. when even his brave young
heart wns startled from all its self-pos-
session by a loud sound which, of all pos
sible ones. was the last to be expected in
thar place. and At that time. This was
the shrlll and prolonged neighing of a
horse; there was nothing but deer in
Silvermead Park, and Horace. on follow.
ing the sound and turning Il dense corner
of the plantation to his ~right-which shut
off the animal from view at the moment
he heard it-nOw beheld, full in the moon.
light. and tied By the bride to a tree. a
white-stockinged chestnut hack, which
he instantly recognized as a recent pur-
chase Of his friend Mr.. de Basic.
What in the name of all that's con-
ceiyable can our worthy NJ. p. be doing
az -hcSf niles away, III the middle OF the
night: exclaimed Horace under his
breath.
Then, like a fash Of lightning that kills
you even while it dispels the darkness, the
thought struck him
Acton
Yes. Acton was the guest of de Basle's
still. and now il was doubtless he who.
under some specious pretext of riding in
another direction. had borrowed the
blooded hack, and galloped over to Silver
mead.