The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1909-05-28
Revenge
BY GUY THORNE
"Sweet is revenge, especially to a
woman."-Lord Byron.

The child's face was pale, and he
breathed more heavily than the or
binary gentle sleep or childhood. HIS
mouth was half open, showing the
pearly teeth, and there was a high,
unwonted cOlcr in the baby cheeks.
Miss Decies felt under the impro-
vised quilt for n little plump arm,
placed her thin fingers upon the pulse.
TITS all right she whispered to her
self. tits all right. DR.. Ludwig knew
| exactly the strength Of the drug. II
has not injured him, and it will not
inure him. He will awake in ten
hours time, feeling a little sick and
without any knowledge Of what has
passed. And now, and now"
She rose, leaving the drawer open,
and went to a cupboard at another
side of the room. From this cupboard
she took a large square of material,
heavily quilted with eider-down upon
the inside. The out side was Of black
and white macintosh, very much like
those holdalls with which ladies travel
so much nowadays, and with the usual
combining straps.
Miss Decies laid this in the center
of the carpet. Then she stole back
into the sitting-room and glanced at
the clock. 1t was now exactly twenty
minutes to two.
Then, for a moment her resolution
and courage seemed to fail her. She
tottered to an arm chair which stood
by the bedside and sank down upon
1t. Her head fell forward and she
lifted her thin, sinewy old hands and
covered her face.
What am | doing?" she moaned to
hercelf. ooh, what am l doing? Leo
pold! Leopold! it is for your sake;
it is for your sake, my son, that l am
committing this frightful crime; that
l am turning upon the hand that fed
me, that i am bringing misery and
ruin upon a great house. My son. it
is for you!"
She rocked backwards and forwards
in a piteous agony of terror and re-
morse. And as she did so a faint
moan came from the child who lay in
the deep coffin shaped box protruding
from the wardrobe.
She rose with 9 swift movement
and went to the drawer. The little
Duke had but turned uneasily in his
sleep. One tiny. chubby hand was
raised toward the rounded velvet
check. and a deep sigh came from be-
tween the little rosebud lips.
Miss Decies knelt down once more,
and as she did SO a sudden impulse
came to her. he bent over the coffin
like box and lightly kissed the little
boy upon the brow.
Poor little Fitz," she murmured,
poor Beatrice. But 1t is for Leopold;
Is is to save him. I must do 1t. -
The tears had begun to trickle from
her eyes, when she quickly jerked her
self upon her feet, almost ran into the
sitting-room once more opened the eak
cupboard and filled the tinted glass
with courage. She drained ii, shud
dered again, and then, with slower
steps. went back int the bedroom, 1ust
as the clock upon the mantleshslf
with its muffled cathedral chimes
beat out the message that it was
quarter before two.
She bent over the drawer and with
a supreme effort lifted out the ~sleepins
child. Staggering towards the quilted
covering in the center of the room
she placed him upon 1t so that hi:
head projected a littl from the upper
edge. Then, with ~purposefui fingers
she rolled the thing about him ant
strapped 1t carefully until the littl,
sleeping boy resembled nothing s,
much az one OF those long bundle;
In which the Indian woman carries he
papoose. The unconscious boy moan
ed again uneasily as the long. thil
! $500 g he 5e.-src= 5s;::=a hssss sszaF1
ly In the padded prison. When tn
strapping was complete. however, h
remained ~motionless, and no NOR
sound came from him.
Then Miss Decies took q woollel
skull cap and placed 1t upon the cur;
Ing chestnut hair. tying 1t beneath tn
chin with its silken ribbons. FINAL
she lifted the whole burden by
leather handle in the center, to whic
q ring, lined with india-rubber, wa
attached and carried 1t into the sittin
room as IL 1t were q mere bundle
rugs and umbrellas.
She laid the bundle down Just III
, der the straight fail Of the rope whic
depended from the high pulley abov,
The bundle, with the little projec
ing head half covered with the wools
cap, lay upon the floor with the ghas
ly suggestion of q corpse. The woma
looked st it steadfastly for a ninui
or two, and as she did so all the hes
tltIon and remorse seemed to die o,
or her face. The eyes began to gloS
not now with grim dete rminatio
alone. but with the fierce and horri
light of madness.
, She pointed one long. lean finger
THE bundle. and chucked dryly In h'
throat.
eAh!" she whispered. with a frigh
ful ieer, there you arei The gre
little duke, heir TO untold iniiiion
|, You who we're going TO be q Nigh
, urince OF England. There you ar
!. knowing nothing az alb Minel Min
and Leopcid's! Nine and Leopold
ana Sophia'ss Sophia. who cnce w
cssn charge. my little stun5ol
~nsratl af Landslronng NV terrible. y
-A3A<~>.e novvs AI fua vn0F