The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-10-14

on the PROSTATE figure at her feet. As
the count made an effort to rise she
drew back in loathing, when her foot
touched something hard. and she
quickly stopped to pick up a small vial.
containing a blush liquid, which he
had presumably dropped in the strug-
gle.
Where am r." he asked in his usual
gentle, pathetic voice, while he raised
his guileless eyes toward the light.
All, l have been walking in my sleep,
and l fancied l vas attacked by a
%burglac."
For n brief second a wild hope
flashed on Max that perhaps this was
the explanation of his fathers presence
there: but he promptly remembered
that when seized, as he was about to
enter Edith's room, he gave no sign
of being reused from slumber. that
during his fierce struggle he had care
fully refrained from betraying himself
by speech, and that a bottle had been
found beside him which no doubt held
stuff intended to do deadly work. Al
overwhelming sense of shame made
Max long to hide himself where no
man might ever see his face again.
Though the scene had appeared to
him to stretch itself over an intoler-
able time, in reality it occupied but a
few minutes, whose intense strain was
now broken by Edith asking in a star
tied voice: What is that-who is
there?"
Hurriedly rousing herself from the
crushing fear hat had fallen on her.
Lady Bysshe replied. at is I, Edith; l
shall be with you in a moment. dear"
"Oh. Aunt Margaret, is it your I
was awakened by a noise like a fall,
and thought 1 heard papa's voice just
you did, dear. He came into the
corridor to see that all was right, and
slipped. l shall be with you immedi-
ately."
As she spoke Lady Bysshe heard a
soft. gliding tread approaching, and
turning saw Urbano, fully dressed.
stealing from h darkness beyond. To
her overstrained mind his deformed
figure was crouched as If ready to
spring at her, while his eyes shot fiery
and malignant glances at her, before
which she instinctively drew back.
whispered something to his master.
and quietly led him away.
Max drew a long breath. II am go
Ing out OF DOORS" he whispered. II
need no longer keep watch"
Oh Max. my poor boy, this is
dreadful-horrible!" Lady Bysshe re-
piled, in the same hushed voice.
Without answering he strobe along
the corridor, downstairs, and out into
the night.
He looked into the sky, which was
without cloud and was crowded with
stars that looked down on him watch
fully. like all-seeing eyes, but they
no sympathy for him being born Of
such a parent-a parent he had all his
life loved n revered, but who was-E
Presently he began to think OF the
last time he had been out at such an
hour, the morning on which an attempt
life and his Jewels stolen. And then
his mind leaped back to the murder
Of Richard Goffe. The same mystery
had surrounded them all, seemingly
impenetrable until now Was 1t the
man who had succeeded in The first
that had attempted the other murders?
At his thought Max flung himself face
downward on the frost-bound earth
and grovelled there in despair, while
the stars slowly faded and a chastity
gray light crept over the silent world.
1t was early in the morning when,
shivering from cold and weary from the
miles he had trudged, he returned to
the hall, a place which henceforth must
be full of horrors for him; a house he
must no longer regard as his home. He
crept through the shadowy rooms and
up the stairs s%tealthily as a culprit, and
got into bed, where. Worn out, he fell
into a restless, dream-haunted, harass-
ing sleep from which he could not es-
cape until late. Then he woke sudden
ly, with a heavy, underlined fear press
ing on him, and remembered all.
When he entered the breakfast room
he saw that nothing had been touched
on the table. AS he poured u his
ana important as usual. 'All alone this
morning, Sir?" he remarked.
S 1t seems" Max answered..
Her ladyship is having her break
fast in her rooms. Caught a cold, it APP
pears. Her maid tells me the journey
to Eastbourne is postponed. Very un-
fortunate, sir"
Very"
AN I'm sorry to say the count is
not we'll. Urbano sent for DR.. Hopkins
the first thing this morning. He's Just
gone, sir; says there's nothing particu-
lar the matter with the count, sir. In
my opinion it's the hard weather that
tells on us all, SIR"
Very likely. Roberts. II her lady
ship wants me l shall be in the library"
Yes, sir. Hope you're not unwell,
sir; you nave eaten nothing"
II have slept too long to have an ap-
petite" Max replied as he left the
room.
All that miserable day he remained in
the library.
At lunch he was again alone, and as
the butler a no news for him he re-
NAMED silent. The meal vas oppres-
sive, and he was glad to get back once
more to the library.
When daylight began to fade he went
into the park and remained there, wan
dering distractedly about until dinner
time. On his return he was told that
the doctor had paid his father a second
visit. To save appearances he hurried
TOWARD the counts room, but instead Of
entering it e to his own. He could
not, he told himself, ever look on his
fathers face again.
Though his brain was burning with
shame, and his heart buried in a sea
Of blackness. he felt obliged to go
through the usual routine Of petty OBJ
servances, just as il his life had not
been wrecked. So he dressed and went
to dinner, where he was again
alone. That night he tossed and turned
In his feverish bed his eyes We're open
to the terrible darkness, his brain
seething with horrible reflections. It
seemed as If he had been asleep but a
few moments when he was awakened
by Roberts, whose face was unusually
solemn.
What is the matter?" Max gasped.
1nnumerable fears tearing at his mind.