Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-06-19
The Evil Genius.
A STORY.
BY WILKIE

- $500
appearance on the old lady's face.
What sort of company have YOU been
keeping since | last saw you". she began.
"What have you got to do with the com.
pany | keep
Nothing whatever, | am happy to say. |
was merely wondering whether you have
been travelling lately in the south part of
AFRICA, and have lived exclusively in the so.
c'ety OF llot:entotS. The only other explain.
alton of your behavior is that | have been 50
unfortunate as to offend YOU. But it seems
improbable am not YOU wife"
THANK God for that!'
Thank God. as you say. But | should
really be glad Gas 4 mere matter of curiosity
10 know what Your extraordinary conduct
means. You present yourself In this room
unlimited, you find 4 lady here, and YOU be
have as II you had come into a shop and
wanted to ask the price of something. Let
me give You a lesson in good manners. %.
serve; | receive you with "A bow, and | say
How do you Ito, Mr.. Linley.' Do you un.
derstand me?'
II dom understand you'll want to see
Catherine?"
"Who is Catherine?"
You know as we'll as | d%o-your dauCh-
ter
my daughter, sir, is n stranger 10 you.
We will speak of her, If You please, by the
name-the illustrious name-which she in
herited at her birth. You wish to see Mrs.
Omond?'
Call her what you like. | have a word to
say to her, and mean TO say it,"
NO, MI. Linley, you won't say it,"
Wen see about that! Where is she?"
"My daughter is not we'll"
We'll or i'll, / sha'n't keep her long"
my daughter has retired 10 her ROOM"
"Where is her room?'
Mrs. Presty moved TO the fireplace, and
laid her hand on the bell.
Are YOU aware that this house is a hotel?"
she asked.
1T doesn't matter To me what it is"
"Oh, yes, it does. A hotel keeps walters.
a hotel, when il is as large us this, has a
policeman IN attendance. Must ! ring|'
The choice between giving way and being
disgracefully dismissed from the hotel was
placed plainly before him. Hcrbert's life
had been the life of a gentleman; he knew
that he had forgotten himself; it was impos-
sible that he could hesitate.
IL won't trouble you TO ring" he said,
'and | will beg yonr pardon for having al
IONNh NY l'llItl W S'l lilt DtNNCl VI nv Az
the SAINT time it's to be remembered, | think,
in my favor, that | have had some proyoca.
ton
81 don't agree with YOU" Mrs. Pre8!y an
swered. She was deaf to any appeal fol-
mercy from Herbert Linley. AS to provo.
cation" she added, returning TO her chair
without asking him TO be seated, "when you
apply that word TO yourself, you insult my
! l1ltybtnr and mo i1,I prnVnln1p I'm
heavens!'
You wouldn't say that" he urged, speak
ing with marked restraint of tone and man.
ner, "if you knew what | have had to eli.
dure-"
Mrs. PreSty suddenly looked toward the
door. wait a minute" she said, II think |
hear somebody coming ill.,"
In the silence that followed, footsteps
were audible outside-not approaching the
door, however, but retiring from it. Mrs.
Presty had apparently been mistaken.
Yes" she.Said, resigncdly, permitting the
person who had intruded on her to proceed.
lie really had something to say for him.
self, and he said 1t with sufficient modera.
ton. That he had been guilty of serious
otfenses he made no attempt 10 deny; but he
pleaded that he had not escaped without
justly suffering for what he had done. lie
had been entirely in the wrong when he
threatened to take his child away from her
mother by force of law; but had he not been
punished when his wife obtained her di-
vOrcc, and separated him from his little
daughter as well as from herself? tNO: Mrs.
PreSty failed to see IT,; if anybody had suf.
tered by the divorce, the victim was her in.
jured daughter.) Still patient, Herbert did
not deny the injury; he only submitted once
more that he had suffered his punishment.
Whether his life with Sydney WestGriield
had or had not been a happy one, he must
decline TO say; he would only declare that it
had come to an end. She had left him.. Yes,
she had left him forever. He had no wish
10 persuade her to return to their guilty life;
they were both pcnitent, they were both
ashamed of it. But she had gone away
without the provision which he was bound
in honor TO offer to her; she was friendlesS,
she might be in il condition of poverty too
dreadful 10 be contcmplated-and that was
indeed a bitter reflection to the man who had
misled her. Mrs. PreSty decided on stop
ping him there. She had heard more than
enough Of Sydney Already
Il see nothing to be gained" she said, "by
dwelling on the past; and | should be glad
10 know why you have come TO this place TO.
night"
81 have come for two reasons. One of
them is to see Kitty"
"Quite out of the question"
Don't tell me that, Mrs. Prestyl I'm one
of the wretchedest men living, and | ask for
the consolation of seeing my child. Kitty
hasn't forgotten me yet, / know. Her
mother can't be so cruel as to refuse. She
shall fix her own time and send me away
when she likes; I'll submit to anything.
Will you ask Catherine to let I'M see Kitty?.'
1t was impossible to consent to this-and
equally impossible to mention the reason for
refusing. Unwillingly. to do her justice,
Mrs. Presty passed over without reply the
| just request, the touching request, that had
been addressed to her.
you have two reasons for coming here"
she reminded him. What is your other
~reasonY"
He declined to be ignored in that wsy.
"Will you ask Catherine to let me see KittyY'
he repeated.
II can't do it,"
He got up from his chair. His face pre-
scented the same expression which Mrs.
Presty had seen on it when he first entered
the room.
when j came in here" he said, 81 told
you l wished to speak to Catherine. 1t
doesn't matter. l have got the information
! wanted-and got it from you"
III don't understand YOU"
"rhe newspapers were not mistaken, Mrs.
Presty, when they called Catherinea widow.
| know now why my brother, who never de-
celved Inc before, has deceived me about
this. ! understand the part that your daugh-
ter has been playing-and | am as certain as
II 1 had hoard 1t, OF the devilish lie that one
Of you-perhaps both of you-must have
told to my poor child. No, no; | had better
not see Catherine. Many a man has killed
his wife and has not had such good reason
for doing 1t as l have. You are quite right
to keep me away from her"
He stopped; he, too, looked suddenly
toward the door. II hear her" he cried.
"She's coming inr'
The footsteps outside were audible once
more. This time they were approaching;
they were close to the door. Herbert drew
back from 1t. Looking round to see that he
was out Of the way, Mrs. Presty rushed for.
ward-tore open the door in terror of what
might h~appen-and admitted Capt. Benny
deck.
CHAPTER XIX.