Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1908-05-30

cred, her voice almost hiss, her hot
| breath on my cheek Have you no
sense left that you trust that man?" !.
For a moment l failed to understand
her. What man?" / said. "Oh, Van
| Tree!"
Aye, Van Tree! Who else? viii
you go straight into the trap he has
laid for your She moistened her lips
with her tongue, as though they were
parched. You are all mad! Mad, I
think? Don't you see," she continued,
STOPPING over me again and whispering
hurriedly, her wild eyes close to mine,
that he is jealous of you?"
He was" said uneasily. THAT is
all right now"
He was? He isl" she retorted. He
went away wild with you. He comes
back smiling and holding out his hand.
Do you trust him. Don't you see-dont
you see," she cried, rocking me to and
fro with her hand in her excitement,
that he is fooling you? He is leading
us all into a trap that has been laid
carefully enough. What is this tale of
an English envoy on his way to Ger
many? Rubbish-rubbish, i tell you'll"
But Clarence
Bah! 1t was all your fancy!" she
cried fiercely, her eyes for the moment
fitting to the door, then returning to
my face. How should he find US? Or
what has Clarence to do with an Eng
lish envoy?"
II do not know" said. She had not
in the least persuaded me. In a rare
moment / had seen into Van Trees
soul and trusted him implicitly. please
take care" i added, wincing under her
hand. You hurt mel"
She sprang back with a sudden
change of countenance as If 1 had
struck her and for a moment covered
away from me, her former passion still
hn in
her face. / set down her condition to
terror at the plight we were all in or to
veXation that no one would take her
view. The next moment / went fur
ther. ! thought her mad, when she
turned abruptly from me, and flying to
the door by which Van Tree had en-
tered began with trembling fingers TO
release the pin which confined the bar.
Stop! Stop! You will ruin ALL" l
cried in horror. They can see that
door from the river, and If they see
the light they will know we are up and
have taken the alarm, and they may
make a dash to secure us. Stop, Anne!
Stop" / cried. But the girl was deaf.
She tugged desperately at the pin and
had already loosened the bar when /
caught her by the arms, and pushing
her away set my my back against the
door. Don't be foolish!" l said gent
ly. You have lost your head. You
must lei US men settle tneSe things,
Anne"
She was indeed beside herself, for she
faced me during a second or two as
though she would spring upon me and
tear me from the door. Her hands
worked; her eyes cleaned; her strong
white teeth showed themselves. l
shuddered. l had never pictured her
looking like that. Then, as steps
sounded on the stairs and cheerful
voices-Cheerful they seemed to me as
they broke in on that strange scene
drew nearer, she turned, and walking
deliberately to a seat fell to weeping
hysterically.
What are you doing TO that door?"
cried the duchess sharply as she en-
tered with the others. l was securing
the bar again.
Nothing" l said stolidly. Il am see
ing that ii is fast"
And hoity toity, miss" she con-
tinued, turning to Anne. What has
come over you, / would like TO know?
Stop crying, girl What is the matter
with you? Will you shame us all be-
fore this Dutch maid? Here, carry
these things TO the back door"
Anne somehow stitled her sobs and
rose. Seeming by a great effort to re-
cover cOmposure, she went out, keeping
her face to the last averted from me.
Continued Next week1