Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-08-30
CHAPTER xxv-continued.

V
me In my OPEN safe door when ! re-
turned, and my papers gone? Eow
do you dispose of the fact that you
were seen here by the witnesses /
have spoken OF, one of2Whom, at least,
Il Is above all doubt?
81 cannot account for 1t, ir-unless
i am the victim Of witchcraft, or other
people are.
Tut, tut! That's rubbish. Come,
Winstanley, have not been bad
friend to you, I think. Surely you
can trust me. II there Is anything to
say that can soften this matter or ex-
plain 1t. for heavens sake let me hear
It. Don't go on like this"
II tell you, sir, there is no explana-
tion but my solemn word. | would have
found it unforgivable that any one
could suggest such a thing to me II 1t
were not that there seems some
strange, terrible mistake in the bust
ness. Miss Hamilton says she saw
me. cannot believe that"
She told me when taxed her with
1t. She had dropped something to my
wife before that made me fancy 1t was
30. 1t is her very reluctance to say
more on the subject that tells most
against you. You must be aware OF
that
But she will say more, sir. Don't
you see that she can clear up the
whole matter, most probably? She
could never for moment make
mistake in my identity She can bear
witness that I did not go to your safe"
II can only trust she may" General
Kenyon spared Winsteni by not
saying It aloud. In his own soul he
had no doubt Of the sorrowfnl, de-
graded truth, Winstanley was lying
to him. He had taken the papers, that.
was certain What he had done with
them would soon disclose itself when
some foreign power proclaimed its
possession Of tho secret that was to
have made England invincible. That,
he was a traitor, thief, a villain was
but too clear to the disappointed. sad
dened man who had been his fathers.
friend and his own.
1t was late that afternoon when the
generals carriage drove In at the
gates OF Government House. Mrs
Kenyon had gone to fetch Ursula from
Mrs. Fielding s, where she still was
When she came into tl,s room
where the general and Capt, Winstan-5
ley still were she was very pale ard
grave, but there was a steady light in
her clear eyes. The general came.
forward and led her to q seat. Win
stanley made a step toward her and
then drew back. But Ursula went
straight to him and held out her hand.
He could not but take 1t, though there
8is no knowing what had been his in.
tention.
Then she took the chair on the 9TH
or side OF the fireplace. and loosened
the silver clasp Of ler long, warm
cloak.
Ahem Miss Hamilton General
Kenyon cleared his throat Il am sor-3
~ to have to bring you into pain
full business, but you arezan important
witness with whom >we cannot dis
pense. VIII you kindly say If you saw
Captain Winstanley here last night
and when and how? Ear more may
depend on what we hear from You
than you can have any idea of. l
must beg Of you to tell everything"
Ursula bent her head gravely. Her
gaze was fixed on Winstanley's face
that face he kept resolutely turned
away from her. saw a man here
last night whom / took at the time to
be Captain Winstanle She said. In
i low distinct voice.
May 1 ask why you had that i'm
preston q.
Because he was In uniform Cap
/ tain Winstanie y's uniform And he
was exactly like him IN the face
rs IN that case YOU could surely have
no doubt OF his identity. You know
Captain NNinstanley we'll enough not
to make i mistake. Z
ST know him intimate ely =
Quite So. And when and where did
Hou see him re- as.s
81 went Into pour Office to see if I
could And a book. II must have been
about half-past eleven. ERE was
some one standing by your safe. which
war open. He took out papers. and
| thrust them into the front 81 his mess
waist Then he turned and I
4 thought i saw Captain NNinstanley. I
spoke to him. ~
I5er gaze was still Ion Noel and she
\ saw thsE ne did not betray the least
slign 0f scionsnesa of what she