The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-06-20
CHAPTER xrv-(continued.)

The police officer in plain clothes,
who stood with his subordinate, some
what undecided, hardly knew how to
begin. It was "a hard task to break
such awful news to this lonely old mar
AT last 1t was done; the word "acci-
dent" and your nephew" were blurted
out by the man In command. But
hardly We're these out OF his lips thar
Lord Radycliffe-livid and trembling
had jumped to his feet.
"ISukei" he contrived to exclaim, and
hts voice was almost choked, his lips
and hands trembied, beads OF perspira-
ion stood upon his forehead. Some
thing HAS happened to Luke" VI.
No, no. my lord! that's not the
name-Phiiip was on the card and on
the letters-Phiiip de Mountford-that
was, think. the poor gentleman's
name"
And an accident has happened to
Mr.. Philip de MountfordT'
The voice was quite different now.
No longer choked with anxiety, calm
and as IL mildly Interested in passing
events. 1t was obvious even to the
strangers present that one nephew was
OF TAR greater han the other.
Il am afraid, my lord, that it's worse
than an accident"
h officer paused a moment, salts
fed that he was doing all that was
necessary and possible 70 mitigate the
SuuutNuSSS Oh tuG dow.
Its foul play he said at last;
that's what 1t wasp"
Foul play? What do you mean by
that?' :
Mr.. Philip de Mountford has been
murdered, my lord-his body now lies
at the police sation-would you wish
BIN conveyed home at once. my lord
or wait until after the inquest %
There was silence In the room for a
moment or two. while the old fashioned
clock licked stolidly on, At the awful
announcement, which indeed might
have feiled a younger and more Wig
orous man, Lord Radcliffe had not
moved. He was still standing, his
band resting on the table beside the
piled NJ newspapers. The light of the
lamp yelled by a red shnde iiiumined
the transparent delicacy of the high
bred hand. the smooth black surface
Of the coat, and the glimmering white
ness of the shirt front with its single
pearl stud. The face itself was in
shadow. n thus the police officer saw
little or nothing of that inward strug-
gle for self mastery which was being
put so severely to the test.
Lord Radcliffe, face to face with the
awful event. strove by every power at
his command to remain dignifed and
inpassive. The lessons taught by gen.
erations of ancestors had to bear fruit
now. when a representative Of the an
Client name stood confronting the
greatest crisis that one of his kind has
ever had to face-the brutal, vulgar
fact Of a common murder. The real
tiles of a sordid life brought within
the four walls Of a solemn, aristocratic
old house s-E.t..
For a moment before he spoke again
the old man looked round about him,
the tall mahogany book cases filled
with silent friends, the busts Of Dry
den n of Milton. the globes in their
mahogany castings; all heirloonls from
Tie generations of de Mountfords who
had gone before,
Il seemed as IL the present bearer of
the historic name called all these mute
things to witness this present degrade
ZION. A crime had smirched the family
~eScutcheon, for to some minds-those
who dwell IN ,An1pyrean heights to
which the matter of fact sordidness of
Every day life never reaChes-to those
minds the victim is almost as horrible
as the assassin.
Lord Radcliffe however fought his
W battle silently. Not with one
treIa0r or one gas wSuld he let the
Two men see what he felt. Convention
aiity WieidCd her iron rod In this shah
by old library, just as she hnd done
M the ball room OF the Danish legation,
and whilst not 200 yards ava Louisa
Harris sang Guy dHardelot's songs
N"d SIIlfiilEl3 IpItlNCu praise ana
thanks for her perfect performance,
80 here the old man never f1inched.
He gave to his nerves the word of
command, and as soon as he had forced
them to obey. he looked straight at the
police officer and said quite calmly:
Please tell me all tina l ought to
know"
He sat in his highbacked chair. curt
~ bidding the two men to sit down:
he made no attempt to shade his face
and eyes; once the battle fought and
won he had nothing more TO hide; his
own face, rigid and still, his firm
mouth, and smooth brow We're mask
In.
The officer gave the details at fun
length; he told Lord Radclyffe all that
was known of the mysterious crime.
me old man listened in silence until
inc man had finished speaking, then
ne asked a few questions:
You have a clue of course"
i think so, my lord" replied the Of
hcer guardedly.
Can help in any way?"
Any Information, my lord, that you
mink might help US would Of courS7 be
gladly welcomed. "