Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-01-28

picion; and now MIR. Bowers, but thi
moment arrived and wholly unawar,
of what had transpired, Instantly con
nected her name in some Indefinite
way with the tragedy so lately enact
| ed.
who Is she2" FIR. Lynn demanded
determinedly-''who is she-this Lau
renee T!2,c? thi2l, VIC have ample
warrant for a further investigation
Read this, Mr.. Stack. 1t was written
by mfr. Braclen only last night, or
rather early this morning, and in ii he
speaks OF the same person MIR. Bowers
has just mentioned
| The detective took the sheet Of pa
| per offered him and read it slowly
| through.
Mr.. Bowers had broken out in excit-
ed protest:
"You are mistaken, Mr.. Lynn; or
rather | fear | did not make myself
understood. I may have called her
Laurence Lisle-the name may have
slipped from me, as l do not really
know her correct cognomen--she is
not Laurence Lisle!"
Good Lord, man, what are you driv-
Ing at?" queried Mr., Lynn, in a fever
of mystehed evaporation. "I called
her Laurence I.isie-but she is not
Laurence Lisle.' Who is she ,theno
What the deuce do you mean, any
how?"
"What the deuce do mean. any,
how" repeated Mr.. Bowers. in digni-
fed rerroof. "This is what / mean. IL
you will only give me time to explain.
The young person of whom, smoke ap-
peared at my office in London, early
this autumn, endoayoring to secure an
inheritance which Mr.. Bracken had
just claimed. The estates and for
tune Of the wcll-lnown millionaire, Mr..
Allen Atherton, had been beoueathed
by him to his granddaughter, Laurence
Isle. She persisted on board the YES.
sci Dolphin. The legacy reverted to
Cuthbert Bracken-there was no other
heir. Judge of my establishment when
this girl presented herself before me.
claiming to be the lawful heiress. Ian
renee Lisle II had been thirty years
younger and possessed of any degree
OF susceptibility, might have lost my
head and lent an ear to her ridiculous
statements, for she was certainly
wonderfully lovely little creature-as
pretty as picture. AS it was. 7 soon
disposed Of her claims, and she dis
appeared. l did not see her again till
Christmas eve, when to my very great
surprise | came face to face with her
in the library at Blacllcastle. Bracken
was proving rather conclusively what
an arrant inposter was my lady's
dainty guest"
Mr.. Stack, still holding the open let
ter in his hand, interrupted him:
He was trying to prove that she
was other than the person she repre-.
sented herself to be, was he?"
yes. You see, she claimed to be
really Laurence Isle"
Very well. Read this!"
He held out to him the lines Cuth-
bert Bracken had written.
Mir. Bowers took the paper and
glanced hastily down the page.
The others stood around, listening
and looking on.
A quick cry broke from his lips as
he finished reading. The letter hut-
tered TO the floor. He staggered back
step. and stood looking at them in
wild CONSERVATION.
"What-what do you make of It.
Stack? Did you read it, LYNN" he
cried, his voice full of excited dismay.
He speaks Of having met Laurie Isle
he cells her that! Why, he did not
believe such, a person existed. have
heard him assert SO a hundred times;
and yet-and yet here he virtually ac-
knowledges that she actually does ex-
list that she was present then-not,
not the counterfeit, but Laurence Isle
and that he denied her! It-oh, it
Isn't possible. Aud yet that's Brack-
ems writing, and might it be-could it
have been that--that--"
No one spoke; no one could help
hiLl Git OF SO deep a pit Of bewilder-
ment and embarrassment. His agita-
ton, born Of vague, overwhelming
doubt, was painful to witness. Every
yestige of lis usual calm, professional
suayity had vanished.
Gentlemen" he began, impressive
ly, Il believe" But here he broke of
and sat down feably. 81 don't know
what do believe unless it is that l
am a coafoandea old fool"
And no one. disagreed with him.
However this may influence Mr..
Bowers in his legal transactions"
Stack remarked. with cold concise
ness. we must remember that it in no
way Affects our case at present the
qrestion as to the identity of the per-
son referred 10. i would suggest that
the ii,las est be Immediately held"
And the isgue st was held, in con-
pliaace With all formality and the de-
ais au III Cried BY custom. s.
It WAS over at last. The Jury had
cone to a rfaonious, is indefihite, de-
cision. They found that the deceased
sad come th his death from a. dagger