Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-06-16

have disturbed II" he added. "There
were two or three good armfuls. The
/ fire had been started by somebody
outside.
II found something, too" said Jag.
gard, slowly. Hanging on thorn,
about fifty yards from the place, be-
side the path. found this-a piece OF
fine black lace-part of a woman's
| dress Queer, isn't it?"
Very" replied Roger Hawley.
Looks almost as if some one knew
we'd been there, and thought it might
be handy way of getting rid of us,
Ell? BY the way, did you tell any one
you'd be with me tonight"
How could I? didn't know it my
self until I saw you, and we haven't
| spoken to a soul since. Did you tell
any one should be here?"
Roger Hawley was about to deny
that he had, in perfect good faith, when
he remembered the words he had used
to Joyce Bland in his interview with
her He remembered that he had said
he should keep a sharp lookout on
Owen Jaggard and should have him
with him that night He sat up slowly
and turned and looked at the other
man.
We'll" said Jaggard, II see you did.
You needn't tell me-" he added, bitter
ly. I've guessed it for myself Be-
sides, this is my business, and I've got
to see it through more than ever. I've
got to find out where this bit of black
Good night"
Roger Hawley, philosophically tell
ing himself that he could do nothing
until daylight, turned over and went
to sleep as composedly as II he had
been in his bed. When he awoke in
the morning and turned over, with only
hazy recollection of where he was
or how he had got there, his compan-
ion was gone.
ct looks as if there would be fire
works before night" he said, yawning
and stretching himself. Perhaps,
when everybody else has been burnt
out, or when they've finished plotting
against each other and trying to kill
each other, may walk il comfortably
at the death and make arrangements
for myself Always better to let some
body else do the fighting, if you can,
and then go and view the battlefield
calmly and respectfully afterwards"
Meanwhile Joyce Bland had spent
the night at the window Of her room
watching. She saw the flames in the
distance reach to their full height;
heard the excited cries Of those who
had come to subdue them; heard the
changing of the great bell in the house,
what time some one came to inform
her of the fire. She expressed, of
course, the greatest surprise and re-
greet when she heard of the occurrence
from her maid
Lets be thankful, at least, Janet,
that the place was empty" she OBJ
served, piously. "Of course, there is
always a possibility that some tramp
may have got in for shelter, and may
have set fire to the place accidentally
Tell them to give instructions that the
place shall be searched carefully as
soon as possible"
The maid withdrew, and Joyce took
up her position again at the window
and watched for the coming of day.
She rehearsed to herself the scene that
must surely follow: the coming Of the
messengers to tell her Of the finding of
two bodies among the ruins-bodies
burnt beyond recognition; she felt that
she could play her part rather well,
and could be very sincere in the mat
ter Of grief.
She had been careful to undress, al
though she had made no attempt to
sleep; the maid had found her appar-
emily just reused from her bed. Now
she dressed herself for the day and
once again took up her place at the
window. She thought how slow they
were; she wondered If they would ever
come to bring the news.
A man coming at last, though not
from the direction Of the fire. She
watched him when he was quite long
way off; and then, with dreadful GER
tainty, began to understand that she
knew who he was, and recognized
something familiar in his walk. She
watched him, fascinated, while he
came on toward the house. It was
Owen Jaggard.
ITO Be continued.)
Il