Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-02-24
ut THE SIGN o.
THE GOLDEN HORN.
X.
Cpn~l nf~annoinfmeuf.

on his way To London that Frank
Lester was able TO realize what had
happened. He was truly innocent, so
far as will and intention were con-
cer1fed; but he remembered only too
well how he had found himself that
very night sitting ON his bed outside
the counterpane. without any ~recolsec-
ton OF getting out Of bed. and he had
no doubt that he had fallen upon
Joyce and killed him in his sleep.
One thing that puzzled him some
times when IL crossed his mind was:
How he found his way 10 Joyce's bed
room? But this was only n unex-
planned point, and it weighed little or
nothing with what Frank considered
the terrible certainties OF the case. No
one, he felt sure. would accept his
word for the fact that he had done
this thing in his sleep. Clovis was
right there. as he had been all along.
There was nothing for IL but TO hide
himself in some obscure corner, until
he could with safety leave the country.
His life in England was over.
And Ursula? Aye, bitter, unshed
tears sprang To his eyes when he
thought OF her. It was not possible
that SHE should marry her fathers
murderer. II would be better. he
thought, that they should not meet
again. He remembered their last part
parting-their last. Was II really TO
be the lasty Was he never TO look into
those dear eyes again-never hear the
sound Of that gentle voice. Oh, il
was hard. bitterly, cruelty hard! But
1t was better not TO try to see her.
She certainly could not with to- see
him. But he would write one letter to
her TO explain that. although ii was
his hand that struck the blow, he was
in reality guiltless.
He was much relieved to find. on his
arrival In London. that he was able To
take his money. and the securities in
which the Of his fathers
property was invested. out of the
bank. He had been haunted all the
way mp town with he fear that there
might be officers Of the police waiting
at the bank 10 arrest him as soon as he
showed his face. Before nightfall he
had changed his lodgings. so that. for
the time he was safe from pursuit.
From Moore Edge Clovis went direct
to T~ilbridge. His object was to break
the news TO Ursula and obtain from
her, II possible, a general authority to
act for her In the meantime.
1ANoAM - fNA AC0rtOA1 flOlhFt Df
the dreadful news; but even Clovis
could see that her feeling was more
that of CONSERVATION and horror than
OF grief. Ii was not wonderful that 1t
should have been SO. for Joyce had not
shown any great tenderness towards
his daughter since his return; but Ur-
-suia was sorry and half-ashamed to
think that she could not grieve for her
father as she had lone for her foster
iis4other.
Clovis told her nothing Of the man
'ner or her fathers death. He merely
said that he had been found dead In
his bed, and that there must be an in
quest. 1t would be better. he suggest
ed. that the funeral should take place
mt Moor Edge. and he offered to make
all the arrangements for her il she
liked.
Ursula accepted this offer with graft
tude. She would have liked Frank to
be with her; bur she felt that. consid-
ering the way In which her father had
regarded him. IL would not be seemly
that he should be Gear her for the
present.
Clovis attended the inquest. and adj
mitted that he had spent the fatal
night at the Golden Horn. He did not
say now. as he had said to Frank, that
he had come 10 the hotel In the morn
Ing. But he explained that he had ar
rived very late. and had no idea that
his friend. Mr., Joyce. was In the
house. He admitted that he knew
Frank Lester, and had seen him at the
Inn next morning. He had heard that
Mr.. Joyce had been killed In his bed.
but he did not know anything to make
him suppose that Lester had commit
ted the crime. Ii was not his business
to denounce his friend. even IL he had
believed him guilty. Asked as to
whether he could suggest any other
person as the murderer, he said he
could not. All he had meant was that
he could not possibly believe that his
friend, Frank Lester could have done
such a thing. The crime was to him
a mystery.
Asked whether he could give Franks
address, he said he had forgotten il.
but that IL was in his address book in
London. and he could furnish 1t next
day, IL necessary. This was to give
time 10 Frank TO cover up his traces.
He had no wish to see Frank arrested
for the murder. It.would suit his pur-
pose quite as well. or even better, il he
was simply forced TO efface himself, as
he was doing now
Clovis took care that 1t was from
bis own lips that Ursula first heard
that 1t was Frank Lester who was be-
lieved TO have caused her fathers
death. He professed to look upon the
umo as a piece Of ridiculous gossip.
No one, he said, In q burst OF generous
enthusiasm, who had ever known
Frank. even il IL were for ten minutes,
could think him guilty Of such a deed.
He could see that th!s profession Of
faith raised him several degrees al
ready In Ursuia's eyes; but she was
anxious and uneasy, eager TO know
the truth.
The next time Clovis saw Ursula she
was In a state OF detection so deep and
hopeless that, heartiess as he was. IL
panied him to look at her face. He
knew az once hat she had heard fsvis,
Frank. and that he had told her what
ne believed 10 be the facts of the case.
rs this trueF' she demanded of Clo-
Wis, the words. choking in her throat.
IF you mean. Is it true that Frank
IL q scmnambhlisrye / am afraid II is
true. He told me OF II himself. But IL
you mean anything worse than that, I
A ---- IA