The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-08-01
CHAPTER XIII.
wHY ALL rHIs MYsrERY2

I have often smiled myself at the
of Luke de Mountford
walking that self-Same afternoon with
Louisa Harris up n down the long
avenue Of the Ladies Mile; the self
same Luke de Mountford who had
knelt at his Louis feet in humble graf
itude for the love she rave him; the
self-same Luke de Mountford who
stood under suspicion Of having COM
mitted a dastardly n premeditated
murder.
The puppets were once more dan
Cling on the string of convention. They
a readjusted their masks and sunk
individuality as we'll as sentiment in
the whirlpool of their worlds opinion.
Louisa had desired that Luke should
come with her to the park, since con-
vention forbade their looking at chrys-
the day that Philip de Mountford lay
in the mortuary chamber of a
London police court; but everybody
belonging to their own world would be
in the park on this fine afternoon. And
yet, the open air, the fragrance of
spring flowers in the formal beds,
would give freedom to the breath;
there would not reign the oppressive
atmosphere of tea-table gossip; the
early tulips bowling their stately heads
would suggest aloofness and peace.
And so they went together for a
Walk III lIlG park, loT SIG Ildu WlSlleu
it, and he would have followed her
anywhere she a hidden him to go.
He walked beside her absolutely I'M
conscious of whisperings and gossip
which accompanied them at every step.
Il call it bad FORM" was a very usual
phrase enunciated by many a rouged
lip curled up in disdain.
This was hurled at Louisa Harris.
The woman, in sue cases, always o n
trives to get the lions share of con-
tempt.
Showing herself about with that
mar now! 1 call it vulgar"
They say he'll be arrested directly
after the inquest tomorrow. 1 have it
on unimpeachable authority"
.Oh! 1 understand that he has been
arrested already" asserted a lady
whose information was always a de-
lightful mixture Of Irresponsible vague
ness and firm conviction.
How do Q mean?"
We'll, you see, he is only out on
what do they call it'll mean he has
had to give his word that he won't run
away-or something. l heard Herbert
say something about that at lunch
oh! what lovely tulips! l dote on that
rich p red, don't you?"
Then does he go about in Black
Maria escorted by a policeman"
Probably"
This somewhat more vaguely, for the
SurmlSe was doubtful.
II can't understand Louisa Harris,
can your"
"Oh, she thinks it's unconventional
to go about with a murderer. She only
does it for notoriety."
But the Countess of Flintshire, who
wrote novels and plays under the ele-
CANT nom de plume of Maria Annun-
ziata, was deeply interested in Luke
n Louisa, and stopped to talk to
them for quite a considerable time. She
said she wanted ito draw Luke de
Mountford out" So interesting to get
the impressions of an actaul murderer,
you know.
The men felt uncomfortable. Eng
lishmen always do when the uncon-
ventional hovers about in their neatly
ordered atmosphere. Common sense
in their case-whtspered loudly, insist
ing that this man in the Sackville
street clothes. members of their own
clubs, by Jove! could not just be a
murderer! Hang it all! Harris would
not allow his daughter to go about with
a murderer!
So they raised their hats as they
passed by Louisa Harris and said,
Hello! How de dog" to Luke quite
with a genial smile.
But Luke and Louisa allowed all this
world to wag on its own irresponsible
way. They were not fools, they knew
their milieu. They guessed all that
was being said around them and all
that remained ~unspoken. They lac
come here purposely in order to see
and to be seen, to be gossiped about,
to play the role of puppet before their
world as long as life lasted, and whilst
Chance n Circumstance still chose
to hold UP the ediice Of their own po-
sition of their consideration, mayhap
Of their honor.
The question of the crime had not
been mooted between them again:
after the understanding, the look from
her to him, and his humble gratitude
on his knees, they had left the mystery
severely alone. He had nothing to
say. and h would v question.
content that h would know in good
time; that n day she would under
stand what was SO un-understandable
just now.
Colonel Harris alone was Frustrated
with trouble. Not hat he doubted
Luke, but like all sober-sensed Eng
lishmen he loathed a moral puzzle.
Whilst he liked and trusted Luke, he
hated the mystery which now met him
at every turn, just as much as he hated