The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1907-04-11
CHAPTER NH.

the name of dinner, il was nothing more
than one of those mixed meals known as
high tea.
After dinner Madame sat and talked
with Marchurst, but Kitty went outside
into the warm darkness of the summer
night, and tried to pierce the gloom to
see if her lover was coming. She was
rewarded, for NJ. vandeloup came up
about half-past eight o'clock, having met
Pierre as arranged. Pierre had found
out villers in his hiding place, and was
watching him while Villiers watched the
house. Being, therefore, quite easy in
his mind that things were going smoothly,
Vandeloup came up to the porch where
Kitty was eagerly waiting for him, and
taking her In his arms, kissed her tender
ly. Then, after assuring himself that
Madame was safe with Marchurst, he put
his arm round Kitty's waist, and they
walked up and down the path with the
warm wind blowing in their faces, and the
perfume of the waffle blossoms permeat-
ing the drowsy air.
Suddenly they heard the noise OF .
chair being pushed back inside the house,
and knew that Madame was getting ready
to go. They moved simultaneously to-
ward the door, but in the porch CASTOR
paused for a moment, and caught Kitty
by the arm.
"Bebe," he whispered softly, when
Madame is gone am going down the hill
to Ballarat, 80 you will walk with me
little way, will you not"
OF course, Kitty was only too delight
ed at being asked to do so, and readily
consented, then ran quickly into the
house, followed by Vandeloup.
"You here7" cried Madame in surprise,
pausing for a moment in the act of put
ting on her bonnet. "Why are you not
at the theater?"
II am going, Madame" replied Gas
ton, calmly, ''but thought / would come
up in order to assist you to put the mug
get in the trap"
"Oh, Mr.. Marchurst would have done
that" said Madame, much gratified at
Vandeloups attention. I'm sorry you
should miss your evenings pleasure for
that
"Ah, Madame, I do but exchange q
lesser pleasure for a greater one," said
the gallant Frenchman, with pleasant
smile; ''but are you sure you will not
want me to drive you homer
mot at ALL" said Madame, as they all
went outside 81 am quite SAFE
"Stiil, with this" said Mr.. Marchurst,
bringing up the rear, with the nugget
now safely placed in its wooden box, you
might be robbed"
Not T." replied Mrs. Villiers brightly,
as the horse and trap were brought round
to the gate by Brown. mo one knows
I've got it In the trap, and, besides, no
one can catch up with Rory when he
once starts"
Marchurst put the nugget under tho
seat of the trap, but Madame was afraid
it might slip out by some chance, so she
put the box containing it in front, and
then her feet on the box, so that it was
absolutely impossible that it could get lost
without her knowing. Then saying good
By to every one, and telling Nj. Vandeloup
to be out at the Pactolus before noon the
next day, she gathered up the reins and
drove slowly down the hill much to the
delight of Mr.. Villiers, who was getting
tired of waiting. Kitty and VandelouD
strolled off in the moonlight, while Mar
churst went back to the house.
Viliers arose from his hiding place, and
looked up savagely at the serene moon,
which was giving far too much light for
his scheme to succeed. Fortunately, how
ever, he saw a great black cloud rapidly
advancing which threatened to hide the
moon; so he set off down the hill at a
run in order to catch his wife at part
of the road some distance down, where
she would be compelled to go slowly, and
thus give him a chance to spring on the
trap and take her by surprise. But quick
as he was, Pierre was quicker, and both
Vandeloup and Kitty could see the two
black figures running rapidly along in the
moonlight.
"Who are those?" asked Kitty, with
a sudden start. 'Are they going after
MadameT
Little goose" whispered her lover,
with laugh, "if they are they will never
catch up to that horse. It's all right,
Bebe," with reassuring smile, seeing
that Kitty still looked somewhat alarmed.
"they are only some miners out on q
frolic."
Thus pacifed, Kitty laughed gaily, and
they wandered along in the moonlight,
talking all the fond and foolish nonsens
they could think OF.
Meanwhile the great black cloud had
completely hidden the moon, and the
whole landscape was quite dark. This an
noyed Madame, as, depending on the
moonlight, the lamps of the tra,' were not
lighted, and she could not see in the
darkness now to drive down very awk.
ward bit of road that she was now on.
1t was very steep, and there was q
high bank on one side, while on the other
there was a fall of about ten feet. She
felt annoyed at the darkness, but on look.
ing up saw that the cloud would soon
pass, so drove on slowly quite content.
Unluckily she did not see the figure on
the high bank which ran along stealthily
beside her, and while turning a corner,
Mr.. villiers-for it was he-dropped sud.
tho In 70 thn n