Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-06-28
vii-THE ADVENTURE OF CAAS.
AUGUSTUS MiLvERTON.--Contin-

between tho curtains as Mflverton'S face
had turned In our direction. but now I
venturcd very carefully to open It once
more. He had resumed his seat. the cigar
still projecting at an insolcnt angle from
the corner of his mouth. In front OF him.
In the full glare of the electric light. there
stood ii tall. SLIM, dark oma n veil
over her face, n mantle Drawn round her
chin. Her breath came quick and fast.
and every inch of the 1.-THE figure was
Quivering with strong emotion.
We'll" said M.lvcrton you've made me
lose a good nights rest. my dear. l hope
you'll prove worth 1t. You couldn't come
any other timc-ch""
The woman shook her head.
We'll. II you couldn't you couldn't. II
the countess is II hard mistress. you have
your chance TO get level with her now.
Bless the girl, what are you shivcring
about? That's right. Pull yourself to-
gcther. Now, let us get down to bust
ness" He took 4 notebook from the draw
err OF his desk. you say that you ave
five letters which compromise the Coun-
tess d'Albcrt. You want to sell them. l
want to buy them. So fnr so good. 1t
only remains to fix Il price. I should want
to inspect the letters. of course. II they
arc really good spcc.mens-Great heavens,
Is 1t you?"
The woman. without 4 word, had raised
her veil and dropped tho mantle from her
tillN. II was ~ OdTH, handsome, CteaT-Cut
face which confronted Milve:ton--a face
with a curved nose. strong. dark eyebrows
shading hard. glittcrins eyes. and "A
straight, thin-lipped mouth set in q dam
yerous smile.
ut is l." she said. the women whose
life YOU have ruined"
M;lvcrton laughed. but fear vibr in
ais voice. You were so very ~obstinate."
said he. why did YOU drive mo to such
eXtremetics? / assure you wouldn't hurt
> fly Of my " accord. but every man
has his business. and what was I to DO? I
put the the price we'll within your means.
You would not pay"
"So you sent the letters to my husband.
and he-the nobicst gentleman that ever
lived. a man whose boots I was never
WORTHY to lacc-hc broke his gallari heart
ard died. Yoi remember ,hat last night.
When I came through that door. j begged
and prayed sou for mercy. and you
laughed IN my face as you are trying 10
laugh now only your coward heart can
not keep your lips from twitching? Yes,
sou never thought to sec mo here again.
but II was that night which laughs mo
how l could meet yon face to face, and
alone. Well, Charles Milverton. what
have You 10 say"
Don't imagine shat you can bully me-
said he. rising to his feet. II have only to
raise my voice, and J could call my SCR
wants and have you arrested. But : will
make for yolr natural anger.
Leave the room at once as you came, and
I will say no more"
The woman stood with: her hand buried
In her bosou. and the same deadly smile
OH her hin lips.
you will ruin no more lives as YOU have
ruined mine. You will wiring no more
hearts as you wrung mine. I will free the
world OF n poisonous thing. Take that.
you hound-and :hat.-and that.-and
that.-and that"
She had drawn p little cleaning revolt
vcr and cmptied barrel afte. barrel into
Milvcrton'S body. the !nuzlle within two
feet of his shir: front. He slranl, away and
then fell forward upon the table. coughing
furiously AMI clawing among the papers.
Then he staggered to his feet. received an
other shot, anG rolled upon the floor.
you've done me-" he cried, and lay still.
The woman looked at him intcntly. and
ground her heel into his upturncd face.
She looked again. but there was no sound
or movement. l heard a sharp rustic, the
night air blew into the heated room, and
the avcnger was gone.
Nc interference upon oI- iart could have
saved the man from his fate, but as the
woman poured bullet after bullet into Mil
verton's shrinking body 1 WAS about to
spring oat. when ! felt Holmes cold,
strong grasp upon my wrist. 1 understood
the whole argument OF that firm. restrain
Ing %grip-that 1t was no affair of ours that
justice had overtakcn n villain, that we
had our own duties and our own objects.
which were not to be lost sight of. But
hardly had the woman rushed from tho
room when Holmes. with swift. silent
steps. was over at tho other door. He
turned the key In the lock. At the same
Instant we heard voices in the house and
the sound Of hurry.ng feet. The revolver
shots had reused the household. With
A~F~- - 1900 Y-N--- -a.,-A ------ A.
the safe. filled his two arms with bundles
OF letters. and poured them all into the fire.
Again and again he did 1t. until the safe
was empty. Someone turned the handle.
n beat upon the outside Of the doc
Holmes looked swiftly round. The letter
which had been the messenger Of death
for Milvertor lay. all notified with his
blood. upon the table. Holmes tossed It
in among the blazing papers. Then he
drew the key from the outer door. passed
through after me. and locked 1t on the
outside. This way. Watson" sad he.
I'VE can scale tho garden wall In this d.
rection."
I could not have believed that an alarm
could v spread SO swiftly. Looking
back. the huge house was one blaze Of
light. The front door was open. n hg-
ures were rushing down the drive. The
whole garden was alive with people, and
n fellow raised a view-halloa as We
emerged from the veranda and followed
hard at u heels. Holmes seemed to
know the grounds perfectly. and he
threaded his way swiftly among . plan
tat:On of small trees. I close at his heels.
and our foremost pursucr painting behind
VI. Il Was . six-foot wall which barred
our path. but he sprang to the top and
over. Az I did the same I felt the hand Of
h man behind me grab at my ankle, but
I kicked myself free and scrambled over
. Grass-strown coping. I fell upon my
face amonG some bushes. but Holmes had
me On my fest IA. an instant. and together
We dashed awAvs ae1oa the huge axpanse
q .HA1poteAa Heath, We haA run two
0lles. I suppo1a. before Holmes 1t last
holee4 and listenaa lntently. All was a.