The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-05-05
CHAPTER XVIII.
sERIeNY,s

The clocks were striking, one after
the other in monotonous initiative
fashion, the hour of nine when I de-
liyered my horse to a sleepy groom at
the little tavern just outside the Yer
saliles gate.
Serigny was already in his rooms.
intent on some business, and opened
his 10 himself. There was no need
for concealing his qualification and the
intense Impotence he felt to know re-
suits, nor did he make In attempt at
concealment On the contrary. he was
as urgent as a school child. Everything
ABOUT him. packed In boxes and trav-
cling bags, seemed prepared for in
slant journey. Upon his table a few
dlsarransed papers were scattered be-
side a leathern portfolio, through
which he had evidently been looking
when l arrived. Without stopping to
replace any Of the documents he has
tened me to a seat, and drawing his
chair close, commanded NE to begin.
My coming had been so sudden I had
given no consideration to the nature
of my report to Serigny, and found
some difficulty In gathering ideas to-
gether In such shape they would be
understood. I had hardly begun my
statement when quick steps sounded
along the outer passage followed by
an almost imperative knock on the
door. Jerome, I thought. SO it was.
Jerome, despatched and soiled from
his hard ride, a raw bruise across his
cheek, his clothing awry. He was pale
and determined, yet quiet withal.
| instinctiyelY rose and laid my hand
to my hilt. A glance treasured me.
His purpose, lying deeper, / could not
divine; 1t was plain though he brood
ed not that kind of quarrel. Nor do I
to this day know what he intended
When ne first entered Serigny's room
that night.
Il rode after you in all haste, Can
tain"
Indeed you did" I mentally agreed.
And met a fall, which, as you sea.
mas somewhat disflgured me-" and he
laughed, while I agreed with him
again.
serigny, being so intent on the i'm
portant transactions Of the hour, ac-
Icepted his explanation without ques-
ton. The welcome, though cordial,
was brief. Serigny being a mar of no
unnecessary words.
G on. Captain" and I picked up
the broken thread Of my narrative
where Jerome had interrupted.
AS went on o~bedlently, Jerome
would now and again supply some link
wherein my memory failed, or e
something I had left unsaid, until hav-
ing SO much the nimbler tongue he
Q the telling out Of my mouth n
tirely. l could not complain, for he de-
tailed the various adventures far bet
ter than ], and gave me more OF the
credit han I would have claimed for
myself. We had, by common consent,
forgotten our late strife, and becoming
much interested I broke in upon q
glowing account of my heroism:
Hold, Jerome, by my faith, you
grow more g%arrulous than a fish wife
OF the barriers; tell but a plain,
straight tale, n leave off all that ro-
mantle garniture of thine" and thence
| reclaimed my struggling story and
brought 1t to a conclusion. All this
while the dispatches for which we had
risked so much lay safe in my breast.
l rather hesitated to produce them.
dreading what the hot-headed fellow
might do to get a hold upon that which
peradventure woul cause trouble to
his lady love. / could not decline when
Ser1gny asked for them, but hauled out
both packets, one taken from Ward.
the other from Broussard, casting
them upon the table. Jerome eyed
them SO that / knew from the look his
late fury was nct yet dead, and
watched him in readiness for any move
ne might make to repossess them.
he sat as unconcerned as If the
whole affair interested him no further.
now that the main object of his solici-
u d was safe in the keeping of his su-
perior. ! misdoubted whether this
was not all a sham, and could hardly
belieVe him the same frenzied Jerome
VINO had pleaded SO hard, and tough,
80 !. a~esperaseiy for this self same
packer of wards, which at this tima
Ieposed within easy reach of his hand
once he reached out and took II nr
Gesllgently, inspected the seals arT
marks, tnen replaced 1t. His examina