Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-01-03

tnat would lmpllCate Tremalne. AL
my door / paused a moment; then /
crossed the hall and knocked at Ire
maine's door. Perhaps Cecily had for
given me, and in an evenings talk l
ought surely to be able TO find out
something more.
But II was not Cecily, 1t was Ire
maine himself who opened TO me.
"Oh. Mr.. Lester" he cried, with hand
outstretched, how are you? / wanted
TO see you've been listening for your
step. You must join us here this even
ing"
II shall be glad to-" l said, returning
his clasp, all my suspicious melting
away, reduced TO ~absurdity, at sight OF
him. But why SO particularly this
evening"
Because we've planned a little cele-
bration. Cecily is going away"
Going away?"
"Yes-back to st. Pierre to get my
house In order-but I'll tell you at din
ner-it's TO be served here In an hour
You will Gomez"
Certainly l WILL / assured him, and
FASTENED over to my o to dress.
He was awaiting me when L knocked
an hour later: a table had been set
with three places.
Come in" he said. Dinner will be
here directly. / thought it safer to have
the celebration here because-well,"
and he nodded significantly toward the
inner room.
"Cecily?" / questioned.
"Yes-she takes it to heart more
than you'd believe. But she'll get over
it in a day or two"
when does she leave?"
I'm the morning early, by the fruit
boat, And, by the way, l want you TO
go down with me to see her off. She'll
appreciate It,"
why, certainly-but isn't 1t rather
sudden"
I'm a way, yes. You see, I've ar
ranged for a committee from New York
TO go down to Martinique and look over
the ground, and / want to take them
~ got to get my house there in order
and engage some servants, for that will
be our headquarters, and If Cecily
doesn't leave by the boat tomorrow, she
can't go for ten days. Ten days from
now I'm going to nave the committee
ready to sail, and when l get them to
Martinique, I'm going to give them a
sample of Creole hospitality. / wish
you could come" he added warmly I'D
like to have you"
There's nothing I'd like better" |
said, suddenly conscious of how | had
]slandered him in my thoughts. But |
fear 1t isn't possible just now
We'll, some day ] shall have you
there, and | warn you l shan't let you
go in a hurry. Come in" he added, In
response 10 a knock at the door
Two walters entered, n in a mo-
ment the dinner was served.
That will do" said Tremaine, press
ing a coin into the hand of each OF
them. We'll attend to ourselves. Send
up in an hour for the dishes. | thought
that wa best" he added. as he closed
the door after them. 1--WE can talk
freely now"
He stopped TO the inner door.
"Cecily!" he called.
She appeared in a moment, with eye
lids a little puffed and red, but on the
whole in much better spirits than | had
expected. She was arrayed in all her
finery-She had put on every piece Of
ieWelry, | think-and she paused in the
doorway to throw me a courtesy. Ire
maine took her hand and led her to a
seat, with a grace worthy of the Grand
Monarquc.
See the spoiled child!' he said,
laughing across the table at her, a mo-
ment later. Shes been making herself
miserable for nothing. In two weeks,
we shall be together again at Fond
Core
She answered his laugh with a thin
smile, and shot me a glance pregnant
WIN meaning. 1 KNEW 5Ie flledlt ina
her prophecy had come true.
He brimmed her glass with wine.
Drink that" he said, II our meet
ing in two weeks"
ITO our meeting i'm two weeks" she
repeated ironically, and drained the
glass.
But i'm a few moments the mood
passed and she became quite gay. No:
till then did it occur to me that Ire
maine had made no reference to the
tragedy at Edgemere. Their | caught
myself just in time, for l remembered
suddenly that l was not supposed to
know he had been there.
$50 you nave been successful 2" L
asked finally.
Yes, / believe so. I've succeeded in
interesting some capitalists. Richard
Delroy-perhaps you know him."
mo; only by reputation"
He has helped me greatly"
You got through, then, o thar
you eXpectcd?"
yes thought il would take a week
at least. Mr.. Delroy had arranged that
the conference should take place at his
country house near Babylon. We fin
the details yesterday, and" ne
added, after the faintest hesitation. IAN
extremely unfortunate event occurred
there last night which made any furth-
er stay impossible dare say you saw
an account OF it in the evening pa
pers?"
"Oh, yes; that murder and robbery.
Tie evidence seems to point very
strongly toward a young fellow named
Very strongly he agreed. nodding
with just the right degree OF concern,
although I'm hoping that he may be
able to prove himself not guilty. An
amiable young fellow-sonnewhat inn
pulsive and headstrong-but let us not
about it. It's too unpleasant.
This evening we must be gay
There is no need for me 10 detail
we did talk about, since it in
way concerns this story; but l have
never seen Tremaine to better advan-
He vas the nexceptionable gem
tleman, the man OF the world who had
far and tasted many things,
a brilliant n witty talker-a person.
ality in a word. on the whole so fascin-
ating n impressive that long before
evening was over l had dismissed
as ridiculous my vague suspicious of
hour before. The story that God
frey had built up, was, / reflected. wholly
fimsy with the fiimsiness
which always attaches TO circumstan-
tial evidence. | knew how a jury look
ing at Trcmaine, would laugh at il. No
lawyer would risk his reputation with
such a case, no magistrate would allow
1t 10 proceed before him. Why, for all
v - A-H -. A