Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-07-21
/ The Doom Of
j
DeanshQrst.
d


StCOIu OulN W lIdt WHICH, SOu uiuSh
naturally experience pursued Ste
phen. for, although a comparative
stranger to you | cannot forget how
close are the ties of blood between
u.s."
Cant you?' snapped the b%aronet,
with sudden energy. Meaning that
you are the nephew OF a chlldless old
man. Ell? Anything elseT'
pray, do not misjudge me-" was the
| quiet rejoinder. II am, as you say,
| your nephew. and, IL you will allow
me, / will endeavor TO be a son TO you,
as we'll You are an invalid. and need a
representative to see that the arrange.
ments for poor Derek's interment are
| properly carried out, etc. This duty
should, OF course, devolve upon my
elder brother. Oscar. were he not at
| the present moment himself lowering
between life and death. Failing him.
Ii seems TO me / am doing no more
than my plain duty in offering you my
services. Do you follow me, sir?" mt
added, observing that the old maD's at
tention appeared to have wandered of
at a tangent.
"Yes. yes. What's that? Your broth
er dead, tooT" mumbled Sir Derek.
vaguely, as though the interview had
no further interest for him.
mo, not dead" corrected stephen,
making a mental note of his uncle's
strange manner but dying. | fear.
asked you IL Ii Is your wish that
should act as your representative"
Sir Derck broke into a harsh. mock
Ing laugh.
"WEy not? You're a lawyer, aren't
| you. AS well you as another. Make
what arrangements you please and
! send me the bill. Don't let them o
ry me, that's all. And mind that wo.
| man doesn't enter the house, dye
hear"
Callous as he was, stephen Redeemed
at this insulting reference TO his moth
er; but he kept his temper.
"Your wishes shall be respected. Sir
Derek." he answered, coldly. "Haye
l your permission to withdraw
Yes. yes. Co. Tell them 10 cover
up that picture. 1t initiates me-"
Stephen departed, well satisfied viii,
the result OF the interview. He had
carried his point with reference to act
ing for Sir Derek. and he had escaped
what might have proved a serious di-
lemma. His dread had been lest the
old man should ask for details respect.
ing the manner of his sons death.
Chance and the semi-imbecile condi-
ton Of the morbid OH brain had helped
him. III now he could secure the blind
obedience aud thorough adherence of
the confidential factotum, Hirst. he felt
that he might regard the rest of the
| game as practically In his own hands.
Now, IL ever there was a man who.
Enthusiastically, had his price, Hirst was
that man: and. after n little prelimin-
airy, h~alf-sulky hesitation on his part,
| Stephen had little difficulty In enlisting
him on his side. The rogue knew his
| own value. and his terms were pretty
high. both as regarded current pay
| ments and the amount to be paid il,
and when, stephen succeeded to
Deanshurst. Moreover. no mere verb
al promise would satisfy him.
Look here, sir" he said, decidedly.
Gas for the twenty-five pounds a
month, wages-like. for obeying your
orders and backing you up with Sir
Derek, I'll take your word right
enough about that. But / must have
| your promise in writing about the
rest"
Stephen, reluctantly enough, gave
| him a conditional post-obit for $1,000
''in consideration Of faithful services
rendered" Hirst approved of the com
| pact. And so the matter was settled.
Nothing could appear more natural
in the eyes of all than that stephen
Deane should take the place of the
bed-ridden old baronet. The funeral
| of the deceased was carried out as qui-
city as was consistent with his fathers
rank. The members of the shooting
| party dispersed. Oscars life still trem.
bled in the balance. Sir Derek still
muttered maledictions. And stephen
remained master Of the situation.