The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-05-21

the rogue has come on the scene again,
the lads scruples ought not to stand
In the way. They are all nonsense.
The letter may throw some light on the
bishops schemes and Clarence's pres
enc here. and Ii should be That
Is what / think"
What do you say. CareyT' her hus-
band asked as / kept silence. rs not
that r~easonable?'
Sitting with my elbows on the table.
] twisted and UNFINISHED the fingers OF
my clasped hands, gazing at them the
while as though inspiration might come
OF them. What was / to do? / knew
that the three pairs of eyes Were upon
me, and the knowledge distracted me
and prevented me really thinking.
though / seemed to be thinking SO hard.
Well" / burst gu at last, "the circum-
stances are certainly altered. / see no
reason why 1 should not
Crash!
1 stopped. uttering an exclamation.
and we all sprang to our feet. ooh.
what a pity" the duchess cried, clasp
ing her hands. you clumsy, clumsy
girl! What have o done?"
Mistress Anne's sleeve as she turned
had swept from the table a Florentine
jug, one OF Master Lindstrom's greatest
lINdSuIGS, III IL ldy d uOZtn IIdkI1GHl6
on the floor. We stood and looked at
it, h duchess In anger. Master BERTHE
and l n comic dismay. The girls lip
trembled, and he turned quite white
as she contemplated the ruin she had
caused. ~g
We'll. you have done it now!" the
duchess said pitilessly. What woman
could ever overlook clumsiness In an
other woman! 1T only remains to pick
up the pieces. miss. IL a man had done
it-but, there, pick UP the pieces. You
Will nave to make your tale good to
Master Lindstrom afterward."
l ven down or my knees and helped
Anne, the annoyance her incredulity
had caused me forgotten. She was so
In her hand clatter together. When
we had picked up all, even to the small
est piece, / rose, n the duchess re-
turned to the former subject, You
will open this letter, them" she said.
II see you will. Then the sooner the
better. Have youfgot 1t about your
mo. 1t Is In my bedroom / am
II held II away there, and I must
fetch it. But do you think" 1 con-
tinued, pausing as 1 opened the door
for Mistress Anne to go out with her
double handful Of fragments, 1T is abb
solutely necessary to read 1t, my lady?''
Most certainly" she answered,
gravely nodding with each syllable. II
Master BERTHE nodded also.
5 be It," / said reluctantly.
And ! was about to leave the room
to fetch the letter, my bedroom be-
ing in q different part of the house,
only connected with the main build
ing by a covered passage, when
our host returned. He told us that
hn had nVfaANFA - IN@-A -A-aa
awhile to hear IL he had anything to
report. and then, finding he had not,
went out to go to my room, shutting
the door behind me.
The passage / have mentioned, which
was merely formed OF rough planks.
was very dark. At the nearer end was
the foot of the staircase leading TO the
upper rooms. Farther along was a
door In the side opening into the gar
den. Going straight out OF the lighted
room, l had almost to grope my way,
feeling the walls with my hands. When
/ had about reached the middle.
paused. 1t struck me that the door into
the garden must be open, for I felt a
cold draft of air strike my brow and
saw, or. fancied / saw, a slice of night
sky and the branch Of a tree waving
against 1t. ] took a step forward.
slightly shivering In the night air as
1 did so. and had stretched out my
hand with the intention of closing the
door when a dark form rose suddenly
close to me, / saw q knife CLEAN In the
starlight, and h next moment / reeled
back into the darkness OF the passage.
a sharp pain In my breast.
1 knew at once what had happened
TO me and leaned a momen against
h pianking with a sick, faint feeling.
saying to myself, II have Il this time"
The attack had been so sudden and nm
expected, i had been taken 80 COM
pletely on my guard, that / had made
no attempt either to strike or to clutch
my a~ssailant, and / suppose only the
darkness OF the passage saved me from
another blow. But vas one needed?
The hand which 1 had raised in
stinctively to shield my throat was wet
with the warm blood trickling fast
down my breast. I staggered back to
the door OF the parlor, cropping bIindiy
for the latch, seemed to be an age hnd-
Ing 1T, found II at last and walked IN.
The duchess sprang up at sight OF
me. What" she cried, backing from
me. what has happened p"
Il have been stabbed" / said, and
/ sat down.
1t amused me afterward to recall
what they all did. The Dutchman
sta-ed; my lady screamed loudly; Mas
ter BERTHE whipped out his sword. He
could make up his mind quickly enough
at times, -
Il think he has gone" I said family,
(Contiaued Next WeekA