Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-05-20
CHAPTER v.

miss DecieS in Her Bed Room!"
It was / O'Clock in the morning at
100a, Piccadilly.
| The great DR.. William Larus had
| been summoned to attend the Ouch
ess, who was born by now in pitia-
BILE state of terror and breakdown
| The doctor had insisted upon his pa
| tient taking strong opiate, and her
maids were with her in her own
room, waiting until the potion should
do it's merciful work, and sleep, ma
lures dear nurse" should come and
wash the troubled mind from all it's
anxiety and fear.
The old duke of Perth had driven
away some time since, while Sir An
thony Heller had also departed, with
Inspector Downes from Scotland
Yard.
Two other detectives had arrived
and were to sit awake through the
hASiit WIG III lllC nan NY I1c llOHI
door, the other at the back of the
| house-so that no one should enter
or depart without their knowledge.
Meanwhile the whole intricate web
which has its center in the great po-
lice building on the embankment was
being agitated to it's farthest ends
and as the night went on the formida
BILE armies of the law were warned
and marshaled for the work that was
to be done.
Michael Grant had gone home to his
own fiat in Victoria street, promising
to return early in the morning
Almost the last person to go up
stairs was Miss Decies. She remained
in the blue drawing room some time
after the departure of the Duchess
discussing the eventfu night with
Remington, the butler, and the two
new detectives. The Old lady seemed
much shaken, and the usually hard
stiff repression of her manner had
gone. With forethought somewhat
unusual for her, she gave instructions
that the two Notwithstanding loath
should be brought supper and re-
freshments of every kind. She thank
ed the house steward and the butler
and when at length she finally went
upstairs to her room, both the upper
servants agreed that Miss Decies'
bark was worse than her bite" and
that she had presented herself this
evening in an entirely new and unex-
| pected light.
The old lady closed the heavy,
carved mahogany doors of her sitting
room and stood still for a moment
without moving, and as if listening
F! intently. Then she pressed the catch
of Bramah lock which effectually
secured the entrance to her domain
| 1t seemed obvious that the events of
| the evening had wearied her beyond
her strength, ard that she did not de-
| sire to be disturbed again. For, with
the most careful precision, she tried
absolutely certain that they were per
fectly secure.
There was bolt at the bottom of
the two doors. and Miss Decies stoop-
ed quickly, pressing it home as if to
make assurance doubly sure
The bolt went into it's socket quite
| noiselessly, and the shaft, which
! turned slightly in the movement
caught the glitter Of the electric light
and shone as if it had been newly
/ oiled.
On one side of the great room was
long French mirror in a frame OF
gilded Corinthian columns and with
the ducal coronet surmounting it.
i Miss Decies' next proceeding was tc
walk up to the mirror and stand gaz
| ing earnestly at herself for over min
4 ute. She bent her face forward anC
scrutinized it, as Is it were something
new and unfamiliar, turning it this
4 way and that as one might hold al
old Grecian mask to the light in al
endeavor to discover the secrets O
its subtle smile, the meaning of it,
moulding and contour.
Her face was still very pale, but i
a wore it's ordinary impressive expires
sion of grim determination to be ade
quate with the conditions of life, ant
4 to show no softening or interest il
anything that might occur
Her prolonged observation seemed
to satisfy her, for. suddenly in tn,
silence of the room, there came a lit
tie cackle of hard, mirthless laughter
i as she turned away and sat down il
8 an armchair. For five minutes sh,
Il remained quite still, her head lyin!
y: back upon the cushions, her eye
closed.
Now and then the thin lips worke,
]. little, as If some great emotion o
nerve storm was taking place within
!, the brain. But, save for these Sigh
i contortions, she rested motionless. A
the end Of five minutes Miss Decfe
rose and went to carved oak cul
board, which she opened with sma
key that was suspended round he
i neck upon thin chain of golt
s Opening the cupboard. she took fro1
i IT, It q bottle and e long. narrow, tinte
] glass. the kind OF glass In which hoe