The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1908-03-26
CHAPTER vI1I.-(continued.,

y
\ ] got TO the palings BY the park, ant
kept them in touch until at length ]
reached the carriage drive gate of Flex
nrore's house. BY this time, what with
one accident and another, it must hay.
been pretty nearly four O'Clock There
were lights in the house. Before the door
stood Lynn Ieames mare, Flexmore's
gardener holding her head. u
| Afternoon SIR" said he in an under.
tone that spoke Of calamity. There was
foreboding silence also, on the part OF
the maid-scrvant as she opened the sit
ting room door. ... +. 4 H a...
Miss Dalrymple was on her knees be-
fore big chair drawn near the fire, In
which little Iaure sat, her face buried
| in her hands. They were not aware of
my presence. | left them, closing the
door behind me in silence.
Where is Mr.. Yeames?' asked of the
maid who waited in the hall.
Upstairs in masters room, sir" she
| replied lugubrioasly.
Yeames was standing by his uncle's bed
| side; he thrust his hands quickly in his
pockets as the door opened and / entered.
No one else was there. l went in silence
to the bed and looked down. Flexmore's
eyes were closed, but his jaw had drop
ped.
You're bit too late with that will" ,"
said Yeames, in tone and with On ex-
preston on his face that implied a good
deal--a tone of subdued jocuarity, a cum
ming leer that bade me understand he
knew why l hadn't come earlier. Why,
what have you been doing!" he asked
with surprise. You're sight to be
SEEN" a~..
How long has he been gomez" l asked,
indifferent TO my appearance.
"Oh, not above a quarter of an hour.
GeI.rude's just gone down. She did all
that was possible to restore vitality. But
IT'S all over this time. He won't come
back any more, as the song says"
Have you sent any one for DIR. Aw-
drey? He ought to be here"
''Of course he ought, but suppose he's
go1 some interesting pauper TO look after.
went for him myself The old boy
was shocking bad when | arrived here
after leaving you. | went over to Aw-
drey at once, but he was out came back,
and by that time nunky was pretty near
the finish"
WAS he in state of consciousness at
that time or mott" ...
well, he was conscious enough to ask
for you, and wonder why you hadn't
turned up
Il occurred to me that Lynn Yeames,
seeing his uncle's precarious condition,
had himself stretched that cord for me
instead of going for DIR. Awdrey, in order
to prevent my arriving in time TO get
Fiexmore's signature to the will.
do you know why did not turn up, |
as you call itT' asked sharply.
Not / but you're not sorry, l sup
pose, that you did not get here in time"
1t was on the tip of my tongue to re-
tort, Not so sorry as YOU may have rea-
son to be, Mr.. Yeames :" but | said moth |
ing, for / wished to see how far this |
young mans faulty would carry him, and |
myself with thinking of the |
bitter punishment in store for him when |
ne should find out how completely he had |
deceived himself Certainly no self-de- |
ception could be more complete than his. |
Assured of my venality, led away by his |
own hopes and over-confdence in the sue
cessful issue of his cunning, he apparent |
" felt as sure of being possessed OF his |
uncle's fortune as though the thousands
were already in his hands.