The Red Cloud chief., 1906-02-02
&c iNTISUED.O

'J'p LA III u liEllii I'll sure, HIS Iltn /
turned livid, and with a strangled cry
he fell back and down. Together we
lifted him to the low window seat. pur-
suers and pursued alike, loosened his
collar, chafed his hands, bathed his
temples, did everything we could think
OF doing, but he lay there staring at
the ceiling with clinched teeth. At last
Royce bent and laid his ear against his
breast.
1T is no use be said. "He is dead"
| looked to see them vince under the
blow, but they did not. The younger
woman went slowly TO the window and
o there sobbing quietly: the others
face lit up with a positive blaze of joy.
so" she exclaimed I'm that low, vi
brant voice | so well remembered-"so
he is dead"
Royce gazed at her a moment in as
constituent.
Nine. Alix," he said at last, you
know our Grand"
She bowed her head.
II know 1t, monsieur" she answered.
But for him there would have been
NO such errand. AS II Is, l will help you
all l can. Cecile," she called to the
woman at the window, 'go and bring
your sister to these gentlemen"
The younger woman dried her eyes
and left the room.
Celeste came In slowly. listlessly. II
gave me a shock to see the pallor Of her
face. Then she glanced up and saw
Royce standing there. She drew In
her breath with a quick gasp, a great
wave Of color swept over her cheeks
and brow, a great light sprang into her
eyes.
"Oh, John!' she cried and swayed to.
ward him.
He had her In his arms. against his
heart, and the glad tears sprang to
my eyes as I looked at them.
And I have come to take you away,
my love-" he was saying.
"Oh, yes; take me away" she sobbed.
She stopped, her eyes on the window
seat, where the other lay, and the
color died out of her cheeks again.
He, at least, has paid the penalty"
said Royce.
She was sobbing helplessly upon his
shoulder, but as the moments passed
she grew more calm INT at last stood
upright from him. The younger WON
an had come back into the room and
was watching her curiously.
"Come, let us CO." said the girl.
Blu Royce held back.
There has been Il crime committed"
he said slowly. I'VE must see that it
Is punished"
"A crime? Oh, yes; but l forgive
them, dear"
THE crime against yourself you may
forgive, but there vas another crime
murder
There was no murder!" burst In
Cecile Allx. 81 swear it to you, mon
sieur. Do you understands"
saw Miss Holiday vince at the
others voice, and Royce saw 1t too.
Il must get her to the inn," he said.
stay md get the story, Lester. Then
wei decide what it is best to do"
He led her away, out Of the house
and down the path, not once looking
back. | watched them till the trees hid
them, and then turned to the women.
Now" l said, Il shall be happy to
hear the story"
1T was that man yonder who was
the cause Of 1t ALL" began the mother,
clasping her hands tightly In her lap
10 keep them still. -Four years ago he
came from Paris here to spend the
summer-he was YER ilI-his heart.
We had been living happily, my daugh-
ter and I, but for the n anxiety OF
her not marrying. He met her and
proposed marriage. He was YER good
he asked no dowry, and, besides, my
daughter was twenty-five years old
past her first youth. But she attracted
him, and they were married. He took
her back to Paris. where he had a little
theater, a hall of the dance, but he
grew worse again and came back here.
1t was then that he found out that l
had another daughter, whom | had CIV
EN- to a rich American. l was YER
poor, monsieur" she added %piteously.
Yes, madame, | know" | said,
touched by her emotion.
$50 he wrote to friends in Amerique
and made questions about Nj. Holla-
day. He l~earned-oh, he learned that
he was YER rich; what you call a man
OF millions-and that his daughter-my
daughter, monsieur was living still.
From that moment he was like a man
possessed. At nee he formed his plan,
building / know not what hopes upon
It. He drilled us for two years In
speaking the English; he took us for six
months to Londres that we might bet