Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-06-22
VII-THE ADVENTURE OF cHAs.
AUGUSTUS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

AUGUSTUS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ued.
Welt" caid he. CURLY, you are nearly
half an hour late"
so this was the explanation of tho UNI
locked door ana of the nocturnal vigil OF
Milverton. There was the gentle rustic
of a woman's dress. / had closed the siit
between tho curtains as Milverton's race
had turned in our direction. but now ]
ventured very carefully to open it once
more. He had resumed his seat, the cigar
stu projecting at an i~nsolent angle from
the corner OF his mouth. In front OF him
in the full glare OF the electric light. there
stood a tall, slim, dark woman, a ven
over her face, a mantle drawn her
chin. Her breath came quick ana fast
and every inch Of the 1.-THE figure was
-quivering with strong emotion.
Well" said M,lyerton you've made me
lose a good nights rest. my dear. I hope
you'H prove worth it. You couldn't come
any other time-eh?"
The woman shook her head.
well. IL you couldn't you couldn't. If
the countess is a hard mistress, you have
your chance to get level with her now.
Bless the girl, what are you shivcring
about? That's right. Pull yourself to-
gether. Now, let US gct down to bust
ness" He took a notebook from the draw.
er OF his desk. You say that YOU have
five letters which compromise the Coun-
tess d'AIbert. You a to sell them. l
want 60 buy them. SO far so good. II
only remains 10 fix a price. | should want
20 inspect the letters, OF course, IL they
are really good spoc.mens-Great heavens,
is Il your"
The woman, without a word, had raised
her veil and dropped the mantle from her
chin. 1t was a dark. handsome, clear-cut
face which confronted MilvcrtOn-a facs
with a curved nose. strong. dark eyebrows
shading hard, glitterlng eyes, and IA
straight, thin-iipped mouth set IN a dan
gerous smile.
'It is t. she said. the women whose
life you nave ruined"
MIlverton laughed, but fear vibrated I'm
his voice. "You were so very obstinate"
said he. why did you drive me TO such
extrcmeties? / assure you J wouldn't hurt
a fly OF my own accord, but every man
has his business. and what was I to do? 1
put the the price well within your means.
You would not pay"
80 you sen the letters TO my husband,
md he--the noblest gentleman tina ever
lived. a man whose boots l was never
worthy 10 lace-he broke his gallant heart
and died. IoI remember that last night.
when I came through that door. / begged
and prayed you for mercy, ana you
laughed In my face as you arc trying 10
laugh row., only your coward heart can-
NOT keep your lips from twitching? Yes,
you never thought 10 see me here again,
but Ii was that night which taught ms
how l could meet you face to face. and
alone. Well, Charles Milvcrton, what
have you TO say?'
Don't imagine that you can bully me, =
said he. rising to his feet. II have only to
raise my voice, and I could call my SER
wants and nave you arrested. But l will
make allowance for your natural anger,
Leave the room at once as you came. and
a viii say no more"
TIE woman stood with her hand buried
In her bosom, and the Same deadly smile
on her thin lips.
You will run no more lives as you have
ruiHed mine. You viii wiring no more
hearts as you wrung mine. / will free the
world OF a poisonous thing. Take that.
you hound-and that!-and that!-and
that.-and THAR
SHE had drawn a little cleaning revol-
yer II eInptied barrel after barre. into
Milverton's body. the muzzle within two
feet Of his shirt front. He shrank away and
then fell forward upon the table, coughing
f%uriously AMI clawins among the papers.
Then he staggered to his feet, received an
other shot. and rolled upon the floor.
you've done me-" he cried, and lay still.
The woman looked at him intently. and
ground her heel into his upturned face.
She looked again, but there was no sound
or movement. / heard a sharp rustic. the
might air blew into the heated room. and
the avenger was gone
No interference Upon our part cG,sll have
saved the man from his fate. but as the
woman poured bullet after bullet into Mil
verton's shrinking body / was about to
,spriry out, when / felt Holmes cold.
sstrcSlg grasp upon my wrist. | understood
abe whole argument OF that firm, restrain
ing srip-that X was no affair OF ours that
justice had overtaken a villain, that we
had our own duties and our own objects.
which were not TO be lost sight of. But
hardly had the woman rushcd from the
woom when Holmes, with swift. silent
steps, was over at the other door. He
turned the key In the lock. At the same
instant we heard voices in the house and
the sound OF hurry.ng feet. The revolver
shots hnd reused the household. With
perfect GOODNESS Holmes slipped across to
the safe, filled his two arms with bundles
OF letters. and poured them all into the fire.
Again and again he did IL, until the safe
was empty. Someone turned the handle.
and beat upon the outside of the door.
Holmes looked swiftly round. The letter
which had been the messenger of death
for Milyerton lay, all mottled with his
blood. upon the table. Holmes tossed IL
in among the blazing papers. Then he
drew the key from the outer door. passed
through after me, and locked IL on the
outside. This way, Watson" sad he,
@-we can scale the garden wall In this dt-
rection.''
r could not nave believed that IN alarm
could have spread sc swiftly. Looking
hack. the huge house was one blaze OF
light. The front door was open, and fig
ures were rushing down the drive. The
whole garden was alive with people. and
one fellow raised = view-halloa as we
emefgfd from the yeranda and followed
hard at our heels. Holmes seemed tc
know the grounds perfectly. and ht
threaded his way swiftly among n plan
tatson OF small trees. I close at hts heels
and our foremost pursuer painting behind
as. IL was q six-foot wall which barred
our path. but he sprane TO the top and
over. AS / did the same ] felt the hand OF
fhc man behind me grab at my ankle, bu
1 kicked myself free and scrambled over
a grasS-strcwn coping. I fell upon my
ACE among some bushes. but Holmes had
me on my feet In an instant. and together
we dashed away across the huge expanse
OF Hampstead Heath. We had run TIVE
ETiles, | suppose. before Holmes at laa'
halted and listened intcntiy. All vas alb
salute silence behind us. we had shaken
on our pursuers And were safe.
We mad breakfasted and were smoking
oUr morning pipe on the day after the re-
snagISnhie experience which I have record
ed, when Mr. Lcstradc, " Scotland Yard,