Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-05-05

CHAPTER NvIII.-Wontinucd.)
AS fast as the express train can take
him Sir Edward I.lcwellyn speeds down
to Dcvonshirc. and at noon next day he
drives over from Colston to Bccchhamp-
ton.
He is shown into Il small room fitted up
like n study. and there left to await the
master of the house. 1t may be five or
ten minutes when the opening of the door
makes him turn around sharply.
Good heaven, Clartcris. is it you!' lie
says, and then his outstrctchcd hand falls
to his side.
Is this Chartcris-this man gaunt and
worn and white as ashes, with II fierce
ligh, burning III his deep, dark eyes. the
impress of IL fearful misery on his haggard
face?
1t is the look in those eyes that t~crritics
Sir Edward now, the Look of madness,
dcvil-wrought and murderous, that flashes
over the face, till, with IL quick-drawn
breath and hand appraised to parry IL fren-
zied blow. he gasps out:
Stay, Chnrtcris, it is a lic-all..'
The liasgard face before him changes,
the white lips part, vet no words come.
Sir Edward takes his arm and leads him
to a chair as though he were IL child.
"14isten.' he says, in calm. steady tones
that inscnsibly control the ear of the mis-
cradle being who hears them. She came
to stay at the Park with my sister. and
met with an accident while driving. She
has been very i'll, and could not write.
Some laundering foo! sent a gossiping no.
ticc to one of the local papers. Have you
seen it!"
"Yes," lie answers, hoarsely.
''rhcn it is as l suspcctcd!" cries Sir
Edward. This is all part of Il scheme
to ruin her happiness and yours. One
word more, Charteris. You did not be-
lieve it?"
II did"
"Eut YOU are not lost to her? You did
not distrust her quite so easily? You are
not"
Married? Yes.'-and he laughs a
laugh as mad and fierce as ever left n
madman's lips in the solitude of his lone
ly cell.
Sir Edward shuddcrs as he hears the
sound.
'''1len it is too late" he says, and sinks
down into the opposite chair, with the
misery of that opposite face reflected i'll
his own. 'How could you have doubted
her so easily?" he groans aloud. could
you not have waited, or written, or come,
before putting this browning barrier be-
tween her love and yours?"
"Shc does not love me!.' cNclaims the
wretched man, wildly. II have her own
letter. i'll which she told me she was about
to we'd you. And when the paper came,
too. and l saw it printed there, l could
doubt no longer
"Oh, heaven, what q net of misery YOU
have woven!' cries Sir Edward, in de-
spair. The mistake, the letter, the doubts,
all these could have been explained away;
but nothing can undo the knot you have
tied for yourself. Oh, Charteris, you were
mad to throw away your happiness thus!'
Denzil makes no answer. He only sits
in stony, haggard misery, his senses COM
ing slowly, uncertainty back, after the
long and fearful strain of the past week.
Piece by piece he puts together the frame.
work OF this puzzle; drop by drop does his
cup of wretchedness Till with every added
proof. He has been dupcd and deceived
by the woman whose only fault till now
he deemed her too great love for him.
20 hcaven!.' he cries, .shall l never
cross this gulf that lies between my love
and me? Shall l ycarn for her unccns-
ingly. knowing that my own mad folly
His lOSl Ae. VII, tidlt L iIlSll uie. tustt
l might die" And, sobh;ng like IL child,
he falls upon his knees before the pitying,
compassionate face of his friend.
Come, Clarteris," says Sir Edward,
"bc Il man-bear it bravcly. We all have
o~urltroul,les, heaven knows! I. too. have
81 heavy burden to bear, and l feel often
as il it We're beyond my strength"
But. oh, think of mine! think of mine!.'
means the wrctchcd. brokcn-down man
before him. "And to know that l owe ii
all to-"
Quite suddenly he springs to his feet.
His face is CHASTITY pale. his burning eyes
look wildly before him.
II forget" he says. lila. ha. make
hrt IL sorry bridegroom. do l not. Llcwel
lyn? Let ne make amends at last. You
shall come with me and be introduced
tony wife,"
He makes one step forward toward the
door: hut ere he reaches it lie throws his
arms wildly forward and falls to III,
ground as scnselcss and helpless as TIL,
dead.
OF all this Yolande knows nothing, moi
OF the real cause of the master OF Licwel.
lyns absence. nor how for three days and
- nights he has watched beside the cotic, NJ
tliS lfil III WAS ono MS rival. iDf.
DcaneNLeclarcs that Charters has had Il
narrow escape of brain fever. and that
nothing hut his friends inccssant care
had ward"d it off. However, Il heart-sick,
s.ny. haggard man rises from the three
days couch of agony and dclirium. and,
looking up ut the face of the man who has
saved him. cries passionately, Gould you
not even let me dep
1t is but poor thanks to receive for the
.seif-sacriiicc eiitaiicd. but Sir Edward
feels only pity, not anger, and says COM
pa%ss:onatcly:
Life and death arc not in mans hands,
Charters. You lave work yet to do in
the world, be sure of that"
On his return Sir Edward tells Yolande
that Dcnzil Charteris is as busy as he eau
he with following up the h%ue-and-cry after
the supposed murderers of the unknown