Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-07-01
mi mn mn
I'LL I'LL Ill

Please bear in mind that no reference
Is to be made toto all this. I ave
told her of the drawing, Eric. She says
she has something to tell me when l go
back to her. Ii trust it is not some
thing she has felt necessary to hide
from me. IL l were you l would not
go out on the streets this afternoon.
Wait until after ~nightfall."
He left them. n they heard him
slowly mount the stairs. Then the door
to his room was closed gently. They
did not see him again until dinner time.
BY that time. scores of people had
called up the house on tfV telephone,
and at least four correspondents had
been turned away from the door, only
to take up positions across the street
with note books ready. Their cameras
got views of the Giants Castle" from
all sides. One daring chap entered the
grounds and photographed the rose
bush that Chetwynd had planted on
his 7th birthday, to which some i'm
p%ortance was attached because up to
that season 1t had borne white roses,
but had been prophetically barren this
year.
No less than a dozen eminently vera
clous citizens had seen young Blagden
board a freight train late the previous
evening. bound for New York. An I'M
'tppS Controversy tIlSucu over lldl
very point No two of them saw him
board it at the same place, nor were
they all agreed that it was a freight
train. Some of them said it was the
express train leaving at GIL, while 9th
ers mentioned the local at 1892. John
Halves conVersed with the young man
IN front of Goes drug store at Z o'clock,
and he was impressed at the time with
ChetWynd's NERVOUSNESS. Mrs. Sanford,
OF the Second Congregational church
CHOIR, was positive she saw a very
blond young woman with him shortly
after >. A strange young in
Corinth. h was quite sure of that.
Dinner at the Blagden home that
night was a dismal affair. Mrs. Blag-
den, very wan and red eyed. seldom
looked up from her plate. Mr.. Blagden
rarely looked down from the old fash
toned crystal chandelier, except to in
spect the dishes set before him bv the
solemn Martha.
But four places had been laid. There
was no empty chair at the table, for
the simple reason that it stood back
against the wall with others of it's kind.
or the four who sat there in perfume
tory obedience to custom, Eric Mid
thorne was the only one who was not
wondering what the missing member Of
the family was doing at the time. Two
OF them We're tortured by the belief
that he was in the arms of the woman
who had dragged him out of the sane
tuary they had built around him; the
third was not so sure that he would
lot creep back into the house when the
night was old and the town asleep,
Eric, alone, knew where Chetwynd
Blagden was spending the night
Shortly after the meal was over. he
excused himself and left the house. os-
tchslbly to take a short walk about the
grounds When he was out of sight
around fha rnJnnr of tl1 I,~,,.z l.
broke into a run and was soon flying
across the garden in the direction of
JaheZ Carrs cottage. Vaulting the high
brick wall at the lower end of the
garden. he raced across the meadow
and UP to the barred gates. There was
q light in the window of the gate keep
er's lodge. Eric shouted and ratified
the gates to attract attention.
Old Jabez opened the door and peered
forth, over his spectacles. He was hold
ing a book in his hand.
Get away from there!" he roared
Dang we, you know it's against orders
to let-Hello! Is that you, Eric? What's
up, my lad?"
He hurried over to the gate, forget
ting his keys in his excitement. Sud
denly remembering them, he would
have hobble back for them but for
Eric's impatient cry.
Don't open the gate. Where is Mr..
ADAM"
He's gone to New York, hot on the
trail of that young scalawag,'' said ia
bez. lowering his voice as he came M
to the gate. And he'll get him, too.
Eric, sure as you're born. They never
slip away from Adam when he once
gets wind Of EN-. ] don't mind tellin'
you, seems you don't love your cousin
any too WE'LL, that Adams never gojn'
to rest until he lands him where he be-
longs. Say. wasn't you plumb laid over
on your beams end by the news? Gee
almighty, L bet there's wailin' and
gnashin' of teeth up there in wonder
house,
The old mans laugh was almost a
cackle, he was so excited.
He's gone to New York; cried Eric
blankly.
"on the 6 something" said ,Jabez
Say, just you wait a minute till ! get
the KEYS. I've been a-dyin' to talk If
over with you"
II can't stop" said Eric shortly. "Djd
he say when he was coming back?"
He won't come till he fetches Chet-
wynd with him. you can bet on that
said Adams father grimly. You amt
likely to see Adam again, my lad, until
you see that fine cousin of vours
They'll come back together one of these
days. Then, We'll see how Master Hor-
ace likes Hey. What's your hurry?
4 T---eA 1890