Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-07-24

which she had used me to persuade
Master BERTHE to take the Vessel In
stead Of the Santon road. No doubt she
had told Clarence to follow I'm that d.
r~ection, II by n chance we escaped
him IN the island. And her despair
when she heard In the church porch
that I had Killed Clarence at the fordi
And her utter abandonment to fear
poor guilty thing-when she thought
that all her devices had only led her
WITH us to a dreadful death. These
things. in the light I'm which ! now
viewed them, were cogent evidences
against her.
1T must have beer written to some
one about us!' said the duchess at
length. i some In our conf
dence. on our side OF the door, as he
calls it,"
Yes; that is certain I said.
And on the wrapper he styles her
Mistress Clarence. Now. who
who could 1t have been? That Is
the question we have TO answer" Mas
ter BERTHE replied dryly. Hearing his
voice, / knew he had come at last TO
the same conclusion to which I had
jumped. II think you may dismiss the
servants from the inquiry he con-
tinued. THE bishop Of winchester
would scarcely write to them in that
style"
Dismiss the servants? Then who is
left?" she protested.
II think He lost courage hesitate
and broke off. She looked at him won
deringly. He turned to me, and gaining
confirmation from my nod began agate
Il think | should ask A. B he
said.
A b" she cried, still not
seeing one whit.
Yes; Anna Brandon he answered
sternly.
She repeated his words softly and
stood a moment gazing at him. In that
moment she saw II all. She sat down
suddenly on the chair beside her and
shuddered violently, as If she had laid
her hand unwittingly upon a snake.
oh. Richard" she whispered, ut is too
horriblei'
II fear it is too true" he answered
gloomily.
I shrank from looking at them, from
meeting her eyes or his. l felt as if
his shame had come upon us all. The
thought that the culprit might walk
into the room at any moment filed me
with terror. l turned away and looked
through the window, leaving the hus-
band and wife together.
is II only the name you are think
ing Off" she muttered.
NO" he answered. Before I left
England to go to Calais I saw some
thing pass between them-between her
and Clarence-which surprised me.
Only in the confusion of those last
days 1t slipped from my memory for
the time.
II See she said quietly. "The VIII
laini"
Looking back upon the events of the
last week, I found many things made
plain by the lurid light now cast upon
them. | understood how Master Lind
strom's vase had come to be broken
when we were discussing the letter,
which. In my hands, must have been a
perpetual terror to the girl. I discerned
that she had purposely sown dissen-
sion between myself and Van Tree and
recalled how she had striven to per-
suade us not to leave the island; then
how she had induced us to take that
uniucky road, finally how on the road
her horse had Jagged and Jagged be-
hind. OBTAINING us all when every min
ute was precious. The things all dove
tailed INTO one another. Each by itself
was weak, but together they formed a
strong s~caffoid-a scaffold strong
enough for the hanging OF a man. IL
n had been a man. The others ap-
FE1tiCb u iilC, the uuCnGSS IeVeT1ghly
anxious TO be assured one way or the
other. The very suspicion OF the exist
ence of such treachery at her side
seemed 10 stifie her. Still looking out
or the window. ! detailed the proofs T
have mentioned, not gladly. heaven
knows, or In any spirit of revenge but
my duty was rather to my companions.
who had been true to me. than to her.
! told them the truth as far as I knew
II The vyhnfa pxy~atobaI x~E-o.-l4m
truth was only to become known to me
later.
II Will go TO her." the duchess said
presently, rising from her seat.
MY dear!" her husband cried, He
stretched out his hand. and grasping
her skirt detained her. You will not
DO not be afraid" she replied sadly
rs she stopped over him and kissed his
forehead. 1T is a thing past scoiding.
Richard. past love, and even hope. and
all but past pity. / will be merciful
MS we hope for mercy, but she can
never be a friend OF ours again. and
sone n must tell her. / will do so
ana return. AS for that man." she
continued, ~obscuring suddenly the fair
n noble sides OF her character which
she had Just exhibited, and which. +
confess. had surprised me, for / had not
thought her capable OF a generositv so
uncommon. LAS for that man" She
repeated. drawing herself to her full
height, while her eyes sparkled and
her cheeks grew red. "who has
turned her into a vile chemer and
a shameless ~hyprocite, as he would
fain have turned better women 7
will show him no mercy nor grace if 7
ever have him under my feet. | will.
crush him as / would an adder. though
| be crushed next myself"
(continued Next Week.)