The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-07-30
Revenge
By GUY THORNE.
CHAPTER x-Cortinued.

ANOs NC ICpAcus yOu CduuOI QulIc
until / tell you everything. Miss
Decies was the sister of the Duchess's
father. who was, as you may have
heard, the Rev. Montague Decies. She
went to be the governess of the young
Princess Sophia Marie Eleanora
There she married good-for-nothine
and rascally officer in the little cere.
monial army of Wohlau-Landskrona.
"The marriage was kept secret, but
q son was born. Then the marriage
had to be declared, and Miss Decies
was compelled to return to England
In disgrace, especially as her husband
just about that time-committed an
unforgivable crime and was impris-
oned In fortress, where he died
Now you see the connection between
0l these strange events?"
Il see that things become clearer,
but | do not see why Miss Decies
should have abducted the young Duke
III she really did do so, and, il so,
why she should have committed sui
eide"
Basil rejoined and for half an hour
presented the vividly moving drama
before her, fitting in detail and detail,
explaining this or that, drawing on his
imagination for those pieces of the
puzzle which were yet wanting, and
building up coherent whole.
He warmed to the work. He spoke
rapidly and we'll. Even as he talked,
he knew that he was making point
after point--that what he said was a
worthy presentation of as strange a
drama as any modern ear could hear.
It was about five o'clock in the after
noon when he concluded.
Daisy. In the excitement Of the mar
rative. had risen from her chair,
walked over to the mantelpiece, and
was now leaning upon 1t. Her eyes
were fixed upon him. Her whole atti-
tude and pose was instinct with inter-
est and imagination.
Az his last words died into silence
she made a simple. impulsive gesture,
-Oh." she said. "but you have told it
all most wonderfully. most beautifully.
Captain Marriott, you should have
been q writer of romance"
She had taken q step towards him.
The two young people were looking
ct each other In q moment of curious
understanding. Perhaps in q moment
they might have been nearer still.
: The door opened, and an elderly
clergyman, whose face was rather
flushed and on whose cheeks the per.
spiration stood out In little beads.
entered the room.
"How do you dot" he said. "How
do you do. Captain Marriott? My
daughter told me that you were com.
ing to see her. You find me q little
dishevelled. no doubt. but have been
moving the croQuet-lawn all the after
noon. CroQuet, Captain Marriott, IL
game which. ten or fifteen years
ago. was regarded a. nothing at all
Tennis arose and entirely swamped It
! am thankful to say, however. that
IT. really scientific character is now
realised by everyone. and it is nc
longer . game for an@mic curatei
and very old maids. We have re
duced the size Of the hoops and In
creased the size Of the balls. We
have abolished the cage and the bell
and our mallets are now properly
weighted and proportioned.
'CroQuet IL . game which shoult
imagine q sailor. long unaccustomei
to the pleasant happenings of the
green, would find an excellent thing
when he was on shore"
Basil looked ct the old gentleman
% he would have looked at some new
and strange addition to the Geological
Gardens In Regents Park. He hat
never known anyone quite so oh
liviOus to fact md environment. HI
had never realized how croquet car
zap the brain and engross the sense
until . tranquil country life becomes
Z tournament.
And now. Captain Marriott" the
old clergyman said. II hope you will
have some tea. I expect there II
some tea somewhere. Daisy, my dear
II not there some tea to be brough
in3''
"Oh. yes. father. l will look aftel
all that" the girl said.
captain Marriott" he replied. "yo.
don't know what my girls are to me II
many. many ways"
He half turned. looked appealingl!
It Daisy. and, with muttered apollo
~. left the room.
In two minutes Basil and Dais.
heard the smart click of the lockwood
balls, as the enthusiast-the lawl
moved and clear-was practising ,
cannon.
-What . dear old gentleman!'
Basil said.
Daisy smiled.
a1Gy father" she replied. was I
aOuble-flrst at Oxford many year,
ago, but al his HE he has been handi
capped by the fact Of his utter un
worldlines1. He obtained the chap
hiney Of Bad Firstenberg after hs
1a0 been I curate n Leeds for three
sxs He was then appointed to thi,
= nsaA ~ fhfn 1fvin1 M will dia