The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1907-01-17
CHAPTER xIy.-(Continued.)


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 well. l am sure
of it. Something must be wrong. What
were you doing when you were out of the
room so long tonight
"Yes, Grace, something is wrong. 1t
seems" he added, with a CHASTITY face,
'as If i should almost die in telling you
OF it. Oh, my wife, how shall / tell you
that / have been an embarrassed man
for years, and that now the blow has fall
en-"
What is the blowT
II am arrested. 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 dean, so enshrined
In divinity and dignity, could never be
made an inmate of a prison. The first
emotion passed, they sat down close to-
gether on the sofa, and Grace poured
forth question upon question.
'Ryle" she suddenly exclaimed, "you
had an advance from the bankers a day
or two ago. / saw you draw check for
two hundred ard twenty pounds-don't
you remember? / came in as you were
writing it. Is that all gomez"
1T was the last check they cashed-
the last they would cash. The money was
not for myself"
"For whom, then?'
"Well, | had to give that check to Cy-
ras to get rid of little trouble. It was
not much, Grace; as drop of water to
the ocean"
Whether as a drop, or a bucket, it
seemed to freeze Lady Grace. "Cyras ~
she CALCULATED, scornfully. "What right
have you to help him when you cannot
afford to do it? shall tell Cyras what
think of his despicable conduct"
Don't do that, Grace. The trouble
was not Cyras'. He has not had shilling
from me. He got the check to extricate
another"
Another echoed Lady Grace, look
ing at him. ut was not-Oh, Ryle! it
surely was not Charles?"
"Yes, it was" said the dean, in 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
was drawn into it by others. / had the
incest possible letter from him this morn
ing; he says 1t will be life's lesson to
him. l believe it will. There-let us
leave Charles affairs for mine. Grace,
this blow will kill me-"
IF you went TO prison it would be
quite enough to kill you; but that cannot
be thought Of AS 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 soing?" he ex-
claimed.
ITO my brother. A cab will take me
there in safety. He must manage this.
Now, don't attempt to stop pe, Ryle
what harm could come TO? If you are
afraid it might do so, come with me-"
II wish / could. am a prisoner"
"a prisoner 70 she CALCULATED. Here,
In your own house,"
Il may not quit it, except To exchange
1t for prison. But, my Gear, listen to
reason. You are not likely tn hnd your
brother at this hour of the night perhaps
he is not even back from the rlces."
II shall 80 and find him now" she
persisted. "Ryle, how much are you ar
rested for?"
''The sum that / am arrested for is
about four hundred pounds. But now
that this crisis has come, shall not es-
cape without making arrangements to pay
ell 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. III
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 a message, which the porter took in
and delivered.
"Why, Grace, what's up now?" cried
Lord Avon, as he approached the cab.
as Berkeley Square on fire? Or is
Baumgarten made primate of all Eng
landT"
Come inside, Henry, for minute; I
want to speak to you. The deans arrest
ed for five thousand pounds"
Where's he taken tor"
"He is at home. They have gone out of
their usual way" she said, and allowed
him to be at home tonight; man is
there, and will take him away in the
morninp Henry II must not ha. ro,,