The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-06-01

me and fell to pacing up and down,
though always with the table cannily
between us. And as he shuffled back
and forth the thin lips muttered foolish
nothings, with here and there a tremu-
lous oath. When all vas done he
dropped into a chair and stared across
at me with leaden eyes; and truly he
had the look of one struck with a NOR
tai sickness.
II think-I think you w me
something now beyond your keeping,
Captain Ireton,' he uuavered, at length,
mumbling the words as do the palsied.
Since you are Margery's father, l
owe o anything q dying man can
pay" said /.
Words; empty words" he fumed.
IF it were a thing to do. cow
You need but name the thing and I
will do it willingly"
Instead of naming 1t he shot a ques-
ton at me. driving it home with Ger
tain random %thrustingS of the shifty
eyes.
'Who is you neXt OF kin, Captain
Ireton?"
"septimus, of the same name. master
Of I~retondene. on the James river, and
a major in the Virginia line" 1 an
swered. wondering how my cousin once
removed hould figure in the present
coil. But Gilbert Stairs next question
dispelled the mystery.
IF you should die intestate, this Sep
timus would be your helr?"
AS next of kin, I should D he
would. But I have nothing to devise"
True: n yet"-he paused again as
If the wording of 1t were not easy.
BE free and speak your mind. Mr..
Stair" said L.
"'Tis this" he cried, gathering him
self as with an effort. you've claimed
my daughter as your wife before them
all and whan VnlI Ita tnr,nrrCyy ~
ing you'll leave her neither wife nor
maid. 1 think-I think you'd best make
that lie of yours the truth"
IT one of his thin hands that clutched
the chair arms had pressed a secret
spring and loosed a trap to send me
gasping down an oubliette, l should
have been the less astounded. Indeed,
for some short pac l thought him
mad; yet, on second thought. I 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
aver the truth. So in common justice
she should own the name the world
would call her by. Again. as matters
no wrong could come Of it to her.
or Richard Jennifer, or any. Dick
would love her non the less because a.
dying man had given her his name for
few hours. And if. at any future
time, the Ireton title should revive and
this 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
all this sudden-builded wall 1 saw, but
could not nerd it. 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
of mine could help or hinder: and
II | died her husband she would in de-
delay a while.
So summing up In far less time than
1t has cost to write it out for you, I
gave my host his answer.
II told you you might name the deed,
and l would do 1t. Mr.. Stair. If you can
make your daughter understand"
The jade will do as she is bid" he
IN W~rathfully. IF she will drag
good name in the mire, I'm damned
II she shan't pay the scot. And now
about the settlements. Captain Ireton;
be making her legatee residu-
At this I saw his drift again, most
thai he would never sickle for
iio uauSLlel > llOIlOI, Out Tor the quiet
ng of his title to my father lands
! title that my cousin Septimus might
1t was enough to set me OBJ
stinate against him; but l constrained
myself to think of Margery Rich
ard Jennifer, and not at all of his poor
petty miser.
Ill sign a quitclaim in her favor, if
hat is what you mean,'' I said. But
tbs a mere pen-scratch for the lawyers
% haggle over. AS you said a while
the wife will be the husbands
1eir-at-law, in any event"
True; but we'd best be at it in due
md proper FORM" He rose and hob-
oled to the door and was so set upon
haste tina his shaking hand played a
tattoo on the latch. "I-Im
and have the papers drawn, and you
Will sign them, Captain Ireton; 1 have
passed word that you will sign
AYE; they will be signed
He went away at that, and Tybee
Much to my comfort, the lieu
:enant asked no questions; so far from
t, he crossed the room without a word,
lung himself into the great chat and
eft me to my own communings.5
Continued Next Week.)