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

THE MASTER OF APPLEBY|
BY Franci. Lynde.

1t. But he did not. Instead. he brok
out in a laugh. with a gibe flung first
at Gilbert Stair and then at l'alconnet
God save us! l give you joy. Mir
Stair. and you. Sir Francis. These two
have duped you ~bravely. BY heavens.
Sir Frank: twas you who should have
had the sword thrust in the duel. In
that event you might have stood in
Captain 1reton's shoes. and so had
the priest fetched for your benefit.
Then he turned to Margery with 81
bow that had no ouch of mockery in
1t. Il crave your pardon. madam: |
knew not you were pleading for your
husbands life an hour ago. 1t grieves
me that l may not spare him to you
longer than he hight. but war is cruel
at its best"
She stood like any statue done in
cold Carrara while he spoke: and when
II made no sign he gave the word to
recommit me
Take him away. Lieutenant Tybee.
and see he has a bribe-proof man this
Ireton. I'll put you on your honor; you
may have access to him. but there
must be no messages carried in or
out. 70 your quarters. gentlemen. We
must ride far and HARD tomorrow
When his ina word had set her free.
my frozen maiden came to life INC
ran to throw herself in helpless Oh
btnGs. not upon her father, as you
would think. but upon the good priest.
And 1t was Father Matthiau who led
her. still crying softly, out of the
throng and up the low STAIR; and now
1 marked that all the rough soldiery
stood aside and made way for her with
never a man anon them to scofr or
sheer or point a gibe.
At her going. Tybee drew his sword
and cut the cord that bound me.
These youngling cubs are over
cautious. Captain Ireton. We shall not
make 1T harder for each than we must,'
he said. with bluff good nature. And
then: Will you lead the way to your
room. sir??"-this to give the %youngling
cub another lesson. l suppose.
walked beside him to the stair. and
when I stumbled. being weak and spent.
he too my arm and steadied me, and
door he gave me precedence again. say
ing. with a touch OF the grateful old
world courtesy. after you SIR and
standing aside to let me enter first.
When we were both within he touched
upon the colonels mandate.
II must obey my orders. Captain
%1reton. but by your good leave I shall
not lock you up with any trooper; I'll
stay with you myself"
I thought this still more kindly than
aught he had lone before. and so 1
told him. But he put it off lightly.
lilly Siicoeu disy oLIS SdI 10
for you. my friend. but I will do that
little as I al You are like to have
a visitor. l take 1t: II you have, I'm
sure twill be a comfort If your body
guard can be stone blind and deaf"
So saying. he dragged the big wicker
chair into the window-bay. planted
himself deep within it with his back
to all the room, and so left me to my
own devices.
Being spent enough to sleep beneath
the shadow of a giboet. 1 threw myself
full-length upon the bed and was. I
think, adrift upon the ebb tide of ex-
haustion and forgetfulness when once
again the shifting of the wooden door
bar reused me l rose up quickly, but
Tybee was before me. There was some
low-votced conference at the door:
then Tybee came to me.
"Tis Mr.. Gilbert STAIR" he said.
"He has permission from the colonel
and insists that he must see you solus.
I'll take your word n leave you. IL
you like"
AT first I hung reluctant. wanting
little OF the host who came so late to
see his guest. Then. as if a sudden
flash of lightning had revealed it. 1
realized. as l a not Before. how 1 lac
set the feet of my deal lady in a most
hideous labyrinth of deception: how
this lie hat 1 had told to bridge a
momentary gap must leave her neither
Ildlu nor WIDOW III tne morning.
Yes. yes: for Gods sake let him in.
Mr.. Tybee!!" l burst out. II am fair
crazed with WEAKNESS. and had for
got. 'Tis most important, l do as
sure YOU"
The thing was lone at once. and be-
fore | knew it was alone with the old
man who. though he was my supplant-
er. was also Margery's father. He ell
tered cautiously. shielding his bedroom
candle with his hand and Deering over
it to make me out. as If his v%enturing
In were not unperilous. n l marked
that when he put the candle down up
on the table. he edged away and felt
behind him for the door as If to make
sure OF his retreat in ease OF need.
"Sit down. Captain Ireton; sit down,
l beg OF you" he said, in his thin,
rasping treble: And when had
obeyed Il think you must know what
I've came for, Captain 1reton?"
l said I could guess: ard he began
again. volubly now. as IL to have it
over in the shortest space.
Twas not a gentlemahly thing for
you to do. Captain Ireton-this marry
ing OF Il foolish girl out Of hand while
you We're here a guest; and as for the
priest that did 1t. It'll have him
hanged before the army leaves, I prom
Use YOU. But now tits done, I hope
ye're prepared to make the best of it 2"
l saw at once that his daughter had
not yet connded IN MIN; that he was
still entangled in my lie. So l thought
1t we'll to probe him deeper while l
might.
What would you call the best IL
1 may ask" said L. growing the cooler
with some better seeing Of the way
ahead.
THE marriage settlements!" he cried
shrilly. coming to the point at once,
as any miser would. "'Tis the merest
matter OF form. as ye may say. for your
title to Appleby Hundred is we'll burnt
out, l promise you. But for the decent
look OF 1T you might make over your
quitclaim to your wife,
Aye. truly: so I might"
and so you should. sir; that you
should. We miserable, spying. runag'-
he choked and coughed behind his
hand and then began again without the
epithets. Tits the very least We can
do for her now, hen you have the
rope fair around your curs-ahem-
your-your rebel neck. Only for the
FORMS sake. to be sure. We understand.
for she'd inherit after you in any case
I saw his drift at last. and. not car
ing to spare him. sped the shaft of
truth and let it find the joint in his