Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1907-04-18

CHAPTER xix-tcontInued.,
BY Tom Gallon.


should have been caused any incon-
venience. My friend is not-not re-
sponsible for his actions at times, and
he-he mistook you for some one else"
All this time Ogledon was working
round the Inspector and watching
him narrowly. The inspector, for his
part respecting the size and apparent
strength of the other, began to move
away, but flung back taunt or two as
he went
You shall hear from me again, sir!"
cried the little man, savagely. "You
and your decanters! You may like to
know that got my prisoner, after all.
To the deuce with your prisoner"
cried Ogledon, without looking round.
The little man stopped, although at a
safe distance, and even came back
pace or two.
"Oho!" he cried, with a vicious
laugh, II thought he was friend of
yours. suppose you don't own him
now--eh?"
Il certainly own no interest in any
prisoners said the other, glancing
round at Tokely for moment, and
then turning away again
"Indeed!" exclaimed the inspector,
more loudly even than before. "Yet
: you don't mind living in his house,
and knocking people about with his de-
canters!"
what on earth are you talking
about?" asked Ogledon, with new
and sudden interest.
The inspector came a little nearer.
"About your friend-Mr. Dandy Cha
teri" With this last shot he turned,
and began to walk away down the hill.
Philip, looking out cautiously, saw
the man who had been addressed as
Ogledon start, as if blow had been
struck him; hesitate a moment, with
q face that was CHASTITY; and then start
off at run after Tokely. The in
spector, who was totally unprepared
for pursuit, was overtaken in a few
strides, seized, swung round, and con-
fronted with the startled face of the
other man.
"Stop, stop, and listen to mel" cried
Ogledon, wildly. What of this-this
man-this prisoner-this" = he ap-
peared to have some difficulty in get
ting out the name from his throat, as
though it stuck there little-"thls
Dandy Chater?"
"Ah, that stirs you up a bit, does it?'
said Tokely, grinning. Let me tell
you, then, that your friend, Mr.. Dandy
Chatter, lies at this moment in Chelms-
ford Goal, awaiting his trial for MUIR
der-ah, that makes your face turn
white. eh?-murder committed in this
very village
Ogledon had dropped his hands
from the others shoulders, and was
staring at him with an expression OF
stupid wonderment, incredullty. and
deadly fear. After moment or two
he said, in a sort of whisper: Then
/ did read of 1t; I haven't merely seen
the name in every paper I've picked
up-iust in the same fashion as | have
seen it on the lips of every man
met: heard it in every wind that blew;
seen it spelled in the stars on every
night-sky?" He broke off suddenly
and looked at the other man, as II only
inst aware at that moment of his pres
ence: looked at him silently for a
space, and then burst into peal OF
the most frightful laughter imaginable
"There's nothing like being merry,
when you've got chance said the IN
spector savagely.
Merry" cried the other, with an
other shout of laughter. YOU'D make
the dead rise from their graves to
laugh at such a jest as this! Merry!
And SO you've got Dandy Chatter SAFE
in Chelmsford Goal-have you? wen
keep him safe; lock and bolt ana par
him in-and stop up every chlnk ana
kevhole--or, by heaven! Dandy Cha
ter may give you the slip, my man!
Dandy Chatter in Chelmford Coal!
He burst into another frightful roar
of laughter and turned away; While the
inspector, after looking at him oddly
for a few moments, continued his way
down the hill toward the road. Ogie-
don stopped in the same spot as pc
fore, near where Philip still lay, and
sat down on the bank, above the very
ditch in which the fugitive crouched,
but with his back toward him.
"Merciful heavens! what does this
mean?" He spoke aloud, quite uncon-
sciously, in the strong emotion which
was upon him. us this some fiendlsh
trick to brighten AID trouble me? Or
has something come back to earth to
take UP again it's old way and mock
me?" He stretched out one clenched
hand and looked at it. with THIS
hand / struck him down: my eyes saw
him living dead other eyes have seen
him-food for worms-taken from the
river. Yet this thing starts UP agalb
full of life, the very next day; haunts
the places where he was known; ap-
pears even to me; stands out as Nv
ing fact to all men, and is even printed
about, in black and white, before my
ewes. Am I going mad; is this some
distortion of the brain? Do l dream I'M
that every one talks Of him, even II! IN q
chance meeting like this few min
utes since-or what is it,"
After a time he got up and spoke