The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1906-12-01
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
1t had been a sudden within that had
carried Sylvia Castella back to that lit
tie north-country village where she had
lived the happiest part of her life.
will so to Mill Cross again, and it
will be almost as if Ben were with me
all the time" and it was this impulse that
had put her into the north express and
had landed her at the little wayside sta
ton at which Gerald Tenby had alighted
Also
Gerald would have followed her-he
hardly knew why, save that fear was
pressing in upon him from all sides-only
it was impossible for him to expose him
self to too much comment. He had to 20
on to the Court, to that big old house that
once had seemed to him the only place in
the world that was desirable, but which
tonight had no beauty in his eyes.
The butler locked at him with well-con-
cealed surprise. He wondered what could
be the matter with Sir Gerald. The young
man looked almost old certainly this
gray-faced, nervous man was very much
apart from the smart, clever, wealthy Ger
aid that had been wont to pay visits to
Nall Cross while Sir Maurice was alive:
but good servants have their share of tact
the man did not let his master realize
that he noticed anything was smiss.
lie spoke to him about J,atters that had
occurred since Sir Gerald had been in
London, and he handed him some letters,
and with these letters the packet of pa
pers which Stanton's faithful old friend,
Sarah, had journeeyd from London to de-
liver.
This packet was left with me to be de-
livered to you personally when you should
arrive, sir" he said; 1T was brought by
an old woman"
by an old womanT repeated Gerald,
hurriedly; then his memory returned. He
almost dropped the packet; it had a hide
Gus significance to him, not that anything
was contained in it, but that its very pres
ence conjured up all that he desired to
hide forever.
The servant closed the door and he was
left alone, left to stare down at that small
square packet, which had been the excuse
for getting Sarah out of the road while
work was being done in the old tumble
down house which was her care, her joy
and her sorrow
London was provided with a great sem
sation the morning following Gerald Ten
by's departure to the North Scarcely
had the news of Edward Marchmont's
death been made public than the world
was informed of new disaster that had
befallen the lot of the widow. ..
most extraordinary thing occurred,
something terrible and bizarre, something
that shocked people even while it struck
them as being unusual and alarming.
This was no less than a great fire
that had consumed the greater portion of
the house where Lady Betty had lived
and fiuttered away the many years of her
butterfly existence; fire so large in its
proportions that, though help was forth
coming in very short time, the fury Of
the flames was so great that it was al
most impossible for the fremen to ap-
proach.
And life was lost also. Lady Betty
herself was rescued in a half-faintiny
condition, and greater portion of the
household fortunately escaped; but one
or two of the inmates, Gagged at the top of
the house, persisted in the flames that had
sprung to life, no one knew how, and with
those two living creatures the body of Ed
ward Marchnont had been consumed also.
The news reached Antonia by means Of
one of the maids in Lady Charlottes
house.
She fell on her knees, as soon as she
was alone, and tried to pray, but the hor-
ror that had come over her as she remem-
bered Betty Marchmont paralyzed her
brain; not even a prayer could come CO.
herently: in fact, the girl was verging on
an illness. She had made enormous de-
mands upon her courage and her physical
strength, and this prostration was only
the natural outcome of such exertions. As
she sat there message came to her from
Lady Charlotte, asking if she would 60
to her at once.
Antonia found the delicate woman in a
state of great agitation. Lady Charlotte
was sitting, propped up by her cushions,
gazing at a letter that she held in her
hand. Antonio went across the room to
her and sat down beside her.
"Oh, Antonio =! she said, what can I
say to you? What wrong I have donei
Child, your faith should have taught me
lesson your love tried to lead me to
this, and would not be led"
Ito be continued.)
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