Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-07-28
The Doom Of
DeanshQrst.
] z
CHAPTER VI.

DHtH
Mother and son did not meet until
breakfast the following morning. and
she demanded why he was avoiding
her.
Nonsense. mother" he made answer
Il am doing no such thing. Business
Of Importance necessitated my dining
in Winchester yesterday. and delayed
my return until long after you had re-
tired. That's ALL"
Mrs. Deane shook her head doubtful-
ly; she had long ago learned TO attach
but a limited credence TO her younger
sons statements, and now there was
an air of reserve and mystery about
him which she had never seen before.
stephen she continued, placing
her hand half-coaxi- ny upon his
shoulder, there Is some neavy anxiety
weighing upon your mind. Tell me. Is
1t in connection with this terrible
shooting affair? Surely, you can con
fide in me-"
"Of curse | cam" assented Stephen.
irritably, but | have no condolences to
make. | suppose you find me looking
worried, and so / am. Ever since
young Derek's death the brunt Of ev-
erything has fallen upon my Shout
ders. and | can assure you | am hearth
ly sick of it."
Il can understand that said his
mother; but ! was afraid, from .our
haggard appearance and strange man
ncr, that you had some secret source
of trouble. | am glad | was mistaken.
And now | want TO ask you about Os-
car. VIII he really have TO stand his
trial for manslaughter?"
Yes. | expect so. The grand jury
are scarcely likely to ignore the finding
at the inquest. and there are no grounds
for q nolle prosequi on the part of the
Crown. But l see no good cause for
anxiety. 1t Is scarcely within the
bounds of possibility that he should be
found guilty.
1--WE must hope for the best. But
should he not recover his reason?'
I'm that case. he could not be tried.
and no objection would probably be
raised to his detention in some high
class private asylum"
What an awful prospect ex-
claimed Mrs. Deane, with a shuddel
Would that Interfere with his success
sion 10 the b~aronetcy?"
Not at all. Nothing short of his
death can do that, now that Derek is
! gone"
stephen" said his mother, reproach-
fully. you speak almost as though YOU
desired your brothers death. For
Heavens sake, tear the unworthy
thought from your heart. 1t can bring
naught save a curse and misery in its
train
Like the Deaneshurst succession.
eh:" rejoined Stephen, with a harsh.
forced laugh. "Why, my dear mother.
so far from %envying Oscar his pros
poets as Sir Derek's heir, sane or mad,
| should rejoice at it."
There was such bitter, well-nigh
savage irony in Stephens tone. that
his mother ~shuddered Involuntary.
She recalled the childish words spoken
years before, and realized how true ii
is that the child is father of the man.
You speak of the possibility of
Oscar marrying she said. after a pro-
longed and somewhat awkward pause.
Has he spoken TO you on the sub
jectT'
Very vaguely was the reply. 'He
was. as l understand, half-engaged TO
1 NOIiC gill NApoI PNOBtC StCppch III ~
broke off the MATCH
They have tried very hard to do so,''
corrected Mrs. Deane. "but | have rea-
son TO believe that the young lady her.
self still returns his affection. I met
her quite recently. by the meIest acct
dent, at the house of an old friend OF
mine. She will become of age in about
six months time, and Is an heiress-'
"'The rest is soon foretold.e broke in
Stephen, cynically. Her people. find
ing that Oscar Is heir to a baronetcy
and Deanshurst, welcome him with
open arms, and all ends merrily to the
sound of wedding bells. Lucky Oscar.
But. by the way. l hope the lady won't
take 1t into her head TO come down
here?'
snake your mind easy upon that
score. Miss Danvers Is not nj all like.
ly 10 commit any such ind~iscretion.
May | ask you a question, a very seri-
Gus indiscretion. May | ask you a
question. Stephen. a very serious ques-
ton. about yourself?"
Certainly" was the reply. what
Is it?'
Are you married.
stSphth Hdft a siiSnts SNdiNtis PFC
ceptible start. and looked at his moth
er very fixedly for some moments.
No" he answered, a faint. sneering
smile adding point TO his neagtion. II
I'm not married. May | ask your rea
son for the inquiry
My dear boy. | am so glad ex-
claimed Mrs. Deane. with a sigh OF re
lief. II was misled by a silly report
(which really sounded most alarmingly
curcumstantiaD into almost believing
that you had committed the folly of Sc
cretly marrying n young person be
meath YOU in social position and abso-
lutely penniless."
And from whom did you learn all
this? From the young person herself,
perhapsT"
"Oh. dear. no. Ny friend. Mrs. Chef
| wynd. had il from her nephew. who is
"A member of your Inn or of your club.
/ forget which. and she travelled all the
way from Clifton on purpose to tell
! me-"
did she also tell you that ! had
Jack Chetwynd posted for non-pay-
ment Of n debt of honor?'
NO; she said nothing OF that what
ever"
"Well. that will be pleasant news for
vor IN fall her vhpn uaxf Won maaf -