The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1907-01-04

ing the light cane he carried right ana
left. The friend nodded to signify un-
derstanding.
"Yes," he said, IT notice, and that Is
why came for you, old mana bee
line. Here, take my arm. and I'll tell
you. I'd as soon go your way as an
other. There's some blank idiot has
set abroad report that a day or two
before the old mans disappearance he
gave instructions to his lawyer to cut
you out of his will"
"Yes?" Aloysius was very stern
and quiet.
Well, that's all there is to It," said
the other. "The servants story to the
police was clear enough, one would
have thought, for anybody. He didn't
send the news to Paris for two clear
days, and you turned up in London
! two days later. But you know the
world, old chap. It's jolly sight more
eager for offal than it is for whole
some food"
That's the fact" his companion an
swered. That's what they fancy.
anu lACy oiO PlS IoCly uOItS anu
asses" Aloysius did not answer, but
he raised his head and looked around
him, proud aud defiant. Don't let
'em worry you. You're safe among
your friends. Let's turn into the club.
You'll find a crowd of 'em there, who
are indignant at the stupidity and
malice of the whole thing Come
along"
Aloysius surrendered without .
word. and suffered his companion to
lead him where he would. He had at
that moment his uncle's letter in his
pocket, and he could have cleared him.
self of this base suspicion in an In
slant. But why, he asked, should he
stoop to clear himself Of SO groundless
charge? He could do so only at the
cost OF his cousins reputation. Alexis
had already fallen from honor, and had
fallen heavily. Alexis had confessedly
been in London at the time of the dis
appearance, had been the last man to
see him alive, had himself been threat
ened with disinheri,ance. To produce
the lost mans letter would be to direct
against Alexis suspicion thousand.
fold more tangible and terrible than
any which could be levelled at him.
SELF No! Let the ours yelp. He
could endure, until the infamous pack
ceased to give tongue. He had had
his own fears about Alexis, and this
was not the time, when he had out
lived them, to throw them broadcast
to that foul-tongued. foul-hearted
world.
At the club things were better than
they had been. A score of old com.
panions sprang to greet him, and all
were warm and hearty-warmer and
heartier than common, for he had new.
er been popular as his cousin was,
and was lacking IN that art OF pleas.
ing Alexis had in such pronounced
degree. But there were some VINO
held aloof, and there were others who
hurried from the smoke room at MS
advent with the most transparent pre-
tensions of have no having seen him.
The patience to which he had schooled
himself in the nine long years which
had elapsed between the time when
these things happened and the hour at
which he sat in pensive review OF
them with all his proofs OF innocence
before him had been plant OF slow.
est growth. Then, when the poisoned
sting of slander first pierced his heart,
1t ranked, and, calmly as he bore him.
self on the outside, he suffered inward
agonies. He bore them In his pride
and loyalty, and no man read a sign
in him, or dreamed that he had any
other feeling than one Of contempt at
most.
There was one other memory to be
lived through that day. That one that
stune the fiercest-the one which sent
him out to roam the world a desolate'
hearted man possessed with one great
fear which was to abide with him so
long as the dark secret stood un'
solved.
ITO BE Continued.)