Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-01-25
could not stand it, ! stayed indoors

could not stand 1t. stayed indoors
ana forbade any newspaper to be
brought into the house. OF course, the
servants managed to hear everything
| that TRANSFERRED, and the cook, whose
sister is in service at Arlington Tow.
ers, asked for two days holiday in
order to go there and hear all the
dreadful gossip that was current at the
time But, as said just now, no ref
erence to the matter is ever to be
made in my presence"
Tell me just one thing, aunt. How
tedid it end the trial, l mean"
In the murderer being condemned
to death. He may be already execut-
ed. | take no interest in the Ina1ter."
1.-THE name of the murderer-tell it
ME quickly"
Guy Erskine," was the answer.
Guy Erskine condemned to DEATH
How cruel! How wicked! How
wrong!" she cried, as she sank back
into chair.
He was guilty. He confessed that
he had done ii" said Miss Ellingham,
who, Notwithstanding her desire to
know nothing. seemed to have amassed
considerable information; "he killed a
woman whom he had known; but, real
ly, do not feel justified in telling you
anything more! It's not fit subject
for young girl to discuss"
Il shall go out and buy newspa-
per-" said Audrey, hurrying out of the
room.
How distressingly impetuous she
ISL exclaimed Miss Dillingham;, throw
ing up her hands. She is like a
whirlwind."
A few minutes later the hall door
was sharply closed. Ten minutes
more and Audrey returned with an
evening newspaper. She did not join
her aunt in the drawing room, but
went into the dining room, and, open
ing the newspaper, spread it out on
the table. With feverish eagerness
her eyes scanned each column Sud-
denly they became riveted on a para
graph; and the color gaded from her
face, leaving it ashy white
The worst was to happen.
The home secretary had declined to
grant reprieve.
Guy Erskine was to be hanged on
the tenth of March, and to-day was the
second
Tomorrow week." cried Audrey,
covering her face with her hands.
How cruelty terrible! Now l under
stand all. Now / know why Reggie
broke off our engagement. Now /
realize the grand nobility of his ST.
lence. Poor Reggie! Poor fellow! But
can 1t really be true that Guy absolute
~ killed this woman? I won't believe
that it is true unless
She ceased to think, and rising quick
~, rang the bell. Il will ask the serv-
ants to tell me everything" And new
er was mortal more ready and willing
to tell everything than was the one
especially selected to give information
namely the cook. No particulars
We're kept back; nothing that could
add to the thrilling history of the trag-
edy was concealed. Crude facts were
crudely stated. In silence Audrey lis
tened to all; in silence her heart
ached for the man she loved. What
would he do now that the name he
bore was disgraced beyond all hope Of
redemption? She asked herself the
question with deep sigh
OF a certainty he would act up to
his determination to leave England,
and to place land and seas between
himself and the scene of his brothers.
crime. But would he not be very lone
ly, very broken-hearted? Perhaps de-
spair might follow his hopelessness.
And there would be none at hand to
comfort him, none near to lessen the
misery overhanging his life. He would
be social leper wherever he went.
Wealth, happily, would be his. He
could roam about according to the die
tates of his sweet will, or make him
self a home in any land. But lonely,
pitiably solitary must his life always
be-
Yet there was one woman who
would count 1t JOY to share his loneli-
ness, share his disgraced name, and
lure back his smiles.
Ito Be Continued.)