Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-04-25
Stairs Of
|Sand....

to him that she must nave been gone
for hours. Perhaps h a been de-
tanned, and ii would be impossible for
her to return. Still, knowing what q
passionate little person she was. ana
accustomed pretty much to having her
own way, it would have been a diff
cult matter for them to have kept her
back. Finally, he could bear the walt
ing no longer, but rose M stepped out
to the edge OF the trees, looking
anxiously in the direction OF the house.
II would be really to bad IL their last
meeting should be so woefully cur
tailed.
A step behind him, and, as he turned.
1t was TO face Mrs. Ellison. Even In
that light he saw that her face wore an
angry expression.
What are you doing here?"
He did not answer, for the surprise
Of the meeting checked his speech. She
was a tall, handsome woman wore
an evening dress that displayed her fine
arms and bosom. In the moonlight,
with the dark trees around, she was a
picture for a painter.
She was swinging q garden hat back
and forth in n jeweled hand, with an
angry gesture, then, stamping her foot,
she repeated the question:
Il ask you again, sir, h are you
doing in these grounds?"
1T may be hat l came to take a last
look at the house-of my friend, Mr..
Ellison" he stammered.
You might have spared yourself that
trouble-since 1t Is my house and not
his" which was true, Dick knew. since
the wife had the fortune And now,
since you have seen It, go!"
Yes replied the young man, but
making no move to leave.
Il know that 1t was one of the fam
lily you came to see," she continued with
rising anger. II congratulate Mr.. Eli
son on his protege. A fine guardian for
young people, truly. Sneaking in here,
like a thief In the night, to see my
daughter, who is too young to know
better"
Your daughter will never suffer at
my hands, madam" h anger rising
within him, which he dared not give
vent to.
Enough! We will not discuss that
matter. You presence here is a suf-
fCient answer. And now I insist again
on you going. Do you want me to APP
peal to the servants?"
II will go. / will 60" murmured
poor Dick, as he moved away,
cursing his misfortune in having en-
countered his beautiful fury at such
n time. Once III looked back, only
to find that she was still standing In the
path looking after him. She doubtless
meant to remain there until she was
sure that he was on his way out of the
park. With a sigh he went on his way,
until a u of the path hid her from
sight.
Then he stopped for a moment to
consider. Should he not be able to re-
turn by a circuitous route to the place
where he was to wait for Grace? What
would she think If she arrived there
and found he was gone? Was 1T not
worth Drawing even the anger OF Mrs.
Ellison to try and see her again? While
he was considering the matter an ago
nized cry in a woman'S voice rang
through the woods. Had something
happened to Grace? Without a mo-
ment's hesitation, he dashed back over
the road he had just traversed. 1t was
only a short distance before he almost
stumbled over the figure OF Il woman
on the ground. 1t was very dark at
that point where she lay. He stopped
and picked her up, carrying her into
the light. 1t was Mrs. Ellison. Her
eyes were closed, a strange pallor on
her face. He laid her gently on the
bank at the side Of the road. Had she
tainted? 1t was strange that he should
be the first one to come 20 the assist
ance of a woman who had been abusing
him but a few moments before. Had
the excitement of that short interview
w vi AANA IL % NAA"N SAlN lleAt
tainted? What was to be done? 1t
was an embarrassing position for him
to be in. There was nothing hat he
could do to help her, and yet help was
needed. Should he call for assistance?
There seemed to be nothing else TO do;
he could not leave the poor woman
there, even If she had insulted aim.
Then, as he leaned over her, hoping to
see some signs of returning conscious
ness, n shuddering feeling of terror
crept oyer him. There was a strange
stain on the white silk waist, a stain
that, as he watched, seemed to be
spreading slowly-slowly. Filled with
horror at the sight, and the conscious
ness that he was In the presence Of the
victim OF n tragedy, he looked around
him with frightened eyes. Then he
turned instinCtively to his hands-they
felt warm and strangely moist. With a
feeling of overcoming faintness, he
stopped hastily and began to hurriedly
clean them on the grass. 1t seemed as
fit seemed as If the stains would
never come out.
He was rising, eager to be on his way
to the house and warn the people of
what had taken place. Then he felt a
strong hand grasping his shoulder. He
remembered trying to wrench himself
free. Then the confused sound Of many
voices, the flash OF lanterns n impre-
cations, in which his name was mingled,
then q blow that mercifully seemed to
dispel all these distorted visions, and q
grateful oblivion that hid everything.