Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-05-27
Revenge
BY GUY THoRNE
Sweet is revenge, especially to a
woman."-Lond Byron.
CHAPTER v.-(continued).

| listened carefully. Not sound was
| heard in the galleries beyond, and
| with a sigh of relief she walked into
the center of the room, stood still for
moment, and then moved swiftly
| through the communicating door into
the bed room. Against one Of the
| walls she found long, thin pole of
ashwood, headed with a brass crook
| 1t was one of those tall poles which
are used for pulling down very high
windows from ring in the top of the
sash, and was certainly eight feet, in
length. What such an apparatus was
doing in her room no one in that du-
cal household would have quite I'M
derstood, had they seen it, The two
windows of the sitting room, which,
as has been said, looked out into Pic
cadilly, were long French windows,
| opening in the center on to low
| stone balcony, while the single tall
window of the bed room was precise
ly OF the same pattern. The pole was
| one Of those which were used for the
tall windows in the back part of the
no possible use or meaning in Miss
Decies rooms.
She carried it into the sitting room
and then looked upwards towards the
roof. Some four yards from the right
hand window heavy Venetian lamp
was hanging by chains from stout
| iron hook which had been screwed in
| to beam OF the ceiling.
This lamp was somewhat recent
| acquisition in the sitting room. 1t
| had been sent to Miss Decies from
abroad, and was Of fine italian work
manshiD. The duchess, to whom her
aunt had shown it, had suggested that
the electric wires should be connect
ed with it; but the old lady had ex-
planned that it was purely decorative
IN it's effect, and she did not intend
to use 1t as method Of Illumination
in room which was already SO we'll
lighted as hers. The duchess, who
had great eye for effect, had sug-
gested that the lamp should be hung
in the center of the great room and
not as it was, considerably to the left
of the center line of the ceiling, and,
in this rather odd position, before the
window close to the bedroom door
Miss Decies had snapped her fingers
at the proposal, saying that she pre-
ferred it where she had designed it
to be; and the younger woman, with
the sweetness and patience that she
always displayed in dealing with the
elder, had said nothing more, and re-
garded 1t simply as a whim of her
somewhat eccentric chaperon. a
Miss Decies took the pole, carefully
inserted the crook in the topmost ring
of the chain, lifted 1t off the hook in
the ceiling, and, with extraordinary
strength for her years and the most
scrupulous care, balanced it for mo-
ment above her, shortened the pole in
her hands, and gently lowered 1t to
the ground. When the great iron
thing with its panes Of stained glass
rested safely upon the carpet, Miss
Decies carried it to distant corner of
the room. This being done, with swift
deliberate movements, but yet with
wonderful absence Of misdircted haste
or furry, she returned to the bed
room, and presently emerged with a
long, thin coil Of rope and a large
pulley Of shining steel. The pulley
was about the size Of a soup plate, and
It's deep groove was lined with india
rubber. From the axle on either side
rose long, arch-shaped hanger of
steel crowned with a ring for sus-
pending 1t, which took the place OF
the ordinary block.
The old lady threaded the thin rope
of cocoa fibre into the groove of the
wheel. Then, once more, she brought
the pole into play and lifted the pull
/ ley high above her, and in moment
or two had it securely hung upon the
hook from which the Venetian lamp
had lately depended.
She pulled at the rope, which rar
easily and noislessly over the wheel
and then, satisfied with her opera
i tions, she once more entered the bee
i room.
Once inside, she closed the door witt
q curious SILVER Of excitement, ant
walked up to huge mahogany ward
robe which stood against the wall By
i the bed.
This piece of furniture was one O
4 those vast early Victorian triumphs o
cabinetmaking which are of grea
i height, width and solidity. The TIVE
\ doors on the right and left wer,
mounted upon heavy mahogany pedes
tails The wide center doors rose from
q deep drawer, quite four feet loni
i and three feet from the floor to tn,
i bottom boards Of the wardrobe proper
Miss Decies knelt down, fumbled a
the gold cnain around her neck, an,
/ found another key. lss
] T1ith a little gasp Of excitement sh
1 Inserted the key and drew out tn
4 drawer.
The deep box showed nothing bu
Il an expanse Of white tissue paper 70
q moment. Then she caught the ps
81 per in her long, thing fingers, pulle
II out with q loud crackle e hich mad
II n start and gaze round apprehe,
sively and looked down upon wha
q ~ lay beneath.
i The little luk III of London In nigh