Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-01-25
A STORY OF MANHATTAN.

| have seen few women more regal,
more magnfiCeHt, yet there was about
her-in her face, i'm the droop OF her
ngure-such an air OF utter misery, or
exquisite suffering, that, after the first
moment one forgot 10 admire her in
the desire TO be OF service.
You wished TO see me-? she asked,
in a low voice
Yes Miss Croydon replied Godfrey
more gently perhaps than he had IN
tended 10 speak. This is Mr.. Lester
ne added. who has been engaged TO
defend Mr. Drysdale"
She acknowledged the Introduction
with the faintest OF bows.
Il hope Mr. Lester will be successful,
she said, in the coldest OF tones. one
would have thought her mere chance
acquaintance OF my client.
| saw Godfrey looking at her with
searching eyes, and his face hardened.
We mean to be successful he said
curtly You may as well ask us to
sit down. Miss Croydon. because our
business here VIII take some time and
am sure II will tire YOU to stand.
She raised her eyebrows with 1T
lie gesture OF astonished disdain.
Really she began then her eyes
met his, burning with meaning. 'Oh,
very We'll she said family, and sank
into the chair nearest her.
| felt my cheeks flush with iudigna-
tion at Godfrey's manner; surely this
woman had enough TO bear already
| opened my lips TO protest, but he
silenced me with glance.
Nov Miss Croydon he continued.
I'm the same coldly imperative tone,
Il intend TO speak To YOU bluntly and
directly We have beaten about the
bush too long alreadv. / see that you
are not inclined to deal frankly with
us-you have not been frank with as
from the first--you have sought TO
blind us to throw us off the track.
Therefore I shall tell you what We al
ready know. iu order that you may
realize how useless Il is for you to try
10 hold us off. We're going to see that
the guilty man is punished, not for this
crime alone, but also for that other
one at the Marathon. of which YOU
were the only witness You shall not
be permitted To keep him from justice
a day longer
She raised her head and looked at
him, her face white as marble and as
immoble; but she did not speak. She
grew livid and more livid as he con-
tinued, watching htm with starting
eyes. and at one moment / thought
she would collapse but / did not know
her strength OF Will
In the first place" went on God
frey evenly, never removing his eyes
from hers. we know that this man
Trematne inveigled your sister into
schoolgirl elopement and marriage:
she was rescued from him: she thought
him dead, she married DelrOy. came to
New YORK; Tremaine followed her and
attempted the eXtoItiou OF blaCkmail:
YOU met him at the Marathon: while
you were talking Thompson interfered
and Tremalne killed him, escaping be-
fore the officers arrived. You did not
Know Thompson. but you saw Sim
monds and me take out his pocketbook.
you heard me read a line or two from
one or a packet Of clippings we found
there, and while We were i'm the bed
room. you took those clippings from the
body and hid them under the edge OF
the carpet
She breathed long sigh and sat
erect again.
"Ah, she said with a little smile.
l was beginning to fear you. all that
seemed so supernatural But now I
see where your Information came
1t is correct. them" asked Godfrey,
q CLEAN of triumph flashing across his
face.
She glanced at him in surprise.
On, ! understand; II was merely
theori2ing Wen, it was very cleverly
done, Mr.. Godfrey"
And II is correct?" he persisted
She hesitated yet moment. but there
was no denying the Importantly OF his
gaze.
Yes, she answered. yes"
Godfrey leaned back i'm his chair
with long sign OF relief He had won
the battle.
MISS Croydon he said I'm going
! 10 reward YOU for your frankness by
! telling you something which / had in
| tended 10 keep secret a while longer
| just to punish you. Your sister never
| was the wife OF Tremaine and has
| nothing whatever TO fear from him; he
| has no hold on her at all She has
never been anybody's wife but Mr.. Del
! roy's."
| She was staring at him with widely
| opened eyes, her hands cIasped above
her heart.
"Oh, IL it were really So" she cried
! IF it were really So"
1T is So" repeated Godfrey. and took
| a little yellow envelope from his pocket
! Read this. and he unfolded a sheet
of paper and held il toward her.
She took it with trembling hand and
read the message written upon IL: but
seemingly without understanding IT.
It's a cable" he explained, from the
! Records correspondent at Dieppe. Youl
| pardon, Lester" he added with a fleet.
ing smile; II forgot to show II tc
you on the trip out. Please read II
aloud, Miss Croydon
"'The widow OF Victor Charente. y,
she read in a low voice. died here
| February y, 1901. Had never married
again. She looked up, her brows still
knitted. Weir" she asked.
Well" said Godfrey, Victor Char.
ente is the real name of Tremaine II,
married that girl many years befor,
he met your sister She was his ega
wife. Your sister never was. She wa,
never the legal wife OF anyone except
Richard Deiroy.
She understood now, and the glat
tears burst forth understandable. In
deed she made no effort to restrain
| them, but only rocked back and forth
! pressing the message against her heart
Thank God" she sobbed. Thanh
God!' and then she started UP from he
! chair. II must tell her" she said "a
once Ir YOU knew how she has suf
fered' She must not be left i'm tina
cruel position an instant longer"
Very we'll agreed Godfrey. wv
viii wait for you here
She disappeared through a door a
the farther end of the room but In
moment came softly back again.
She Is asleep she said. Il will wal
until she wakes. What "A joyful awak
ing 1t will be-" and she sat down again
She wiped away the tears. but her eye
were still shining. Godfrey gazed a
liNi viii Il lst0t lull OF tlIiOtlOn.
Now, Miss Croydon" he began
you've told me that my theory's cor
rect, but there are three or four point
! should like YOU to help me clear uI
II you Will.
II shall be glad to If can" she an
swered, and smiled at him, her eye
brimming again. You've lifted sue
load from me. Mr.. Godfrey. that l.,
do almost anything 10 show my graft
tude."
Why, looking at her, did his fac
change-soften, harden? Why did hi
hands tremble so" IL was over I'm al
instant; yet | had caught gimps
OF his secret, / understood
1T was nothing" he said: II wa
glad TO do it-I was deeply please
when that message came this morn
ing"
You've been kinder 10 me than de
served she said; and ! more than hal
agreed with her. How. with his eye
before her. could she fail to under
SIgnHp paThanG q Ai1 a M