The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-03-15
CHAPTER XVII.

shutter of the grating was slipp'd back
and a voice, crack'd as the bell, asked
my business.
80 see Master Hannibal Tingcomb,'
answered j.
Thy nameI'
"He shall hear it in time. Say that /
come on business concerning he estate"
The voice mutter'd something, and the
footsteps went back. | had been kicking
my heels there for twenty minutes or
more when they returned, and the voice
repeated the question
Thy name?'
Being by this time angered, | did a
foolish thing; which was TO clap the
muzzle Of my pistol against the grating,
close to the fellows nose. Singular to
say, the trick serv'd me. A bolt was
slipp'd hastily back and the wicket door
opened steaIthily.
II want" said /, room for my horse
TO pass"
Thereupon more grumbling follow'd,
and a prodigious creaking Of bolts and
chains; after which the big gate swung
stifly back.
Sure, you must be worth a DEAL" /
all. lldl NlluL lOblSNlA III ~
Before me stood a strange fellow-ex-
traordinarily old and bent, with a wizen'd
face, one eye only, and a chin that al
most touched his nose. He wore a dirty
suit of livery. that once had been canary
yellow; and shook with the palsy.
Master Tingcomb will see the young
man." he squeak'd, nodding his head;
but is a-reading just now his Bible"
He led the way across the court, well
paved but chOk'd with weeds, toward the
stable. ! found it a spacious building,
and counted sixteen stalls there, but all
were empty save two. where stood the
horses | had seen in Bodmin the day
before. Having stabbed Molly, / left the
place and followed the old servant into
the house.
He tottered into a stone corridor, ! af-
ter him. Along this he hurried, mutter-
ing all the way. and halted before a door
at the end. Without knocking, he push
ed it open, and motioning me to enter,
FASTENED back as he had come.
Come in," said n voice that seemed
familiar to me.
Though twas still high day, in the
room where now l found myself was ev-
cry appearance of night; the shutters be-
ing closed and six lighted candles stand
ing on the tablet. Behind them sat the
venerable gentleman whom ! had seen in
the coach, now wearing a plain suit of
black and reading in a great book that
lay open on'the table. l guessed it to be
the Bible. but noted that the candles had
shades about them, so disposed as TO
throw the light, not OF the page, but on
the doorway where l stood.
Il speak, l believe, to Master Hanni-
bal Tingcomb, steward to Sir Deakin
KilligrewY
Eyes, young sir, that is my name
steward to the late Sir Deakin Kill
grew"
"The late?" l cried. ''Then you
know"
Surely / know that Sir Dcakin is
dead, else should | be but an unworthy
steward"
And his son also?'
also his SON, Anthony, a headstrong
boy, fear me-"
'And his daughter, Mistress DeliaY"
'Alas!' and he fetched a deep sigh.
"Do you mean, sir, that she, too, is
dead?"
"Why, to be sure-but let us talk on
less painful matters"
I'm one moment. sir; but first tell me
where she did die, and when?'
For my heart stood still, and l was
fain to clutch the table between us to
keep me from falling. l think this did
not escape him, for he gave me a sharp
look, and then spoke very quiet and
hushd.
"She was cruelty killed by highway
out of Hungerford. The date given me
is the Sd of December last"
With this n great rush OF joy came
over me, and | blurted out, delighted:
There, sir, you are wrong! Her faith
err was kilpd on the night or which you
speak-cruelly enough, as you say: but
Mistress Della Killigrew escaped, and
after the most incredible adventures-'
i was expecting him to start up with
Joy at my announcement: but instead Of
this, he gaz'd at me very sorrowfully and
shook his head; which brought me to "a
stand.
'Sir," L said, changing my tone, II
speak but what l know; for twas / had
the happy fortune to help her to escape,
and, under Gods hand, to bring her safe
to Cornwall"
'~Then, where is she now?'
Now, this was just what l could not
tell. So, standing before him, / gave
him my name and a history of all my adj
ventures in my dear comrades company,
from tine hour when I saw her nrst in the
inn at Hungerford. He heard me to the
end attentively. but with a curling Of
the lips toward the close. such as l did
not like. And when l had done, to my
amaze he spoke out sharply, and as if to
q whipp'd ~schoolboy:
"Tis a ~cock-an'-bull story, sir, of
which I could hope to make you asham-
cd. You were at that inn, and on that
night, with her murderers. Boy, / have
auidonca hat Italian with uoux canfoS-