Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-05-06
CHAPTER lIl.-(continued).

continued. Sir Anthony Heller
he's president Of the local government
board, and he will probably be at the
house of commons now. And then the
old duke Of Perth. | know he's in
London because l saw him yesterday.
He is at Perth house in Cadogan
square. Send two men at once to
ring them''
II will. at once Duchess" Grant an
swered Keep up--do your best. l
know there must be some simple ex-
PLANTATION for all this. l think it would
be better, too, If we were to telephone
we can telephone, can't we, from
here?"
ooh, yes,' the duchess replied.
1 There are telephones in the house
somewhere"
Very well, then, we will telephone
at once to Scotland Yard, where the
detectives and people whose business
it is to find out these things are, Ouch
ess. We will telephone and ask them
to send up some of their best men in
ders."
He ran out into the hail. now crowd
ed with servants and buzzing like a
hive
Remington hurried up to him, and
he gave the house steward the neces-
4 sary orders, returning to the blue
drawing room within minute.
Have you arranged, Michael?" the
duchess asked.
Yes, it's all right" he answered.
In a very few minutes | expect they
will be here"
she gave up sigh of relief, sitting
pale, but composed upon an ottoman
covered in blue linen, against which
background her black dress, her white
arms and shoulders, her imperial hair
with it's diamond star, her face. like
u dropping lily showed as concrete
manifestation of pain and beauty.
Miss Decies was standing by the
fire place, one long, lean, mittened
frm resting upon the low Jacobean
mantel.
Well" the old lady said, in voice
which trembled there is nothing
more to he done until Sir Anthony,
the duke Of Perth, and the detectives
arrive"
Her voice was so tremulous and full
of anxiety that Grant experienced a
Eense of self-reproach
So, then, he had misjudged this
lard old lady-thought her incapable
OF cling, dried up, harsh, callous. II
seemed that she was nothing of the
sort, and he was sorry he had so mis-.
taken her IN the past
Miss Decies," he said you have
been splendid; you have been quite
splendid! How tired you must be!
! Don't you think that if you were to
have glass of wine or something II
would help you to bear I'D in this cri.
sis? And the duchess, oughtn't she
| to have something's"
| The duchess made negative move.
ment with her hand
No, no." she answered: .r can
take nothing. But you, Aunt Augusta,
you must. Let me send for some,
thing
| Miss Decies shook her head. "My
dear, she answered, Il don't want
anything at all; one has a nervous
store to draw upon. But I think 7
will 80 to my rooms for a few min.
utes to compose myself. That viii be
better for me. Directly anybody ar.
rives, Beatrice, please send a man IN
70 lot me know and Il will come down
at once A few minutes, though, by
myself would help me to gather nv.
self together, my poor child"
With that the old lady caught m
her train and glided out of the room,
and, despite the alteration in her
voice and features, her back was as
straight as ever, and she walked like
a princess.
Grant held open the door for her.
and closed it quietly when she had
gone.
What dear old lady she is, Ouch.
ess!o he said; "and have been all
the time thinking unkind things of
her! Heaven forgive me-"
oh, Aunt Augusta is all right at
heart, the duchess answered, with
out enthusiasm, it seemed to him.
And then, dismissing the subject. she
rose from the couch,
/ Horribly pale as she was. trem-
bling and utterly upset, she vet
walked into the center Of the beautiful
little room and raised one hand.
Michael, she, said, and the words
came from her jerkily. one by one. as
If they were an effort to pronounce
Michael, It has happened at last"
At last!n he said. What do Won
mean?" - -
Never mind, Z she answered. Some.
Il thing terrible has happened. Not very
much more than an hour ago Michael.
4 YOU swore fealty to me- didn't you?o
4 His arms dropped to his side. he
stretched out his hands and threw
II back his head. 81. "
~, my dear" he said, 81 swore II.
J , and how gladly swore it.,,.
hen Z she replied, in cold, hurried
tones then, the time has now come
come swiftly. without warning II
= which you shall prove the realty n
u your cat =, - !. =.
ny me, he said onlv frv ,,,s, 49,