Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-09-14
CHAPTER I.-{contlnued.l

CHAPTER l.-{Continued.)
The next moment he was raising the
woman's lifeless form from the
ground. He must carry it away from
the path! A short distance of, where
the trees were thicker. there was a
I, disused shallow pit. Few people, If
any, went near it now. And close at
hand there was an accumulation OF
dead leaves. 1t would be easy to
throw them over the corpse, bnrying
1t deeply. far away from the sight Of
man.
Instantly he was vending his way
amongst the trees, his burden in his
arms. How sickeningly those arms
ached!-not from the weight of her
burden, but from the horror Of it.
Sometimes the tattered dress caught
on an outstretched branch, and some
times the shawl. Hindrances and inn
pediments were tauntingly numerous,
It seemed to him, in the agony Of his
impatience as he struggled on, fighting
his way through the thick under
growth.
AT last" he murmured.
Yes, he was standing at the edge OF
the pit at last!( Swiftly his arms re-
Taxed hold OF their CHASTITY burden
and let 1t fall with dull thud to the.
ground, the blue-white face looking
straight at him out of the darkness OF
the pit.
The next instant trembling hands
were working with nervous speed
throwing dead leaves over that blue
white face. yearning to cover it quite,
to hide It out Of sight. With reckless
speed they worked. those trembling
hands! Never ceasing, never stop
ping, always pfling the leaves higher
and higher, they worked with light
sniHg-like rapidity. Now the blue
white face was hidden The silver
light from the moon no longer illum-
ined It, But the shabby, bloodstained
dress and shawl still remained ex-
posed, and quicker and quicker the
mans crime-stained hands moved, pill
Ing up the dead leaves covering all.
bUrying all!
He himself needed nothing, noticed
nothing, In his mad excitement.
Yet q snowstorm was now raging,
and around windblown, feathery flakes
were piling themselves up into forms
Enthusiastically beautiful Already the
stream Of blood across the path had
disappeared under a pail Of exquisite
Wilderness.
Suddenly the silence Of the night
was broken. Startled and terrified,
\ Sir George instantly remained rigidly
motionless. listening more intently
than ne had ever listened before.
hut 1t was only the church clock
!. striking.
Three o'clock!' gasped the wretch
ed man, "and ! told Hilda that
should be home by one at the latest.
What can she think Of my absence?
She Is always nervous about me il
nm late. And the servants must
have noted my absence and been won
dering what has detained nae. He
glanced around, and that glance spoke
bf growing despair "Oh, it's showing
hard, he added. with surprise. "But
tsnow will hide that scarlet stream!
What shall do. though? What shall
II do? Go home cant in these blood
stained clothes! If only
Suddenly interrupted was the cur
rent Of his thoughts! Suddenly pene-
frated was the snow-laden air by
voices voices that were coming near
ar and nearer.
There were people in the wood!
Hry we're searching Tor MIN
Talking anxiouslyt and excitedly
hbont him.
s Now he recognized Hilda's voice.
Quiyering from head to foot, yet
struggling TO keep as still as statue,
hhe wretched murderer pressed him
SELF closer and closer against the
found,