The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1905-06-02

M n tet' To pacing up and down
though always WITH the table canni,s
between us. And az he sliuttled boct
and forth the hin lips mutterei foolist
nothings. with here and there a tremu
loGs oath. When ali WAS lone he
dropped into a chair and stared across
at me with leaden eyes: and truly h,
had the look OF one struck with II NOR
tai sickness.
II think-1 think you owe mn
something now beyond YOU keeping,
Captain Ireten." he "uuavered. at length,
mumblins the words as do the palsied,
Since you are Margery's father. l
owe you anything a dying man can
pay" said l..
Words; empty WORDS" he fu,ned.
III II were a thug to do. ROW"
You need but name the thing and I
will do it willingly"
instead of naming 1t lie shot a uues-
ton at me. driving it home with GER
tain random furnishings of the shifty
eyes.
Who is you next of kin. Captain
%lreton""
"Septimus. of the same name. master
of 1retondere. IN the James river. and
a major in the Virginia line" | am
Swered. wondering how my cousin once
removed should figure in the present
coil. But Gilbert stairs next question
dispelled the mystery.
II you StIodlt w lltttStdtt, titlS StD-
titnus would be you herr"
A next of kin. l should suppose he
would. But l have nothing to DEVISE"
True; and yet'-he paused again as
if the wording of it were not easy.
BE free n speak your mind. MIR.
STAIR" said L.
Ills this" he cried. gathering him
self as with an effort. You've claimed
my daughter as you Wife before them.
all. and when you die tomorrow MORN.
ing you'll cav her neither wife nor
maid. l think-I think you'd best make
that lie of yours the truth"
If one of his thin hands that c.utched
the chair arms had pressed a secret.
spring and loosed Il trap to send me
gasping down an oubliette. l should
a been the less ~astcunded. Indeed.
for some short space l thought him
mad; yet. on second thought. l saw the
method in his Madness. Could Margery'
be brought to view it calmly, this was
a 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,
,0er the truth. SO in common Justice:
Sic should own the name the world
would call her by. Again. as matters
stood. no wrong could come of it to her.
~ Via JSsLllllItt. >. KY, III
| would love her Tor the less because a.
dying man had given her his name for
some few hours. And If. at any future
time, the Ireton title should revive and
his 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
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
If l died her husband she would in de-
cency delay a While.
Sc summing up in far less time than
1T has cost to write it out for you, L
gave my host his answer.
Il told you you might name the deed.
and l would do it. Mr.. Stair. IL you can
make your daughter understand"
The jade will do as she is bid" he
cut In w~rathfully, IF she will drag
my good name in the mire. I'm damned
II she shan't pay the scot. And now
about the settlements. Captain Ireton:
you'll he making her legatec residu-
ary"?"
At this I saw his drift again. most
clearly; that he would never sickle for
his daughters honor. but for the quiet
20 " AAe' tAIAS - ny oIAic .
a title that my cousin Septimus might
dispute. 1t VAS enough to set me OBJ
stinate against him; but l constrained
myself to think of Margery and Rich
ard Jennifer. and not at all of thisp poor
petty miser.
| I'll sign a qultclaim in her favor. If
that is what o mean" l said. "But
tbs a mere pen-scratch for the lawyers
to haygle. 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 1t in due
ana proper FORM He rose and hob
blcd 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: / have
your passed word that you will sign
them"
AYE: they will be signed
He went away at that. and Tybee
entered. Much to my comfort, the lieu
tenant asked no questions: so far from
it. he crossed the room without a word,
flung himself into the great chair and
left me to my w communings.
Continued Next Weekly