Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1899-03-31

But give him my card, and pray tell
nm my business is of the utmost impor-
lance" urges Lance, Slipping half u SOW
ereign into the mans palm as a means of
eXpediting his movements
iteforc long he returns and conducts
him into a gloomy looking study, ANNOUNCE
ing ut the same time that MIR. Hcrrick
will he down Immediately.
Now. what is it. Mr.. Staplcton?' nsks
a harsh. cynical voice as, a few minutes
after. MIR. Hcrrick enters his study.
Lance s.s"'s. and comes forward Gag
crl.
MIR. Herrick. pray excuse me-" he says,
but this is Il serious affair, aud I want
a friend on whose advice ] can rely with
confidence. ! trust you will excuse my
want of ceremony in coming at such an
hour as this to see you: but once hcforc-'
"Exactly," chimes in the gruff voice.
which certainly does not accord with the
owners kind and qnizzicnl hooking face.
"Oncc before l WAS foolish enough to cs.
tablish Il precedent. and now
but really. Mr.. lIcrrirk. this is"
'Who is shc:" asks the old man alb
r"pt.y. %intcrrnptins his explanation.
Lance stops, and colors all over his
boyiSil. hashf;,l face.
Ill never sa;d-' liz stammcrs.
NO." i%n;crposrs Mr.. Ncrricl. with a
quiet cliucklr. you never said: but you
forget you are talking TO an Old Bailey
lawyer. any hoy: and he can see just a
little hit through IL stone wall still. Now
sit down." he adds. pushing the young
man into an easy old-fashioncd armchair.
and taking IL opposite to it for himself.
and tell me all about it in as few words
as possible. 1 can't afford to sacrifice
beauty sleep even on the shrine of friend
shin. young fellow"
We'll. thcn,' says Lance. plnnying
without more ado into the midst of his
subject. Its a case of suspected murders;
and the most laundering. Anticipated fool
OF Il police inspector ever known has
thought fit to fastcn his suspicious on the
most unlikely person as the guilty parity
Shes a friend of yours. naturally!"
"The young lady is beautiful and high
ly conncetcd-a daughter of Mcrvyn of
Mcrvyn Court. in fact"
".And the murdered pcrson?' intcrro-
gates Mr.. Herrick.
mo other than Drnzil Charteris of
Beechhampton. He disappeared mysteri-
ously. and has been iisllcd out of IL pool
in the l~onclicst part of the woods. The
coroner's jury brought it in Accidental
DEATH but Budd-"
"Oll. this is one of Budd's cases. is it:'
asks Mr.. Hcrricil, cliucEling more than
ever.
YES. You know him. 1 SiHpose:"
81 have had dealings With him. says
the old lawyer, in a voice of sly enjoy
mcnt. his eyes cleaning with the fire of
old and well-rcmcmbercd trays. What
, mares nest has he got hold of now:'
Lance repeats the case. and lays bare
the evidence accumulated by Budd. and.
made the most of Ivy that clever luininary
of the law at the inquest.
.Hnmph." says the old lawyer. at the
conclusion Of the statement. so that's
how the land lies! And you want my
help. do you? Why. isn't the case over as
far as the girls conccrned:'
NO" answers Lance sadly; THAT fool
is still spying and prying about the place.
He won't let the matter rest. l know.
What 1 fear is that lie will apply for a
warrant against her. What l want to
know is this-if the worst comes to the
worst. will you fight for her? There is
no one l know to whom l could trust her
case with safety but yourself. and. if"
But you know have given up prac-
ticing.." cxclaims the old lawyer, with
surprise.
"Ycs: but in an extreme case like this"
urges Lance bcs%ccchingly.
why don't you say. and for my sake,
Mr.. Hcrrick, because l once saved your
life.'" asks the old man, good-naturcdly.
"Ah. my hoy. you are too generous to
urge that plea, even for the sake of the
woman you love! Well. we'll, don't trou-
! bic yourself. I'll think about it."
At an early hour next morning Lance
Staplcton and Mr.. Hcrrick find them
selves Mt Mcrvyn Court. All the village is
astir as they pass through it, for to-day
the body of the unfortunate owner of
Bccchhampton is to be buried; and from
far and near the county is flocking to
swell the rctinuc of the mourning train.
They are shown into the library, hav-
ing sent up their cards to Miss Skipton i in
the first instance. A message is dispatch
. cd to Yolande in her room, and the three
remain awaiting her presence in the IL
brary, with various degrees of agitation.
Some five minutes clapsc, and then the
door opens. and three eager pairs of eyes
turn swiftly and instantly towards it.
There stands there only Enid-IInid, With
face white as the paper she holds in her
hand-Enid, with eyes from which the
swift tears rain. as she flies in terror and
, anxiety to the side of her govcrncss.
"Oh, read this!" she cries. "Whatcvcr
can it mean? 1 cannot believe it-yct l
found it in her. room just now!"
Ere Miss Skipton can take the paper
J, from her outstretclicd hand, Lance is by
her side.
t LET mt sce!!!' lie cries honrscly, and
then. without apology or explanation,
@ snatchcs the little note, and reads it with
eyes where ii great agony and an intense
bcwildcrmcnt struggle for supremacy nj
@ every fatal line.
darling Enid"-so runs the letter
II Don't think too hardly of me for what ]
am going to do. l cannot stay here an,
e longer. 1t will kill me to look upon IN,
fathers face and know what l have sivcr
him to bear. l cannot write clearly ani
d c%oherently, for l feel as il my brain wer,
on fire tonight, as il tl.: sE;;ly and sham.
of this day were burnt IN living letter.
on my memory and my heart. Tell Lane,