The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1907-01-17
The Minister'S Wife
By MRS. HENRY WOOD

What with the days racing and the din
ner after 1t, am tired to death fit for
nothing. I'll be in Berkeley Square the
first thing in the morning, and I'll get
Baumgarten out OF the mess If can, for
/ like him. Goodnight"
Lady Grace returned home. She was
entering the drawing room when the but
ler, Moore, came suddenly out of it to
meet her, and closed the door in her face.
His usually forid complexion had turned
yellow, and he spoke N a furry. ''Oh,
my lady--not in there, lease. The dean
is taken i'll, that's the truth. l thought
your ladyship had best not see him."
She waved him aside in her willful
manner. But at that moment Cyras came
out. He had just got back from Oxford,
and it was his arrival which had brought
about the discovery that something was
amiss with the dean.
II am going for doctor, mamma"
said Cyras, and leaped away. Lady Grace
went in, and Moore followed her.
Leaning back in low easy chair,al-
most at full length, his head resting on
the back of it, lay the dean. His face
was white, his mouth was open, but his
eyes were closed, as il in a calm sleep.
Nevertheless, there was that in his face
which struck terror to the heart of his
wife. She touched the faithful old ser
want on the arm and cried aloud.
"Yes, my lady," he whispered, believ-
is DEATH"
Lady Grace knelt down, and clasped
her hands round her husband. In that
moment of distress, what cared she who
was present? She called him by endear-
ing names, she kissed his face, she be-
sought him to speak to her. But there
was no answering response, and convic-
tion told her that there never would be
again.
Never in this world. Cyras came back
with a doctor; curiously enough, it was
Sir William Chant. A small mercy this,
for Sir William was able TO testify to the
cause of death, thereby avoiding an in
quest.
The dean had died from disease of the
heart, brought on by the evenings excite
ment. And the world, next day, was
busy with the news that the Very Rev.
Ryle Baumgarten had been gathered to
his fathers, and that the rich deanery of
Denham, richer in those days than in
these, was in the clerical market.
CHAPTER XIV.
1t was not an ordinary match; it was
something quite out of the common way ;
but Mary Dynevor was girl out of the
common way also. Not, however, as re-
garded beauty; in that respect she could
not compete with her sister, Grace, or
with her brilliant friend Gertrude Baum
garten. She was a ladylike girl, with a
pale, serene face, very much like that of
her sister, Cyrilla, whose love had been
blighted her hair was of rich brown,
her eyes were violet blue; she was quiet
in manner and calm in speech. That was
the best that could be said of her, and
yet it was certain that some unusual
charm did attach itself to Mary Dynevor.
In the past year, when abroad with
Lady Grace Baumgarten, Mary had made
the acquaintance of Evcrard Wilmot, an
attache to one of the Continental en-
bassies, and the son of Sir John Wiimot.
Exceedingly to her own surprise, he had
asked her to become his wife. On the
impulse of the moment she went, letter in
hand--for he had made the offer in writ
ing-to Lady Grace.
What am l to do?" she asked.
"One word, Mary. Do you dislike Mr..
WilmotT'
II like him very much, and l esteem
him greatly"
"And yet you come to me and demure-
ly say, What am l to doT Go away
with you, you shy, foolish girl"
So Mary accepted Mr.. Wilmot. Never
theless, she felt half conscious that IL she
had had the courage to search out the
hidden secrets of her heart 1t might have
told her that her love was given to
Charles Baumgarten.
Some few years had elapsed since the
sudden death Of the Dean of Denham.
1t was terrible shock, that, to his wife
and children. His affairs were arranged
by the help of Lord Avon, Cyras and
Charles both doing also something toward
it. A small sum of money, left to the
boys by a relative, but of which the dean
had enjoyed a life interest, they had at
once sacrificed. Cyras had returned to
New Zealand. He was still In the same
shipping house there, Brice & Jansen's,
and held a good position in It now. He
had not visited England a second time,
but wrote occasionally. Sometimes his
letters would contain pretty-iooking lit
tie check for Charles or for Gertrude.
Charles had done well at Oxford: had
taken honors and gained his fellowship.
He was called to the bar, and lived at
his chambers in Plump Court for econ
omy's sake; now and then staying for
few days with his mother in Berkeley
Square, Lady Grace's residence.
1t was February by the calendar. Judg-
ing by the wind, one might have called it
March for dust whirled in the streets and
windows ratified. But Miss Dynevor's
drawing room in Eaton Place was cheer
full with its fire and wax lights. DR..
Dynevor was rather in the habit of call
ing il my town house" when speaking os