Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-01-01
CHAPTER Mi.

CHAPTER MI.
"If your wife lies you will be left a
comparatively poor man" No matter
what other sounds came to the Captains
ears. those words We're paramount. 4
poor mani! He had run through two for
tunes, lie had no expectations of money
from my other source. and his tastes
were more luxurious and extravaganza
than ever.
He could not live on n small income;
and ne felt that he deserved blame for
not having been kinder to his wife and
more careful of her. 1t was IL grave mis-.
take on his part, he admitted to himself
Eu his thoughts wandered to other con.
t%ingencics. If Angela died, and his frag-
lie. delicate wife followed her, then the
position of affairs would be quite differ.
ent. He would be free, and the property
would he his.
Free! At the very word his heart beat
with n qnicicncd pulsation. He Encw
what he should do with his freedom. He
should go straight tn Gladys Rane and
ask her to be his wife. He closed his
eyes as though the better to realize the
possibility of such a thing. Master of II
splendid estate, and free to marry Gladys!
AS the days passed, as they grew dark
er and colder, so his demeanor seemed
to change with them. He grew grave,
stern and cold, the buntering words. tho
light jests, the brilliant smiles, the cheer
full, genial manner all vanished. The
master of Rood Abbey went about with a
gloomy face, absorbed in thought, for the
shadow of n great crime was over him.
One morning, when Captain Wynyard
came dow to breakfast, he found his
newspaper lying untouched on the table.
He unfoldcd it, and almost the first thing
he saw was n paragraph headed, "Fatal
Accident Mt Newton Mere" It related
how a young lady, out skating with some
friends at Newton Mere, had met with a
sad end. She had been told which pnrt
of the mere was safe, and where it would
be dangerous for her to go. She had evil
IDENTIFY mistaken the directions, for she
went to that part of the mere whore tho
alder trees bent over the ice, against
which she had been especially warned.
Either she had mistaken the locality or
the directions, for she tried to cross the
mere. II so TO get to the alder trees.
Inc thin ice ut once ave way, and, be-
fore the unfortunate young lady could be
rescued, she was dead.
Some impulse made the Captain fold I'M
the paper and take 1t to his study, lest
any one else should read the account. and
1t should become the subject of comment.
He read it over and over again with ever
increasing interest. Then, when he had
read and rc-rcad until he knew the whole
paragraph by heart, he destroyed the
newspaper. lest II part of the story
should be seen.
The visitors at the Abbey wondered ON
n "a day what had become of the Cap
tain. Instead of going out in the morn
ing, as usual, to skate, he remained in his
study. The next morning he seemed
more like himself. 1t was not often that
he addressed Angela voluntarily, but he
did so during breakfast.
"You like skating, Angela?" he s,;d
interrogatively.
"Yes; it is my %favoritc amusement in
winter. 1 enjoy it even more than dancing.
l like the sensation of seeming to tly
through the frosty air."
will not be many of us this
afternoon" he said: "the Delancys cam
not come. We shall hardly number
enough to have n quadrille ON the ice."
Il do not care for quadrilles," she said.
.IN AoAS, straight SneeC OF ice II O
swift rum"
"Then you shall go to Hetfield POOL"
he decided. "There is q straight run Of
quite u half mile, and it is completely
frozen"
SIS it safe?" asked Lady Laura, low
ingly regarding the sweet face of her
daughter.
Safer than our lakes and ponds are.
and of greater extent" he replied. "The
ice is quite thick. We will 20 there to-
day."
But, when the time for starting came,
Captain md Miss Rooden, with younr
Squire Arden and Lady Bell Norton. who
were staying at the house.
I'VE are going to Hettield Pool today"
said the Captain. I'VE will drive there.
then we shall have more time on the ice.s
ITO be continued.)