Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-08-25
The Doom Of
D~eanShQrst.
ii
CHAPTER xlI-oContlnued.)

three days he had made his Inquiries,
ind had. simultaneously. made up his
mind. He would try moral suasion
first. liz this failed, then they must
show all their teeth and fight for bare
revenge. II was wonderful the amount
of good will the little man put into tire
case. Perhaps n feeling that IL was
his very own-in contradistinction to
his daily work with Crasher x Hook.
um-had something to do with it.
He had ascertained that Stephen
Deanc was not in town. Somewhere
down In Hampshire, was the opinion
OF that usually omniscient Individual
the hall porter of his club. .'Thai
means Dcanshurst." muttered Joe Nor
rls, land I'll be hanged If 1 don't run
down there myself on Saturday." Sat
urday was always an early day a,
Crasher & Hookum's. a veritable oasis
in the desert of legal existence. This
plan he confided 10 his wife, but not to
their guest.
Il don't think I'd say anything about
II to her. Maggie he remarked. You
see. nothing may come of IL, and We
don't want to buoy the poor girl up
with false hopes, do we? But. all the
same, i rather fancy I'll make Mr..
Dcale sit up, my dear, especially when
threaten to tell Sir Derek.'
Everything her husband did. or pro.
posed to do, was good I'm the sight of
his wife That Joe, her Joe. could. by
any possibility, make a mistake, had
not yet occurred to her.
OF course you will.' she assented, ca
gerly. "And, what's more, | would tell
Sir Derek, IL were you, He ought to
be ashamed of himself to have such a
nephew, that he ought.''
THE old gentleman can't help that.
my dear" demonstrated Joe; "but I've
no doubt he'll be very angry, should il
be Decessary to tell him the truth. and
that he will insist upon r~eparation be-
Ing made"
Preparation, indeed.' echoed Mag
gle, Indignantly. what PREPARATION can
be made for deceiving the poor lamb
so shamefullyi"
True, Maggie rejoined her more
practical husband; but we can try
and make the best of a bad job, can't
we.'
Maggie's answer took the form Of a
hearty kiss. Right. again. joe" she
added. you're always right"
And so Ii came to pass that Joe Nor
ris vas a passenger to Winchester by
the 1:20 train on Saturday. and from
that ancient city chartered a H. TO
Deanshurst. During the drive he
picked up a lot OF local gossip concern
Ing the old baronet and his queer ways.
sDo o mean to tell me that he
stays in bed simply ON account of u le-
gendary old curseg' he asked, laugh
ing.
AYE, that does lie." replied the driv-
er, "and mebbe he amt SO far wrong,
naythur, SEEM as how no Deane ain't
died in his bed for goin' on two humid.
red years.
"Well. that does seem strange" ad-
mitted Joe, sif it's true
.Oh, it's true enough. as everybody
knows" confirmed the Jehu. They do
say, though, as how the old squire hev
latterly taken to prowlln' bout the
house. He'll fall down stairs one o.
these days an break his Eeck. /. see
AZ he DON'T"
zoe Norris smiled. with true Cockney
pity for rustic superstition, forgetting,
probably that he had himself many n
tlhAC GtCDDtu httO IL iluuul Nifttt W
avoid walking under a ladder. Never
theless. he vastly enjoyed his drive.
and felt In excellent spirits for his an
ticipated interview with stephen by
the time they reached Deanshurst.
Blu. there a disappointment awaited
him. Mr.. Stephen Dean chad not re-
turned from London. nor $50 far as n
somewhat untldy-looking footman. who
red his queries. seemed to know
was he even expected.
But perhaps you'd like to see Mr..
Hirstf' suggested the man. Hell
know, most likely, and, IL you'll step
inside, I'll send him to you
Joe Norris had moi the faintest idea
who Mr.. Hi:st might be, but. upon the
o~ff-cbance OF learning something OF
Stephens whereabouts. he babe the
lyman await his return. and catered
tfF deserted-looking mansion. Present
ly the footman reappeared. and, beck
oning Joe to follow, led him to a small,
cosy room, fitted up something like an
Office. A stout, beady-eyed man Of fifty,
respectfully dressed and somewhat
pompous, was sorting some papers as
he entered.
IOuE naule anu UuSlHtSS, lHuuiTcu
the stout man. briefly.
Joseph Norris" was the reply. II
am q lawyer. and l have business of
Importance with Mr.. stephen Deanc.''
Not heret' snapped the other. l
don't know where he is, unless he's in
London. Anything ! can do? My
name is Hirst. I'm Sir Derck Deane's
steward. and ! know something of Mr..
Stephens Affairs"
Norton was, both from intuition ana
experience, a very good Judge of char
ncter: and he OWNED at once that the
man before him was a rogue.
'.Oh, indeed!.' he said, with a defer
entail little bow. II fear, however. l
can scarcely communicate my instruc-
lions to anyone except Mr. stephen
himself"
"Ahr, gruntcd mi Hirst. "Then they
are or a very private nature, eli?
Something he dent expect or knows
anything about vet, perhaps?"
..Oh. yes, lie docs!" corrected Joe.
"Dat lie doesn't deem It as important
or MS urgent ms II really Is, ] fancy"
"I.ike enough" Growled Hirst. "He
amt one OF the timid SORT. and 1t
would take more to scare him than any
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