The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-10-05
THE =
Brangwyn Mystery


drinking songs, French chansons
d'amour, fragments from the music
halls. When he was not singing he
was Laughing and chatting, and once
he broke into a burlesQue Highland
fling, with a vocal imitation of the bag
pipes. You'll have another break
down after this If you don't take care.
You're always in extremes-elther
agony or ecstacy. l should think
you're the most mercurial beggar in
the world
II dare say l am" said Alexis, with
q sudden sobriety. II don't think
most men feel the sting OF pain as
do, or feel such exuberant Joy in
pleasure. My cup brims over, always
l loathe suffering and love JOY"
He broke into a rather boisterous
French student song. with rollicking
burden of "vive Bacchus ct vive
pamour," and Billery lay back and
laughed at him until he could laugh
no longer. The more Billery laughed,
the absurder Alexis became, and at
last his mirth was bordering on hys-
terra. But either succeeded In leash
ing himself. or the serious fit which
so often follows on inordinate mirth
had fallen on him. In any case, he
went suddenly quiet as they neared
the little rustic station for which they
hoA v1yir0d for q fv
to be in readiness, and there 1t was
awaiting them. A three-mile drive
brought them to their destination, and
there Truscott, who had just dined,
was amazed to see them.
IT'S at my suggestion that we came
down here" said Billery. "Mr. Alexis
Brangwyn has brought me very strik-
ing news, which proves to my satisfac-
ton that you were right this after
noon and that was wrong. thought
that, since it was I who carried the
suspicious to you, it was my duty to
withdraw them"
Alexis told his story, and Truscott
listened with great interest. "That
fits my reading like a glove" he said,
when it was over. mr., Brangwyn,
your cousin seems to me to have suf-
fered an, unmerited martyrdom, and
l shall not lose a post in letting him
know that regret profoundly the
share which Mr.. Billery and had in
infiicting it. Most unfortunately, It's
not a thing that can be talked about.
There's no public vindication open to
him."
Monet" said Alexis. "None! He
has had knowledge of facts which 1t
was his duty as citizen to reveal,
and in the eye of the law he is parti-
ceps criminis. But 1t sometimes hap.
pens in life that there are duties
which transcend the law, and here
there Is one of them"
''In spite OF the charge suggested
against him." Truscott said, II have
felt sort of curious attraction toward
your cousin"
"As for me-" said Billery, Il feel
like a brute. He never liked me-poor
old Aloysius-and, In my own mean
mind, l nursed bitter grudge against
him. Why should he like me? 1t
isn't crime not to like me, I sup
pose? Seems to me I'm not a partic-
ularly likeable sort of person"
"Oh, you shut up!" said Truscott
you're all right"
And there the interview came prac
tically to an end. Truscott had
guests to whom he was bound to re-
turn, and neither Billery nor Brang
wyn cared to accept his invitation to
join them. Alexis was very quiet on
the return journey, and at the close OF
it the two shook hands and parted.
II will send Grimaud to you to-mor
row." said Alexis, as he got into q
hanson at the terminus, and on the
morrow, sure enough, Grimaud made
his appearance in Billery's poor apart
ment. He was very jauntily attired
and very assured and even patronizine
in his manner, 80 that Billery resented
him.
ri received visit from NJ Aloysius
yesterday" he began. HE was sc
condescending as to bestow upon me
his confidence. Regarding me in my
double capacity of old servant AMI
humble friend. he related to me the
story which M. Alexis has already
outlined to monsieur. In coming here
I am only obeying the instructions Of
M. Aloysius, but OF M. Alexis, who is
passionately desirous that the position
| of monsieur and his cousin should bs
made clear. It Is my duty to inform
monsieur that not the slightest doub'
attaches to the question. The rea
criminal is now revealed. He is al
lowed to escape the penalty Of hi.
crime for reasons which are not to be
over-estimated. That is the message
was instructed to deliver
"Well," said Billery, Il knew all tha1
before"
Grimaud bowed, looked supercili
ously at the meager furniture, an
ncunced that he had the honor to bic
monsieur good day, and so withdrew
leaving his momentary host with I
tingling inclination to kick him dowI
! the stairs.
1t was like Billery all over, when hi
was once convinced that he had beer
guilty Of an injustice. to make com
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