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

| matches which one sees. Withou:
thinking Of it, Alberto dug in the pen
knife and began to cut off the top, in
stead of pulling the box open like a
drawer, by the little piece of tape at
| the end He had half finished, when
he looked down, remembering what
he was doing. 4 wonder what it is?'
he said, and then suddenly he grew
quite white.
Michael, the box was full of gum
powder and red pepper; and a match
had been SO arranged that if the box
had been opened in the ordinary way,
| by pulling out the inside part, it
would have rubbed against the piece
| of sandpaper and become ignited. AL
beric would probably have been killed
At any rate, he would have been dis
figured, blinded, and manned in the
face for life
The duchess stopped, struggling
| with her emotion.
Grant remained perfectly still, with
grave, quiet face, listening intently,
but showing no indication of his
thoughts.
I'VE had people from Scotland
| Yard" the duchess continued, with a
little sob, but utterly failed to trace
anything at all The parcel had come
by post in the ordinary way and
when they asked Alberto if he had any
,, reason to suspect any particular per-
son or persons, if he had any active
enemies that he knew of, Alberto said,
No. l was in the room at the time,
and | was certain that he was not
speaking the truth.
When the men had gone Alberto
turned to me, put his arms round me,
and kissed me. She'll get me yet
he said. You poor, dear girl! What
have 1 brought you TOP
'She?' I answered Whom do you
mean, Alberto? What is 1t? Tell me
all about it. If it is anything dread
full we can bear it better together,
surely we cam His manner changed
in moment. l could see that he had
said more than he had meant to.
Did I say Shea he asked, in a
curlously embarrassed way 4 did not
know what | was saying. Of course,
this is very unnerving, Beatrice For
get what l said
Alberto | answered, this comes
from the same hand which sent the
man to bludgeon you in Paris He
sat down suddenly and covered his
face with his hands. DO not ever
speak to me about it again., he said.
| can't tell you; can say nothing
Then Michael, Fitzroy was born.
and Alberto was SO bright and happy!
HIS mood1ness seemed to go, and he
was quite different man. The shad-
ow, whatever it was, seemed to have
passed away.
For two years nothing happened at
all. My husband seemed to have for
gotten the past, ant I had forgotten
II also, or, at least it only required
10 me very occasionally, as a sort of
unpleasant happening in the past, now
over and done with for ever.
Then the end came. We were at
Ascot for the Royal Hunt cup. Lord
Aldlngton had let US his house for the
week.
one morning we were just going to
drive on to the course, when one of
the servants said that gentleman had
called to see Alberto on very par
tlcular business. I won't be a min
ute, Alberto said to me. + don't
know who it is, but l suppose | had
better see him. He went into the
library, where the visitor had been
taken, and remained with him for
nearly an hour. l sent a message
once or twice, and he sent back a. re-
ply by the footman that was to drive
on and he would join me later.
l went on, as he said, with Bobby
farquhar, who was staying with us.
AS you know, one ought to be in the
enclosure before the king comes. I
hadn't been there for more than half
an hour, the royal party had lust
driven up, when l was sent for back
to Abingdon house Alberto was in q
sort of fit; doctors had been sum.
moned, and they told me there was
very little hope for him. It was the
heart, they said; and one of them Sir
William Larus, who happened to he
In Ascot at the time and whom thav
had sent for, asked me if Alberto had
received some sudden shock"
To Be Continued.