Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-10-21

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Liverpool and would not be back until
the afternoon.
Alma, hearing the doctors voice. came
out into the hall. He told her that some
thing very serious for Ned had happened
He knew her husband had returned from
Liverpool, but the servants had not seen
him.
''IIe lets himself in with his own key"
said She "He may be in his study. Come
with me-
instinct SO silently, SO softly, that their
footsteps, their movements scarcely made
sound as they went from end to end of
the old house. AT the study door they
stopped. and, with loud-beating heart,
Alma Knocked. There was no answer.
She did not knock a second time, but
looked at the handle with a pale. fright
ened face, as if she did not dare to touch
it. Armathwaite came forward and open
ed the door.
Sitting before the CRATE, which was lit
tered with scraps of a torn letter, and in
which the gray ashes of the previous
nights fire yet remained, sat Ned Cros-
mont, his legs stretched out, his head on
his breast, his arms hanging loose at his
sides. Alma had often seen him almost
in that attitude, and it treasured her. She
came further into the room, calling softly,
'Nedw He did not answer, he did not
move. Armathwaite thought she knew
the truth. Not having been prepared for
some sight unusually shocking, It did not
occur to Alma that death could come so
suddenly and yet 50 quietly. She came
close to him with rapid steps, thinking
that he was lost in miserable brooding,
put her arm round his shoulders, and tried
to draw him to her, kindly. comfortingly.
His head had rolled heavily against her
breast.
Med, Ned, never mind" she whispered,
feeling, with q thrill through her gentle
heart, that at last the moment she had
expected had come, when he did not re-
pulse her, when he was glad Of her SYM
pathy; "I'u comfort you, Ned-IIl console
you. Never mind what it Is, I'm sorry.
He is Dead" she said, solemnly, raising
her eyes to the doctors face.
Then the tears began to gather in her
eyes, and, bending over the dead man,
she put her lips to his forehead, not in
Borrowing love, but in pity and forgive
ness.
'Come, come away" whispered Frank,
who saw that the struggling emotions Of
horror and womanly regret and irrepressi-
bic relief were trying the sensitive lady
beyond her strength.
She let him lead her out at the door,
which Frank closed softly behind them;
but before she had made three steps along
the passage she suddenly drew away her
hand from his arm, put 1t up to her head,
and, with low cry as Of a prisoner who
sees the dungeon doors flung suddenly
open, she reeled and fell to the ground.
Frank gathered her up in his arms and
carried her to the drawing room. There
he did not put her down, but seating him.
self in an armchair by the window in the
full blaze Of the morning sunlight, he
rocked her for q few moments tenderly
in his arms, as If she had been a child.
while his blue eyes shone with hope and
pity and yearning love.
"Poor little one" he whispered into her
deaf ears. "You are no widow; you have
never been q wife. I am wronging no
mans memory in telling you love you.
Inc gods win make you happy. Psyche,
for you have found your love at last
Al she was absolutely motionless and
silent, he matched passionate kiss; but
the instant his lips touched hers, the
color flowed into her face, and her brown
eyes met his with long look that told Of
the Weakening of sleeping soul. From
that moment each had q secret, known
only to themselves and to each other.
Withdrawing hds eyes from her face,
Frank raised her to her feet, and gently
Withdrawing the support of his arm, said
gravely and formally:
" think you are better now. madam.
If you will allow me to advise you, I
would suggest your remaining here, while
I will tell the servants what is necessary
for them to know, and prevent their dis
turbing you"
,, Thank you. You are very kind" said
she, frigidly, with her eyes on the ground.
With q cold bow, and without another
look at her, Frank left the room. But
40 he paused for q moment outside. with
glowing eyes and a yearning heart, he
heard the swift rustic of woman's dress
across the room, and her painting breath
close to the door. So they stood for a
moment, each conscious that the other
was there, each almst able to hear the
beating of the heart Of the other. But
there was only thin plank of wood be-
tween them now, where there had been a
barrier a. wide as the whole world. And
80 he went softly away to his work and
his duty, and she to the woman's part Of
patiently waiting and perhaps weeping.
FOR peace had come to her, not with a
I, glad song Of praise, but with solemn
requiem.
CHAPTER XXVI.
In the meantime Lady Kildonan was
lying utterly unconscious both of the
death Of her accomplice and victim and
of her condemnation, pronounced by her
own lips hundred times in the delrium
Of brain fever. Her husband, who during
these long days and nights was scarcely
ever absent from her bedside. used to sit
listeainv to her and watching her with a
grave. .Atent face, which expressed no
sentiment harsher than the deepest pity.
When the crisis of the fever was past,
and the sick woman's bodily health be-
gan SLOWLY to mend, it dawred upon both
! her husband and the young doctor, who
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