The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-10-03

and threw them back, uttering / know
not h nonsense. You can imagine
how abashed / was when Mrs. Delroy
wheeled around upon me with a face
so white and distorted that / scarcely
knew her.
"'oh, / beg your pardon I cried,
seeing how ! had startled her.
For a she didn't seem to
know me. s..
What is it?' she asked In a hoarse
whisper. What has ~happened?'
my dear Mrs. Delroy, o really
must pardon me- / repeated. I'm
awfully sorry I frightened you. I took
you for o sister
She stared at me a minute longer In
a queer way; then her face frightened
end she smiled and held out her hand.
"'Oh, how do you do Mr.. DrysdaIe?'
h said, but her voice was ever yet
a little tremulous. Yes, you did startle
me. Isn't 1t q fearful night?'
I" Indeed 1t is, i agreed. L had quite
a time getting here
"'You came to see Grace?' she asked.
with a glance over her shoulder down
into the street. (.
Yes / said; she's expecting me.
I've sent up my card. / told my man
Enot to wait I added. thinking 1t was
for that she had looked out of the win
dow. It's too bad a night to keep either
man or beast outdoors. He's to come
back at Ill dare say Grace will put
up with me till them
she hesitated an instant, looking at
me in a way 1 did mo- understand. Just
then the maid came to the door, but
seeing me with Mrs. Delroy, went away
again. -
"'I fear she'll not be able to see you
tonight, Mr.. Drysdale,' she said, at asst
hes not been feeling well since din
ner. She's lying down nov and I
think she's asleep
"'Oh, well, then,' I said, I won't dis
turb her. It's nothing serious, / hope?'
mot at all; merely a little indispo-
sition. Shall I let you out?'
There was something In the last
words--a little too much eagerness,
perhaps-which arrested my attention.
They didn't sound like Mrs. Delroy, for
you know, Godfrey, she's usually the
sweetest, gentlest, most ~hospitable
woman in the world-the very last per-
son who would think of chasing q man
out into a storm. / don't know why 1t
was, but somehow the thought flashed
through my head that she was deceiv-
ing me, hat she wasn't telling the
truth, that she wanted to get rid Of me
I've got a streak Of obstinacy In me
that took fire in a moment.
Isn't there a chance that Miss
Croydon may get better after a while
| m come DOWN. / asked.
Mrs. Delroy shook her head decid-
eddy.
I'm afraid not. It's a nervous
headache, you see. 1t will last all night
probably
rs she subject to nervous head.
achesT / asked, playing for time. I'm
sorry to hear h She doesn't in the
least look IT.
".oh, no. she answered quickly,
she's not at all subject to them: but
occasionally. when she's overworked
herself.
''The sentence trailed off into moth
ingness. I saw that she wasn't thinking
OF VIA she was saying, when she
glanced down into the street again, I
began to get an inkling OF the real
state of affairs. / was a little ashamed
of the part / vas playing, but I deter
mined to brazen IL out. II Miss Croy-
don had one out alone on q night like
this, / had a right to know 1t. Why
should she make a mystery Of It? What
was there in her errand that needed to
be concealed from me?
Mrs. Delroy was looking at me anx-
iously. Finally she took the bull by
the horns. ..
CT really must be going upstairs
she said. You'll excuse me?'
Certainly. Is Mr.. Delroy here?'
mo; he's out OF town today and
she made another movement toward
the door. s .
II didn't see how I was going to hang
on any longer without being absolutely
rude; / gave 1t up In despair. After all,
1 could wait outside he house. Then
suddenly I realized / was acting like
a cad-I had no right to playtthe spy
but there was something back Of 1t all
some mystery-which worried and
puzzled me. But perhaps 1t was only
my fancy-why should Mrs. Delroy de-
ceive me? I was playing the fool-I
had no right to suspect.
'And just then, Godfrey, as I glanced
out of the window, l saw a cab dash up
to the house and a woman get out of
1t. / knew her N the instant, and /
shouldn't care to go through another
such moment Of doubt and suspicion
and agony. For it was worse than I
had thought. She had not used her
sisters carriage-then, at least. she
would have been in the are OF a trust
| ed coachman-she had hired a cab"
YES" said Godfrey dryly. The Del
roy carriage would nave been too con-
spicuous; besides, h wanted to keep
her errand a secret, even from the ser
wants." II" ..
do you
"No matter; go ahead with your
story, then I'll tell you mine"
Drysdale was shaking convulsively,
but he managed to go on.
las / said. i saw a cab drive up and
a woman get out. h ran up the steps,
the door opened, and Miss Croydon
came into the room. Even In the dim
light. L could sc how white her face
was.
"'Grace!' cried Mrs. Delroy, stepping
forward at sight of her. 'Grace!'
Miss Croydon turned to her and held
out her arms.
Eyes, I've seen him, Edith she said,
in a voice that / shall w forget. i
should have taken your advice, / should
not have cone
"rYou shall not go again, dear!'
"'No.' agreed the other. not again!'
There vas something In her tone
hat caught her sisters ear
What is it. Grace?' she demanded
flercely. Tell mel
Its worse than either Of us thought
he's dead, Edith"
Drysdale paused a moment. HIS voice
was shaking so that he could ESt go
Pm. He wiped his forehead mechanic
ally, with trembling hand.
Godfrey" he said at last. II tell
you my own heart stood still at those
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