The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-06-02

me and fell 10 pacing up and down.
though always with the table cannily
between US. And as he shuf1ed back
and forth the thin lips muttered foolish
nothings. with here and there a tremu-
lou oath. When all was done he
dropped into a chair and stared across
at me with leaden eyes; and truly he
had the look of one struck with a NOR
tai sickness.
Il think-I think you owe me
something now beyond your keeping,
Captain I%reton," he quavered, at length,
mumbling the words as do the palsied.
Sine you are Margery's father, I
owe you anything a dying man can
pay" said l..
IF II were a thing to do. now"
You need but name the thing and I
Will do 1t willingly"
Instead Of naming 1t he shot a ques-
ton at me. driving it home with Ger
tain random furnishings of the shifty
eyes.
Who is FOUR next of kin. Captain
Ireton?"
"Septimus. Of the same name, master
of 1~retOndene, or the James river, and
a major in the Virginia line" l an
swered. wondering how my cousin once
removed should figure In the present
coil. But Gilbert Stairs next question
NhC lIS1lVI
"If you should die intestate. this Sep
timus would be you heir?"
LAS e OF kin, l should D he
would. But | have nothing to devise"
True: and yet"-he paused again as
If the wording Of 1t were o easy.
BE free and speak your mind. Mr..
Stair said L.
'Tis this" he cried. gathering him
self as with an effort. you've claimed
my daughter as your wife before them
all. and when you die tomorrow morn
ing you'll leave her neither wife nor
maid. | think-I think you'd best make
that lie of yours the truth"
If one Of his thin hands that clutched
the chair arms had pressed a secret
spring and loosed a trap to send me
gasping down al oubliette. l should
have been the less astounded. Indeed.
for some short space I thought him
mad: yet. OIL second thought. I saw the
method In his madness. Could Margery
be brought to View 1t calmly, this was
q sword to cut the knot of all %entangle-
ments.
AS matters stood, the world would
call her widow at my death: and since
a woman is first of all the keeper of her
own good name. she would never dare
aver the truth. So in common justice
she should w the name the world
would call her by. Again. as matters
stood. no wrong could come of it to her.
or Richard %Jennifer, or any. Dick
would love her none the less because a
dying man had given her his name for
some few hours. And If, at any futur
time. the Ireton title should revive and
this poor double-dealing miser should
be forced to quit his hold on Appleby
Hundred. my fathers acres would be
hers In her own right. One breach in
all this sudden-builded wall l saw, but
could not nerd 1t. With the Ireton
acres hers by double right, the baronet
would press his suit with greater vigor
than before. But as to this, no further
act of mine could help or hinder; and
II I died her husband she would in de-
cency delay a while.
So summing up in far less time han
1t, has cost to write 1t out for you, 1
gave my host his answer.
Il told o you might name the deed,
and l would do 1t, Mr.. Stair. If you can
make your daughter understand"
The jade will do as she is bid" he
cut in wrathfully. IF she will drag
my good name in the mire. In damned
If she shan't pay the scot. And now
about the settlements. Captain Ireton;
you'll be making her legatee residu-
ary?"
At this l saw his drift again. most
clearly; hat he would never sickle for
his daughters honor, but for the quiet
ing of his title to my fathers lands
a title that my ousin Septimus might
dispute. 1t was enough to set me OBJ
stinate against him: but 1 constrained
myself to think of Margery and Rich
ard Jennifer. II not at all of this poor
petty miser.
I'll sign a quitcla1m in her favor, IL
that is What you mean" l said. But
tbs a mere pen-scratch for the lawyers
to haggle over. AS you said a while
ago the wife will be the husbands
heir-at-law. in any event."
True; but we'd best be at it in due
and proper form" He rose and hob-
bled to the door and was so set upon
haste that his shaking hand played a
rafting tattoo on the latch. It'll
go and have the papers drawn. and you
will sign them, Captain Ireton: l have
your passed word hat you will sign
them?"
Aye: they will be signed"
He went away at that. and Tybee
entered. Much to my comfort. the leu
tena asked no questions: so far from
1t, he crossed the room without a word,
flung himself into the great chair and
left me to my own communings.
Continued Next Weekly