The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-03-03
Copyright 1901 by
I. FITZGERALD Malloy
CHAPTER xxx.

love for George Bostock was respon- |
sible for her husbands murder Va
lerius had walked about the neghbor-
hood needless Of where he went so long
as he avoided crowds and traffic, his
mind in a state Of fierce rebellion
against the woman whose presence he
had quilted, against the man for whom
she had confessed her love.
All the affection Nalerius had felt
for her throughout his life turned to
bitterness at the avowal she had made;
the dislike he had ever entertained
toward Bostock deepened to hate. For
the publisher had succeeded in gain
ing what he Nalerius, had from boy
hood sought in vain to win. That she
had denied to him was freely given to
one, who, by comparison, was
stranger
With a rapid pace he traversed
winding roads and long avenues now
almost deserted, dead leaves from the
rapidly barring branches nuttering in
his face, the sharp ring Of his foot
steps on the frosty paths audible at
long distances, his thoughts in wild
disorder, his face distorted by passion,
his feelings outraged. jealousy singing
him to madness.
Not until couple of hours had
passed did he, without becoming con-
scious of the fact. slacken his pace
through sheer WEAKNESS. and his emo
tons having meanwhile reached their
highest pitch of fury. now began to
subside. Then he reflected on the part
he had recently played, his thoughts
coming to the subject casually and
nittingly at first, afterward with
steady persistency that was all the
more welcome, because it served to
infict upon himself fresh pain, more
acute than he had yet felt.
The insolence, the bite. ness, the cru
nf ct hafn inn
In their true colors, and he reviewed
and realized the cowardice. the inhu
manity. the injustice of his bearing
toward her he had ever loved, whom
he loved now more than ever. And as
he viwed his conduct in this light.
his contempt and loathing for himself
We're only equalled by his compassion
and affection for her.
To strike her down with such a
weapon as he had used al such time
he had sought, was to have behaved
as despicable scound"el, as an I'M
manly wretch. What words Of his
could now take from her the pain he
had inflicted. which must rankle in
her mind and poison her peace for
many day to come? What deed
of his could make reparaton for the
wrongs he had done her? He paused
in his walk and leaned against wall
for support, daZed and weary, all in
dignation and hate having burned
themselves out Of his heart, which was
now full of remorse and pity.
And for long he remained there lost
In thought. the past with all the pleas
ures he had known in his association
with her. thronging back from forgot
ten years; the future with all it's UNI
certainty, humiliation, pain and terror,
rising before him.
A sudden chill from the bitter night
air striking him, brought him to a
consciousness of the present. One
thing at least he resolved must be done
without delay; he would seek the
woman he had grievously insulted, as
sure her his words were not the out
come Of conviction but the result OF
passion, and beg Of her to forgive hin
the pain he had caused her With this
intention he set forward, but the roaC
in which he found himself was un.
familiar, and having with some trou.
bic discovered its name. he knew no
in what direction it led or to where
he should turn in search of his destin
alton.
Resolutely he set out looking rounC
for some familiar landmark unit
eventually coming in sight of church
he recognized his bearings and mad'
straight for the HiXton road. Through
out his walk his determination to seel
Olive Dumbarton's pardon never way
cred until coming in sight of her house
"ueH the Id leHeSS VI lllG ilOuI anu II
unsuitability for visit struck him
He looked at his watch and saw tina
it was long past midnight. For al
that he went to the garden gate, an
pushing it. found as he expected, tina
1t was locked. He then stepped acros
to the other side of the road, that h
might see the upper windows Of tn
house which were all in darkness.
With minglng feelings Of relief an
regret he saw that the moment Of tn
meeting must be postponed; but h
was in no hurry to quit the spo
fatigue from his long walk. wearines
from the conflict of his thoughts, an
the reaction of his excitement set i
upon him, and he rested there agains
the wall which faced the house, sat
isfled to wait until chance should sen
In his way a passing cab that woul
drive him home.
And as he fingered there, his thought
full Of Olive Dumbarton. the Chi
which follows on inaction after eXer
else struck him again. the more read
lily that he was clad in evening dres
whereupon he wrapped the heavy folc
OF his Inverness cape around his che:
and throat Then feeling more con
Portable. he fell into a reverie frol
which. he was eventually aroused by
hand being pressed upon his right arr
when, recovering himself with star
he gazed at the man before him. ar
recognized the anxious, frightened fa'
Of Quinton Quave.
1t happened on this particular ever
ing that the young medical man. ha'
ing been dining with some friends
Kensington. had remained in the
pleasant company until late whe
catching his last train he had arrive
soon after midnight at Marlboroue
Road station, from which he Wake
home.
Now the principal topic of convers;
ton at dinner had been the HiXon rot
tragedy and the startling confession
George Bostock, which the late ed
tons of the afternoon papers had pu
lished so that the subject In which
was deeply interested was fresh
Quinton's mind as he took his honl
ward way. With bent head he reflect
that the man whom he had seen fro
his bedroom window on the night
the tragedy was the same whose dyil
confession had been made but fe
hours before; though. when seen aga
at the same hour and place, Quint'
leaning against the wall. Quinton |
stantly stood still as If he had receiv
a shock, for there before him in t
same spot, wearing the self same clo
concealng the lower part of his ia
and giving him the foreign air, sto
the man he had seen on the mig
David Duubarton was killed. Concer
ing this conclusion there could be
doubt: 4. was one of those sud-
convictions which no reasoning to t
contrary could weaken or refute.
That II was not George BoStock w
certain, and therefore 1t was not t