Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-10-19

my marriage with Margaret will ever
be Forthcoming. Ii that case HildaI
and her boy will inherit all. II it Isl
proved they will be homeless and PEN
Mess. Quickly must go through my
papers, and tear up all letters that
are better destroyed. I have several
hours to do all in. Unless" He
glanced toward the door as he spoke.
Thoughts of possible interruption
rushed into his mind. That Interrupt
ton might take terrible form. He
would be equal to it! The next mo-
ment he was crossing the room, sec
ond later unlocking the door. Up
stairs in case of an alarm at night, he
kept revolver. That revolver must
be always with him now.
Since he was guilty, arrest would
mean certain conviction. Conviction,
certain execution. He, Sir George FL
lingham, preferred death at his own
hands. Therefore that revolver must
be always kept ready-quite ready!
Half-past four struck, and immedi-
ately came a message from Hilda re-
minding him that tea was in progress.
That message did not lure him from
his work. Another hour passed and
he still sat opposite his writing table.
Torn-up letters filled the waste-paper
basket at his side, and amongst those
letters were some of Hilda' s-the few
that he had received during their
short, happy engagement. He had just
re-read them, and with that re-reading
there had rushed back into his mind
a flood of tauntingly happy recollec-
tons. Henceforward, out of the past,
pictures of lost joys would be forever
passing with tantalizing cruelty before
his mental eyes. In the lonliness of
exile it would be torture.
Only one more drawer to go into"
he thought to himself. when that's
done, what shall | do? l can't re-
main shut up in this room any longer;
it will look suspicious. And I can't
join Hilda and Audrey in the drawing
room and enter with requisite zest in
to the ordinary chit-chat-my face is
too white and haggard for that. How
shall drag myself through dinner, l
don't know. The bitter knowledge
that it is the last dinner l shall ever
have within these walls will cause me
to eat conspicuously little! And that
will attract Hilda's attention confound
it! But it is dark now. Why should
/ not start off at once? To leave just
a message saying that | may not be
home for dinner is all that is requisite
to throw the detectives on the wrong
scent and prevent their seeking me
farther afeld, should they come here.
"Then with regard to Hilda?" he
thought, wonderingly.
1t was a difficult problem to solve
how to lessen the shock of his de-
pockets, sighed, then leaned back. Say
goodbye to her? No! She would be
too anxious to learn why and where
he was going SO suddenly. Write a
note? No! That would assuredly
cause her thoughts to drift into a sus-
picious channel at once, for great
would be her surprise that he had not
said goodbye. He would risk all
everything-leave in silence and Sc
cretly, excepting for a message left
with one of the servants. Were it
possible to consult Hilda, she would
of certainty advise this course. She
who loved him so greatly would only
think of one thing-his safety.
On the morrow there would be two
inquests-old Searles at Dainton, and
Margaret's at Arlington. Before these
two inquests had taken place hundreds
Of miles must lie between himself and
his home.
He would go now.
Ito Be Continued.)