Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-02-18
CHAPTER xxx.
~ VIII Try"

turbing the repose OF the quiet sleep.
er who lay among them.
Cyril Darlington arrived from Lon.
don by the roon train. With him were
some old friends OF the dead man, who
came to superintend the final arrange
ments, and accompany the remains
back to London, where they were to
be inferred In the family lot OF the
Brackens.
Cyril, hurrying through the hall,
coated and capped and travel stained,
came lace to face with Cynthia Len
nox.
He suppressed the inclination he felt
to cry out at sight of her.
"Why!" he exclaimed, how wretch
ed you are iooking!"
She looked up at him and shook her
head with n faint laugh.
What a compliment for a gallant
gentleman to pay!"
Il " pay you compliments" he
said, in a low voice. IL know you too
well to think you would accept such
dubious homage. But positively, you
are looking Ill. All this excitement Is
proving too much for you!"
"Oh. MOI" with resolute brightness
II am quite well, indeed!"
But despite herself, she felt a slight
thrill of pleasure as she heard the
tender anxiety in his voice.
"How ls aunt?" he questioned.
"She is greatly shocked and de-
pressed. She has not left her own
room yet. What time do you take him
up to London? | see you have brought
strangers with you"
"Yes. We go up by the 3 p. m.
train"
To-day? Not to-day?"
ooh, yes, to-day. His friends insist.
or course, as he was a guest at Black
castle, l shall accompany them and re-
main till all Is over"
"You will find lunch In the morning
ROOM" she said, turning away. II
must go anu meet those gentlemen;
they look b%ewildered! Hospitality and
CIuItCbJ bCCni haiCiy thCihotifSo III
such an occasion as this!"
"Wait-I will introduce Them" Cyril
| said, turning to and walking with her
TO where a small group OF gentlemen
were clustered by the great mnllioned
window, talking in subdued accents.
They paused In their conversation
and dotted their hats at sight Of Gym
| thia.
Cyril made them known individually
| and the girl received them with the
easy, stately grace natural to her.
| Half an hour later she caught sight Of
the chief OF police as he passed through
the hall. She called to him. and he
called quickly at sound of her voice.
She flung wide the door Of the little
room at the foot of the stairs-the
room where Lady Darlington had told
Laurie Isle about the woman her son
had loved.
"Just a few moments, Mr.. Lynn. !
want particularly to speak to you"
He came In, closing the door behind
him, closing the door behind him, and
stood before her, his hat in his hands,
respectfully attentive.
He listened during the first part OF
her rapid. direct, logical speech In
smiling %incredulity, now and then neg
etively shaning his head. But as she
proceeded, the smiles and shakes grew
less frequent, and finally ceased alto
gether. He looked up at her with deep
ening interest.
"You don't for one second suppose
that a frail slip Of q girl like Miss
Lisle-putting her personality out OF
the quesAon-could kill him, a strong,
agile, athletic man? And II 1t could be
proved"
swell, about her being such a slip
Of a girl" Mr.. Lynn ruminated, II don't
see that that Is such a strong argu-
ment. or course, speaking as l do
now. I also put Miss Lisle's personal
Ity out of the question Good heavens,
Miss Iennox. you've no idea-no idea
how strong q delicate woman a be
when the case at stake can the pay
ment of an old grudge! We police
officers see enough of that sort OF
thing to make US chary Of our chart
table suppositions . Now, suppose he
was writing. and some one slipped
noislessly behind him with . sharp
dagger"
"Oh, Mr.. Lynni" the girl cried, I'M
patiently: don't you see how improb-
able Is all that which you are trying
TO force yourself to believe? There was
Z struggle-a sharp struggle. Gould
she have for one moment have reslstsS
him when discoveredf Ask yourself
II, In the light Of common reason, such
. suspicion savors ever 20 slightly Of
probability"
But II first wounded"
HE was not ct FIRST woundedl" she
asserted, c~onvincedly. III he had been
there would have been blood stains
around the 0 II Isl very large
apartment and things are upset and
disturbed In the remotest corners,
where the frantic asht must have PEN
etrated. but only on and immediately
around the spot where he fell ID there
blood This proves conclusively that
J ths daGger wound Wa indicted after