The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-10-04

The lady sprans TO her feet. wish the
color an dashed In an instant frona her
beautiful face. Her eyes ginzed-she DOT
tercd-T thought that she would fasnt
Then with a grand effort she rallied frsn
the shock. and a supreme astonishmcsss
and indignation chased every other cxpres-
sion from her features.
'.You--you insult me. Mr.. Holmcs.''
Come. come. madam. u 10 useless Give
mp the letter"
She dartcd 10 the bell.
'-rhe butler shall show you out"
do not ring. Lady fiiida- IL you do.
then all my earnest efforts 10 avoid
scandal will be frustrated. Give up tho
letter and all will be set right. IL you Will
work with me I can arrange everything.
n you work against me must expose
you"
She stood erandly defiant. a queeniy fig-
urc her eyes fixed upon his as II she would
read his very soul. Her hand was on the
bell. but she had forbornc 10 ring u.
'You are trying 90 brighten me. IL In
not n very manly thing. Mr.. Holmes. TO
come here and browbcat woman. You
say that you know something. What In
Il that you know
Pray sit down. madam. You will hurt
yourself there ~ you fall. I viii not speak
until you alt down. Thank you"
II give you Ave minutes. MIR. Holmes. "
zone " enough. Lady Hiida. know OF
your visit TO Eduardo Lucas. OF your CIV
Ing him this document, Of your ingenious
return TO the room last night. and OF the
manner In which you took the letter from
the hiding place under the carpet"
She stared nj him with an ashcn face
and guipcd twice before she could speak.
"You are mad, Mr. Holmcs-you are
mad!'' she cried. at last.
lie drew n small piece OF cardboard from
his pocket. IL was the face OF a woman
cut out OF a portrait.
II have carried this because thought
q might he useful" said he. The police
man recognized IL
She gave a gasp and her head dropped
| back I'm the chair.
Come. Lady HIida. You have the let
| ter The matter may still bc adjusted.
have no desire 10 bring trouble to you. My
duty ends when I have returned the lost
letter TO your husband. Take my advice
and be frank with me. IL Is your only
chance
Her courage was admirable. Even now
she would not own defeat.
II tell you again. Mr.. Holmes. that you
arc under some ABSURD Illusion"
Holmes rose fiom his chair.
II am sorry for you. Lady Hiida. have
done my best for you. ] can sec that II
II all in vain"
He raag the bell The butler entered.
lis Mr. Trciawncy Hope at homer"
"Hc will be home. air. 81 n quarter 20
one
Holmes glanced at his watch.
"Stiil a quarter OF an hour" said he.
i VERY good. I shall wait"
The butler had hardly closed the door
behind him when Lady Hilda was down
on her knees at Holmes feet. her hands
outstratchcd. her beautiful face upturncd
and wet with her tears.
"oh, spare me, Mr. Holmes. Spare mel
she pleaded In n frenzy OF suppllcatlon.
For heavens sake don't tell himi love
him so! I would not bring one shadow
on his life. and this know would break
HIS noble heart"
Holmes raised the lady. II am thank
full. madam. that YOU have come to your
senses even at this last moment! There
is not nm instant TO lose. Where Is the
letter.
She darted across 10 a writing desk
unlocked a.. and drew out a long blue
| envelope.
Here Il r.. Mr.. Holmes. Would tc
heaven I had never seen a.
"How can we return IT," Holmes NUT
tered. quick. quick. we must think oi
some way! Where Is the dcspateh-box7 p
'Still In his bedroom"
"what n stroke OF luck. quick, madam
bring II here.
A moment later she had appeared with
n rcd HAT box In her hand.
How did you open Il beforc7 You have
a duplicate key? Yes. OF course you have
Open a."
From out OF her bosom Lady Hilds
had drawn n small key. The box few
open. II was stuffed with papers. Hoimc,
thrust the blue envelope deep down int
the heart OF them between the leaves o
a.NN hut
locked. and returned to the bedroom.
Now We are ready for him." sale
Holmes. I'VE have still ten minutes.
am going far to screen you, Lady Hilda
In return you will spend the time In tell
Ing me frankly the real meaning OF thl'
extraordinary AFFAIR"
mir. Holmes. will tell you everything.
cried the lady. 'oh. Mfr. Holmes. I wouis
cut or my right hand before I gave hin
a moment OF sorrow. There is no woman
IN all London who loves her husband al
l do. and yet II he knew how I have acts,
dow l have been compelled 10 act--h'
would never forgive me. For his owl
honor stands 80 high that he could no
forCct or pardon n lapse In another. He'll
me. Mr.. Holmes! My happiness. his happi
ness. our very lives are at stako!'
quick. madam. the time grows Short
cit was "A letter OF mine. Mr.. Holmes
an indiscrcct letter written before M
marriages. foolish letter. a letter OF nj
Impulaisc. loving girl. ] meant no harm
and yet he would have thought IL crimi
nal Had he read that letter his conf
dcncc would have been forever destroyed
Il n years since wrote Il. | had though
that the whole matter was forgotten
, Then at last / heard from this man
Lucas. that IL had passed into h.H hands
and that he would lay IL before my huS
band. ! implorcd his mercy. Tie said tina
he would return my letter IL I would brinl
him "a certain document which he dcscrih
ed I'm my husbands despatch-boS. lie ha
some spy In the office who had told hin
, OF It's existence. lie assured me that ~
, harm could come 20 my husband. Pu
yourself in my position. Mr. Holmes
what was I To doy''
Take your husband into your conf
dcncc."
II could not. AIR. Holmes. I could no,
. on the one side seemed certain ruin, o.
, the other. terrible as u seemed TO TAX
, my husbands paper. still Ia matter o
D politics I could not understand the cor
Z sequences. while In n matter OF love an
trust they were only too clear TO m,
Z l dii u. Mr.. Holmes! took an lmprcssio
= OF his key. This man. Lucas. furnishe
{ duplicate. l opened his dcspatch-bo,
. took the paper. and conveyed II TO Godo
phin street /"