The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-05-20

and German wines are generally serv-
ed. With great care she half filled
the glass from the bottle with a liquid
which looked, as a matter of fact was,
nothing stronger or more ordinary
than old cognac brandy. Then, with
a face expressive of disgust and with
a slight shudder, the lady deliberately
lifted the glass and drank it's contents
to the last drop.
If Miss Decies was one of those I'M
happy people who drink in secret and
hide a loathsome vice from the obser-
walton and knowledge of the world,
then her habit was truly a penitential
one to her. Nothing could have more
strongly expressed distaste than her
attitude, and, even if there had been
a secret witness of the strange pro-
ceeding, he could hardly have be-
lieved that the woman either cared
for or was accustomed to anything Of
the sort.
A minute or two after this potation
a slight color mounted into the pallid
cheeks, and the eyes began TO grow
brighter. AS though the sound of her
| own voice was a relief, Miss Decies
began to murmur to herself in the Gu
rious way that many self-restrained
and silent people do when they are
alone.
Horrible stuff" she said. with an
other little shudder. But | can't do
what | have got to do without some
strong stimulant. And now, about
the time?"
She went towards the mantelshelf,
where there was a carriage clock, and
marked the hour carefully, comparing
the clock time with that indicated
upon a small, ruby-studded watch she
wore as a bracelet upon her wrist.
"Ah," she murmured again, ten
minutes difference! Well, their time
is in exact accord with that of the
clock, and therefore there can be no
mistake. They will do everything
with the precision of a machine and
so must $50 must l." she whispered,
with a sudden note of terror, and al
most of despair, creeping into her
odd, uncanny voice.
She carefully closed the cupboard
again, and her crossed the to
whe.e a little bureau Of rosewood, in
laid with naCre, stood with a writing
chair before it. Sitting down in the
chair she unlocked a drawer from it
several pages of closely written manu-
script. Her hands shook a little as
she held them up to the light; then
she placed the sheets upon the desk
again with a gesture of Impotence.
This German script" she MUIR
INJURED. "is terribly trying! And go
ing to the mantelsheh she found a
gold lorgnette, and once more re-
turned to the desk and began to read
the papers with the utmost care. AS
she did so her eyes frightened and
her lips curved into a rather CHASTITY
smile.
"Oh, clever, clever" she murmured,
how clever and complete they are!
Not a single thing omitted, not a de-
tail wanting. l can't possibly go
NN lOlS, II / an buI ouoNulh my SO'A
age and my strength. I think l can.
must. or hideous ruin will come
Upon me. Still, | ought to be able to
do it.. shall take some more of that
odious brandy just before the mo-
ment. And then, of course, all the
practice of these last few weeks in
that house at Chiswick has made me
~-N-sA
She locked up the papers again and
remained lost in thought for another
ten minutes. Then the clock upon the
mantelshelf chimed that 1t was a
quarter past one. She rose, suddenly,
with all the old grim determination
informing her countenance, her every
movement.
Now to Begin she said, almost
with exaltation in her voice, as il the
strange and secret business she was
about to do filled her with an evil
pride.
ITO Be Continued.)