Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1907-05-25
CHAPTER XVII.


y
Frances Holiday WAS not really the
daughter of the dead millionaire, The
thought compelled a complete readtust-
ment OF my point of view OF course,
she was legally his daughter. equally
OF course. mis- new development could
make no difference IN NY CompaulOu's
feeling for her Nothing then was
really changed. She must 20 back
witl US; she must take up the old Ike
Eut l had no time to reason & All
out
We had reached the beach again, and
We turned along al IN tne direction Of
the cliffs Ear ahead. ! saw a man
hUrrying i'm the same directioD-I could
guess at what agony and danger To
himself The path began TO ascend
and we painted up it to The grassy
down, which seemed to strctch for
miles and miles to The uOrtnward
Right before us was a little wood. ia
the midst OF which ! caught a glimpse
OF farmhouse
We ran toward IT, through gate
and up the path 10 the doo.. II was
closed, but We heard from withta a
mans excited yotce-a resonant voice
which | knew WoN ] utsd the door;
it yielded and we stepped into The hau
The voice came from the room at the
right. II was no time fo- hesitation
we spTanE TO the door ana entered.
NAL uGHy was stahdlh6 lll NNe nludl"
OF the floor, fairly foamiug at the
mouth, shIle"h& Out commands ana
lHprecauons at two women who cow
cred i'm the farther corner. The elder
one | knew al glalcC-the s. younger
my heart learcd as l looked at her-
wa" IL MISS H"Ii"aay? NO. yet strange
~ .lf'.
le a2" their startled eyes turn past
hlm 10 us. and #WuA" Sharply round
Af sHFF q frH lt .sf
serpent ABOUT 70 strike, then ] saw hS
eyes fix ia a fr'ehtful stare his face
turn hEld, and with a Strarg ed cry he
ielI back ana down Together we lifted
him to iac low window seat, puTsu rs
ana pursued allke looseHed mis- collar.
thaIei ms names, hatned his temp ea
ana everything we could thiak Of dc-
ms bUt ne lay there staring at the c, IL
ing Win C-e0tned teeth. Al aHi, Royce
bent and laId his car &gains; his breast
Iheh nc a'o.e ana turned gently 70 ,he
woman.
II is no use, ne said 'lte iS dead.
!ooSed 10 see ihom W,ne' under The
hloW, but tacN ola not The younger
woman went slowly 20 the window and
stood there sobuin2 quietly he others
face lt up with a positive blaze Of joy
80 Sne exclaimed, ln taat low VIE
braht voice / 50 well remembered, $50
ne Is dead. Ihai trSachcroG&, cruel
heart mas burst a. last
Royce Ga@ed az her a moment tn @S-
tonishmcut. she looked no. at him
Dut ~ ihe dead man on lhc window
seat her A3nAS cl2SpiHE aud Cnc.asp-
IN
Madame AliE, hc said at last, you
Know our errana-"e must carry il
OUT
Sne bowed her mead.
know IL, monsieur she answered.
But for him there would have been
no such erTanG' As ii Is, I VIII hep
you an can Ceciie, she called TO
the woman al The window. go and
bring your sister TO these gentlemen"
Inc younger Wcm9n dried hcr eyes
ahd left the room. we waited iu tense
silence, our eyes on the ooor. we heard
the sound Of footsteps ON the stair
moment, ana she was on the threshold.
she came IN slowly, hstessiy-it gave
me shock TO see the paiior OF her face.
Ihen she glanced up and sa" Royce
standing there; she drew IN her breath
with a quick sp. great wave Cf
coior swept over her checks and brow,
great llghl spr3ng into ner eyes.
ON, john! she cried, and SWaged
toward him.
lie had leT in his arms, against hts
heart. and the glad tears sprang to my
eyes as ! looked al them. ! glanced AT
the elder woman, and saw that her eyes
were shining and her lips quivering.
'AnG | have come TO take you away,
my love. he was saying.
oh, yes take me away" she
sobbed, before the other comes"
she stopped, her eyes on the window
seat where the other" Law. and the
rolor died out OF her cheeks again
He, az least, has paid the penalty"
said Royce. 'S1e can trouble you no
more. MY love"
she was sobbing hclplessly upcl his
shoulder, but as the moments passes
upright from him. The younger wom-
an had come back into the room. and
was watching her CUriousiy, with no
trace of emotion
Come let US go" said the girl I'VE
must take the first boat home"
But Royce held back.
Then there has been a crime com
mitted." he said slowly. we must
sec that it is punished"
"A crime? Oh, yes, but l forgive
them, dear"
The crime against yourself you may
forgive: bat there was another crime
-murder--
There was no murder burst in
Cecile AliX Il swear il TO you mon
sjeur. DO you understand There was
10 murder"
| saw Miss Holiday vince at the
cther's voice, and Royce saw ii, too.
- must get her TO the inn." he said.
This is more than she can bear
fear she viii break down utterly
DO you stay and get the story Lester 4
Then wen decide what ii is best to
do
He led her away. out OF tho house,
and down the path. not once looking
back | wachCd them till the trees hid
them and then turned 70 the women.
Now" / said, Il shall be happy to
hCST the story"
1t was that nan vcnatr who was
.he cause &c 4 all' said tho mother.
ciasping her hands tightly in her lap
to keep them still. -Four years ago
he car from Paris here to spend the
summeT--hc was vCr' ill-his heart. /
We had been living happily, my
daughter and l. but for the Cne auSis;--