Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1907-03-01
CHAPTER XIv.-(Continued.) }

Ihe guests departed at the sober hour
d" OF IL, and Lady Grace Immediately pre-
pared to go to her dressing room. The
dean had been making up his mind to tell
her all.
Grace, don't go up just yet. Good
night, Gertrude; run on, my dear" he
said.
"Ryle !" uttered Lady Grace, as the door
closed; you are not we'll. l am sure
o OF it. Something must be wrong. What
were you doing when you were out of the
room so long to-nightT
Yes Grace, something is wrong 1t
seems" he added, with a CHASTITY face,
as if should almost die in telling you
o OF it. Oh, my wife, how shall 1 tell you
that l have been an embarrassed man
for years, and that now the blow has fall
en-"
What is the blow"
Il am arrested. l must go to prison
tomorrow morning"
SO little was Lady Grace familiar with
arrests" and prisons" that she could
not at once comprehend him; and when
she did so, the popular belief seemed to
be in her mind that a dean, so enshrned
In divinity and dignity, could never be
made an inmate of prison. The first
emotion passed, they sat down close to-
gether on the sofa, and Grace poured
forth question upon question.
Kyle ~ she suddenly exclaimed, you
had an advance from the bankers a day
or two ago. l saw you draw check for
two hundred and twenty pounds-don't
you remember? l came in as you were
writing it. Is that all gone"
1t was the last check they cashed-
the last they would cash. The money was
not for myself"
For whom, them"
well, l had to give that check to Cy-
ras to get rid of little trouble. 1t was
not much, Grace; as a drop of water to
the ocean,"
Whether as drop, or a bucket, 1t
seemed to freeze Lady Grace. "Cyras !"
she calculated, scornfully. What right
have you to help him when you cannot
afford to do it? l shall tell Cyras what
think of his despicabe conduct"
Don't do that, Grace. The trouble
was not Cyras'. He has not had a shilling
from me. He got the check to extricate
another"
Another" echoed Lady Grace, look
Ing at him. 1T was not-Oh, Ryle it
surely was not Charles?"
Yes, 1t was," said the dean, in a low.
sad tone. HE got into debt, and Cyras
took my check to Oxford to release him.
No one can be more repentant than
Charles is; l do not think it will ever
happen again. 1t was not his fault: he
int ;t h.,
incest possible letter from him this morn
ing; he says it will be life's lesson to
him. / believe it will. There-let us
leave Charles affairs for mine. Grace,
this blow will kill me-"
"1f you went to prison it would be
quite enough to kill you; but that cannot
be thought of. AS a last resource, money,
/ say, must be raised on my property"
My dear, thought you knew better
than that. 1t is yours for life only and
then it descends to your children. The
lord chancellor himself could not raise a
shilling on it."
Lady Grace started up.
why, where are you going?" he ex-
claimed.
ITO my brother. A cab will take me
there in safety. He must manage this.
Now, don't attempt to stop me, Ryle;
what harm could come to? If you are
afraid it might do so, come with me-"
Il wish l could. am a prisoner"
"A prisoner !" she calculated. Here,
In your own house?"
Il may not quit it, except to exchange
1t for a prison. But, my dear, listen to
reason. You are not likely to find your
brother at this hour of the night perhaps
he is not even back from the races"
II shall go and find him now," she
persisted. "Ryle, how much are you ar
rested for?"
"The sum that I am arrested for Is
about four hundred pounds. But now
that this crisis has come, shall not es-
cape without making arrangements to pay
all owe" added the dean.
"And how much is it in the whole"
"Close upon five thousand pounds"
Grace looked upon him he was sit
ting back in the large chair, as it seemed
to her, gasping for breath. She saw how
much the confession had shaken him.
Running across the room, she kissed him
fondly.
Don't distress yourself, my husband.
Henry will see that all comes right. I'll
make him do so"
So Lady Grace went alone to the earl's
residence in Piccadilly. He was not at
home. His valet thought he might be at
the club. Away to the club went Lady
Grace. The earl was there. Lady Grace
sent message, which the porter took in
and delivered.
"Why, Grace, what's up now?" cried
Lord Avon, as he approached the cab.
SIS Berkeley Square on fire? Or is
Baumgarten made primate of all Eng
landW
"Come inside, Henry, for a minute;
want to speak to you. The deans arrest
ed for five thousand pounds"
NIAhara,r ha talrnn taW