Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1904-01-21

you said? Who is murdered?"
Mr.. Bracken, my lady," the footman
answered.
"Bracken! Cuthbert Bracken murder
ed! A guest II Blackcastle murdered!
Oh, 1t cannot bel" in sudden, fierce in.
| credulity. at is impossible!"
1 And still the others stood as motion.
less as men and women cut from
stone.
Cynthia's beautiful, naughty. dark
hrowed face was awfully set and
rigid Even Baby-bright, laughing.
winsome Baby-had grown pale and
grave, and frightened.
A crowd of scared servants clustered
together at the further end of the
great hall. One OF them. a small,
| elderly wodman, with keen, resolute
| face, all wrinkled and scanned like
coarse, brown leather, rushed across
the floor and flung herself on her knees
at Lady Carrington's feet.
"Oh, my lady, my lady!" she moan
ed. THE curse of Darlington has
come upon us! My lady, my lady!"
For answer the mistress Of Black
castle sank back in her chair and bur
led her face in her hands, with quick,
heartbroken sob.
The strange words Of the woman
seemed to break the spell that bound
them. They began speaking to each
other in breathless whispers.
"Who is she?" Baby questioned,
pointing to the bent figure still kneel-
ing before my lady, and swaying slow
ly backward and forward.
"She is the Oldest servant here"
Cynthia turned to say in low reply.
one is of the same race as Lady Car
rington-an Italian. When my lady
came bride to Blackcastle, thirty
four years ago, she brought her with
her, and here she has remained ever
since"
Cyril Darlington had gone forward
to where the domestics were huddled
around the footman, who had found
the body, listening with a sort of NOR
bid fascination to the CHASTITY details
O. the discovery.
Come with me" he said, shortly, to
the man. 81 can't believe it,
They went up stairs together, but
in moment came hurrying down. One
glance was enough to dispel the hopes
of the most sanguine, or convince the
most credulous.
The others looked up at him as he
came rapidly forward, in helpless ap-
peal. Instinctively they turned to
him.
"It is true!" he CREDIT is too
true! Make haste, men! There is no
time to be lost! We have already let
precious moments slip away! You,
Andrew, take the sorrel and ride into
town. Bring a doctor, inform the cor
oner and rouse the populace. Wait a
second!"
He pulled out his note book and
hastily scrubbed line.
Foul murder at Blackcastle. Have
trains watched. Send out all your
force. Darlington"
He tore out the leaf and handed it
to the man.
"Give that to the chief. Ride like
lightning!"
A brief space, and then they heard,
past the angle of the house, down the
avenue, the mad clatter Of horses
speeding feet.
My lady still sat, with her arms
folded upon a caryen ledge OF the
chair, her white head bowed upon
them.
At her feet, as before a shrine, the
black-clad, wrinkled dame still rocked
and swayed, and muttered unintelli-
gibly.
Miss Lennox went across the hall,
and leaning over the quaint chair put
one strong, kindly arm around it's
trembling occupant.
But before she could speak word,
the crouching old creature on the floor
broke out in grooming lamentation;
and now that she spoke so plainly, it
was easy to discern her strong foreign
accent.
Fire." she said-"ire first and then
murder! AS il one was not enough
without the other! All, my lady, it is
the curse-the curse come upon Black.
castle!"
What do you mean?" her mistress
said. what cursor"
The Others pressed little forward
to listen.
>Don't you remember?" she said,
and rose to her feet, witch-like, black
eyed, brown-visaged figure. remem-
ber-ah. yes, never forget! I re-
member it so well, for heard the mas
ter tell it to you. It was lovely
evening in June, and you were sitting
out on the veranda. remember the
very dress you wore," she went on,
with the garrulity Of age-"a white
dress, white as snow. And you had
crimson roses in your breast and hair.
How handsome handsome you
were then!"
Inyoluntarily they glanced at my
lady. Handsome. indeed. she must
have been. to Judge by what she was.
The woman stood silent moment,
Hike small weird sfhyl Iost IN az