Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-09-09
An Invisible Hand
Bv FITZGERALD Awkor Of An ExcsJen nj Knsys, a TrAhors
nOLLOY N~ Tivmph. Ee. copynsht 1909 By 2. Aonoy


latter had whispered to Geofrrey that
she would presently return.
She had not been gone ten minutes
before the drawing room door opened
again and she came i'm saying, You
must forgive my feminine curiosity,
Godfrey, but I'm sure / couldn't sleep
until / had seen the jewels. Do bring
them down and let us have a private
view"
Taking the key from his watch
chain he unlocked II, and first brought
out the morocco case containing the
bracelet OF diamonds and sapphires
which was his birthday gift 10 his fan
Gee.
"Oh, how splendid. how beautiful"
his aunt said. as she looked with de-
light and admiration at the ornament
that rippled and radiated as If with
hidden fire. Why, II is fit for a Ouch
essl"
III, .Is i Intended for my queen" re-
The two men looked at him and
then az each other. They could offer
Edith no such gift as this.
Let me take IT. the count said, and
when ii was handed to him he passed
his fingers lightly over the rows of
precious stones, after which he gave 1t
back with a faint haif-suppressed SIGH,
as If regretting that sight of ii was
denied him.
Then Godfrey, taking from the box
an old, faded, red leather case, with
q richly embossed monogram, touched
a spring on which it's covers flew open,
when those who looked were dazzled,
a. IL they had suddenly lifted their eyes
to the red glare OF a sinking sun. For
before them was a row of rubies, SUI
perb in color, unusual in size, n
chained together in a setting of old
gold whose workmanship was a marvel
OF beauty. -.
They had all gathered round him in
a circle and were looking at the neck
lace In silent fascination when a sound
of heavy breathing caught Geoffrey's
quick ear, and glancing I'm its direction
he saw Urbano standing on his toes
and staring yer his masters shoulders
with eyes that glared from under their
cavernous depths like those of an ami
ma fixed on his prey, whilst his hid
eous leaden-hued face twitched con-
v~ulsively from intense excitement.
"Urbano," he called out, startled and
surprised.
With a gasp the valet recovered him
self and stepping back as the others
turned toward him, said, Il thought
that his excellency had rung for me;
the door was open and l came in"
On going to his room Godfrey felt
little inclination for sleep; SO lighting
a cigarette he drew close TO the fire and
thought over what the coming year
might bring him. BY the time 1t ended,
his eighteen months probation would
be nearly UP. and he should soon be
able to call Edith his wife.
An hour passed, the fire was dying
out, and still he did not feel sleepy. He
looked at the books lying on a side
table, but none OF them interested him..
Then he remembered that when last
at the hall a certain old volume In the
library had amused him; so he resolved
to go down and fetch Ii. He found 1t
without difficulty, but when tucking it
under his arm 1T slipped, and when
striving TO recover 1t his candlestick
fell. putting out the light. He had no
matches, but he knew he could find his
way back to his own room without
Accordingly he went UP the softly
carpeted stairs, clinging to the balus-
trade, for the lights had been extin-
guished all over the house. At last he
gained the corridor on which his bed
room opened, and that was now silent
as a graveyard and pitch dark.
With slow steps and extended hand
his way. he proceeded some
dozen yards before something almost
In it's softness brushed past
I'LL ALolditlly lie BbEELCHcQ out MS
disengaged hand toward that invisible
u his fingers only clasped
the empty air.
Who Is there?' he asked, standing
still. Who Is that?" but no answer
was given, and though he listened with
intentness that must have caught
the slightest movement, no sound fell
upon his ears.
In a second he had found the matches
and lit his candle. Then full of sus=
pSIfs0 anu uread ne hurried 20 the
wardrobe in which he had locked the
black box. To his relief he saw Ii was
still there, and TO reassure himself com
pletely he opened It's lid and took out
the cases, the jewels flashed on and
daxzled him.
He put the box on a table beside his
bed and within reach OF his hand and
then hurriedly got between the sheets.
for he felt chilled to the bone. For
some moments he thought OF that In
tangible something that had brushed
against him in the passage outside,
which had eluded his grasp. Had ii
been human 1t would have answered
his call. On consideration he concluded
he had merely allowed his imagination
to conjure up the ghostly and unknown.
AZ q rule he slept soundly, seldom
waking before late In the morning. but
his experience was far different on this
night, for he was suddenly startled
from some terrible and menacing
At