Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-12-05
"Geoffrey Heathcote, ESQ.,
By JOHN FINNIMORE. Copyright 1899. by s. S. Mcclure Coz

length of the room, ana coulu speah
freely In a low voice.
'oh! take care. If that man should
suspect something, what must we doY.
we can do nothing for the present,
dearest / replied. 1t would De pest
for you to go to your room and keep
Slant with you. We will march at
early morning"
1 looked up and saw the attorney
edging toward us. Enid Caught the
alarm In my eyes n said no more
but turned and glided swiftly from the
place. Master Johnson rubbed his UNI
der lin and stared at her, as IL medi-
tating some remark, but said nothing
until she had vanished through the
doorway, and then muttered TO NM
self; "Malignants, rank malignants,
ri warrant vel" He looked at me as il
he would dearly love to put a string
of questions, but gave a vexed nod.
being fully persuaded of the ~dlfficultie
i'm the way. and turned his TO
other matters.
Several persons had followed him
from the village, but he now dismissed
all these save one, his personal follow
er, a big, gaunt, shappy feilo"' WIZ
seemed his clerk.
In company with this myrmiden he
began to march hither and thither
about the house, prying and boxing.
and asking questions innumerable or
old william. How / longed TO fling MIN
and his clerk neck and crop out into the
night, and chafed and chafed because
1 dared not.
Some one came toward me, and L
looked up. 1t was the old servant.
where will you seeep, master?" said
he: 'the other man, Gwilym, used to
sleep on straw in the stable. He liked
1t best"
II am very unwilling to leave this
house tonight, William" l whispered,
land those fellows about!
True, sir" he replied, but the at
torney Is going Jack to the inn and has
hidden me find a bed for his man."
"And whereof" said l..
Il can 10 nc more tina lay him q
pallet in the corner OF this ROOM"
'"Then / stay here Also" l returned.
Lay me some oak logs handy, to keep
the fire going, and this elbow chair Will
serve my turn handsomely; and, Will
lam, ask your wife to bid them be STIR
ring by the peep of dawn"
You do we'll to say that, sir" re-
Joined the old man; that attorney
means some mischief. I heard him say
to his man
What the attorney said I never knew,
for at that moment he hustled into the
kitchen, and william busted himself in
mending the fire. l had seated myself
in the big, comfortable elbow chair,
and l drew my hat over my eyes and
feigned sleep.
lyon outlandish fellow lacks not inn
pudence," pulled Master Johnson, ito
seat himself in the suggest chair In
the presence Of his betters. Turn him
out at once
Turn him out yourself" said WILL
lam, sourly. Il want no Welsh knife
between my ribs
Knife, knife" cried Master Johnson.
what do you mean?
Pull him out OF that chair" growled
William, and you'll find out. They are
quick as fire and savage as tigers"
Weak, timorous fellow" said the at
toTney, pompously, but for all that he
touched not my collar himself, and ere
long took his departure.
For some time again there was COM
ing and going in the house, several
women Of the village being busy in the
chamber Of death, but at last the house
sank into silence.
/ woke from an uneasy slumber upon
feeling myself lightly shaken by the
shoulder. l opened my eyes and saw
that William was bending over me
with a dim lantern in his hand. The
fire was dead, and the place was full of
the raw chill which precedes the dawn.
| shivered and sat up in the chair.
1T wants half an hour to daybreak;
better be moving whispered William.
| thanked him for his kindness in
calling me, and slipped off my shoes,
We passed noiselessly by the pallet on
which the lawyers clerk snored, left
the house and crossed to the stable
William hung his lantern on q nail and
we began to harness the horses. While
I finished strapping and buckling, he
went away, but soon returned with
some food. and l ate quickly.
Are they ready?" i asked.
They are doing the same as you
said William, land will be ready when
you are"
1 stepped outside and looked about
me as ! ate. The trees shivered in
the morning breeze and faint gray
streaks barred the east. At sight OF
that | made a speedy end of my break
fast and led out the horses toward the
gate. A bunch of figures followed me
in an instant from the house, n
took Enid for an instant in my arms
kissed her, and swung her up to heI
saddle. Siani was up at a bound, and
shook William by the and and gave
him q piece OF gold. / would Willingly
have given him more, but as 1t was, my
purse went back to my pocket without
a clink. And he wished us good l1IcR
and held the gate open.
(Which way?" asked Enid.
Back again." l whispered, and she
turned Whitesock's head from the vii
lage, ana away we lode toward Lud.
low.