Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-02-27

NN.
Strong as the impression was which Capt.
Behnydeck had produced on Randall, Mrs.
PrestyS first words dismissed il from his
mihu. She asked him if he had any message
for his brother.
fandal instantly looked at the clock. "IIas
Catherine not sent to the farm, veto" he ask
ed, IN establishment.
Mrs. Presty's mind seemed TO be absorbed
In her daughter. "Ah, poor Catherine!
Worn out with anxiety and watching at
Kitty 5 bedside. Night after night without any
sleep; night atteru,sht tortured rs suspense.
As usual, she can depend on her old mother
for sympathy. | have taken an her house
hold duties ON myself till she is in better
health"
Randall trieu again. "Mrs. Prcsty. am | 10
understand (after the plain directions Her
bert gave) that no messenger has been sent
TO the farm?'
Mrs pvesty held her venerable head high
er than ever when Randall pronounced his
brothers name. II see no necessity for be-
ing in a hurry" she answered, stltiy. ''afrer
the brutal manner in which Herbert has be-
haved to me. Put yourself in my place-and
imagine what YOU would feel ii YOU were
told to hold your tongue"
Randall wasted no more time on ears that
were deaf to remonstrance. Feeling the Sc
riOus necessity of interfering to some good
purpose, he asked where he might find his
sister-in-law.
II have taken Catherine into the garden.'
Mrs, Presty announced. ''fhe doctor him
self suggested-no, ! may say ordered-it.
He is afraid that she may fall i'll next, poor
soul, il she doesn't get air and exercise"
In Mrs. Linley's own interests Randall re-
solved on advising her to write To her hus-
band by the messenger; explaining that she
was not To blame for the ineNcusablc DELAY
which had already taken place. Without a
word more To Mrs. Presty he FASTENED ont Of
the room. That inyeterately distrustul wo-
man called him back. She desired 10 know
where he was going and why he was IN IA
hurry.
IL am going to the garden Randall an
swered.
TO speak to Catherine?'
"YeS."
"Needless trouble, my dear Randall. She
will be back in a quarter of an hour, and She
will pass through this room on her way up
stairs"
hfl'h'iN 'lN'hA ~ w fli NA'Nl NANN ~ iaNl ]
Of no Importance 10 Mrs. Presty! Randall
took his own way-the way into the garden.
HIS silence and his determination to Join
his sister-in-law reused Mrs. Presty's ready
suspicious; she concluded that he was bent
on making mischief between her daughter
and herself. The one thing 10 do in this
case was 10 follow him instantly. The active
old lady trotted out of the room. strongly in
llinnI IN th w. fI.t H., L'H.l aHA.,,. - .I.
family might be Randall Linley after all!
They had both taken the shortest way Ia
the garden; that is to say, the way through
the library, which communicated at its Earth.
est end with the corridor and the yauited
flight of stairs leading directly out of the
house. or The two doors in the drawing.
room, one, on the left, led to the grand stair.
case and the hall; the other, on the right,
opened on the back stairs, ana on a side en-
trance to the house, used by the family when
they were pressed for time, as well ~ by the
servants.
The drawing-roOm had not been empty
more than II few minutes when the door on
the right was suddenly opened. Herbert
Linley entered with hurried, uncertain steps.
lie took the chair that was nearest To him,
and dropped into it like a man overpowered
by agitation or fatigue.
He had ridden from the farm at headlong
speed, terrified by the unexplained delay in
the arrival of the messenger from home. I'm.
able amy longer 10 suffer the torment of I'm.
relieved suspense, he had returned to make
inquiry At the house. As he interpreted The
otherwise mcXplicable neglect Of his inStruc-
tlOns, the last chance OF saving the child's
life had failed, and his wife had been afraid
to tell hin the dreadful truth.
After an interval he rose and went into the
library.
1t was empty, like the drawing-room. The
bell was close by him. He lifted his hand to
ring it-and drew back. As brave a man as
ever lived, he knew what fear was now.
The fathers courage failed him before the
prospect of summoning Il servant and hear.
ing, for all he knew to the contrary, that his
child was dead.
How long he stood there, alone and irreso.
lute, ne never remembered when he thought
of ii in after days. All he knew was that
there caiiG q time when a sound in the draw
ing-room attracted his attention. 1t was
nothing more important than the opening of
q door.
The sound came from that side of the room
WHICH was ltdIcSt W TIE RTdllu SldllcaSe-
and therefore nearest also to the hall, in one
direction, and to the bed-chambers in the
other.
Some person had entered the room. Wheth.
er it was one Of the family or one of the serv-
ants he would hear in either case what had
happened in his absence. He parted the eur.
tains over the library entrance and looked
through.
The person was q woman. She stood with
her back turned toward the library, lifting u
cloak of q chair. AS she shook the cloak
before put sag 1t on she changed her posi-
ton. lie saw the face, never to be forgotten
by him to the last day of his life. lie saw
Sydney Westerlield.
XXI.
Linley had one instant left in Itch he
might have drawn back into the library in