The Wagner post. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1912-current, 1912-06-21
CHAPTER XIV-(Continued.)

The police officer in plain clothes,
who stood with his subordinate, some
what undecided, hardly knew how TO
begin. 1t was a hard task to break
such awful news to this lonely old man,
At last it was done: the word "acci-
dent and your nephew" were blurted
II by the man in command. But
hardly We're these out of his lips than
Lord Radycliffe-livid and trembling
had jumped to his feet.
'Luke!' he contrived to exclaim, and
his voice was almost choked, his lips
and hands trembled, beads of perspira-
ton stood upon his forehead. Some
. thing has happened to Luke" "
No, no, my lord! that's not the
~nalne-Philip was on the card and on
the letters-Philip de Mountford-that
was, | think, the poor gentleman's
name"
"And an accident has happened to
Mr.. Philip lie M~ountford?"
The voice was quite different now.
No longer choked with anxiety, calm
and as if mildly interested in passing
events. 1t was obvious even to the
strangers present that one nephew was
of far greater m than the other.
II am afraid, my lord, that it's worse
than an accident
The officer paused It moment. salts
fed that he was doing all that was
ntcc3sary and possible to mitigate the
Sto'N'ttitS5 u LIN cic".
ITS foul play" he said at last;
that's what it vase
Foul play? What do you. mean by
that"
MIR. Philip de Mountford has been
murdered, my ord-hiS body now lies
at the police sation-would YOU wish
him 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 felled a younger and more Wig
orous man. Lord Radcliffe had not
moved. He was still standing, his
hand resting on the table beside the
piled MP newspapers. The light of the
lamp yelled by a red shade illumined
the transparent delicacy of the high
bred hand. the smooth black surface
OF the coat, and the giimmering white
ness Of the shirt front with its single
pearl stud. TIL face itself was in
shadow, and 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 Radclyffe, face to face with the
awful event, strove by every power al
his command to remain dignified and
inpassive. The lessons taught by gen
erationS Of ancestors q to bear fruit
now, when a representative OF the an
Gent 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, arlstocratic
old house
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 and of Milton, the globes in their
mahogany castings: all heirlooms from
the generations OF de Mountfords who
had gone before.
II seemed as if the present bearer OF
the historic name called all these mute
things to witness this present degrade,
ton. A crime had s1nirched the family
nsc,tcheon, for to some minds-thost
who dwell N empyrean heights Il
which the matter of fact s~ordidness o
every day life never reaches-to thos'
minds the victim is almost as horrible
as the assassin.
Lord Radcliffe however fought hi
own battle silenly. Not with on,
trem6r or one gasp w$uid ne let TN
two men see what he felt. Convention
aiity< WELDED her iron rod in this shah
by old library. just as she a don'
in the ball room of the Danish legation
and whist rot 200 yards away Louiss
Harris sans Guy d'Hardelot's songs
and smiIingly received praise ant
thanks for her perfect performance
so here the old man never finched.
He gave to his nerves the word o
,oumand. and as o as he a forcet
them to obey. he looked straight at thu
nolice OFFICER and said quite calmly
Please tell me all that l ought t.
know"
He sat in his highbacked chair, curt
Iy bidding the two men to sit down
he made no attempt to shade his fac
and ewes: once the battle fought ant
won he had nothing more to hide; hi
own face, rigid and still. his tiri
mouth, and smooth brow were mas
enough to conceal the feeling with
in. -,
rhe officer gave the details at fu|
length; he told Lord Radcliffe all tina
WAS known of the mysterious crime
The old man listened in silence unit
the man had finished speaking, the
he asked d few questions:
.You have a clue OF course!
II think so, my lord replied the OF
icer g~uardedly.
Can i help in I'M way?
\ ANY information, my lord, tnat 70