The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-05-13


uncle contaminated! An hour befon
he would not have believed 1t possible
But now! Where would 1t end? How
far would an ill-wind carry that hith-
to answering craft out of its estab-
lished coursee What was Horace Blag-
denis estimate of himself to be as time
gave 1t a chance to develop?
As for the tall, gaunt man who strobe
beside him, what were his thoughts?
What must they have been, to drag
dow his shoulders in this way and to
lower a chin that never had dropped
before?
They entered the gate in the stone
wall guarding. the sanctity of the grey
house on the hill. Not until then did
Horace Blagden give sign of the
thoughts that were burning in his
brain. He stopped, checking Eric with
a word.
1T did seem tt me, Eric, on seeing
the two drawings, that the one bear
ing your name was crudely done. I
could not understand it. / was
amazed. and l must say l was graft
fed. Now I understand. You could
not possibly have made the design at
tributed to you. But the thing that
puzzles me most, is how Chetwynd,
with his traing and his extra prepar-
duced such a miserable botch. He has
had the best of instruction in New
York. IL can't see why he did not
do better"
Eric had his own private opinion.
but he could not bring himself to the
point of advancing it at this time. Mr..
Blagden would find out 500 enough.
without his help. Still. the boy could
not quell the secret joy that filled his
soul as he contemplated the harsh
times ahead Of Chetwynd, and the Bit
ter things that his uncle and aunt
would have to swallow. The thought
of this actually revived his fallen spir-
it's. The future would pay handsome
ly for the present; he could afford the
gloom of today In view Of tomorrow's
glory.
Perhaps he didn't consider 1t worth
while" he explained.
Horace eyed him sharply. IF he did
not consider it worth while, why should
he have gone to the trouble to But
1t. He shall explain for himself. We
can't judge him unheard."
They went forward. AS they came
into the shaft Of light thrown out by
the open hall door, the older man again
stopped. This time he grasped Eric's
arm in a grip Of iron.
Eric" he began in a low, tense
voice, you heard me say back there
in the office that l could have killed
you. Will you be able to appreciate
my state of mind when l tell you now
that 1t was in my heart to kill you II
| you refused to accede to my demands
in this matter? There is a revolver In
gone out with that awful story on your
lips. But that Is not all. 1t would
have died there in that room, for no
one would be alive to repeat it."
What do you mean. sir?" asked Eric,
a strange chill running through him.
He looked into the haggard face Of his
uncle as it stood out clearly in the light
from the doorway. 1t seemed to him
that Mr.. Blagden suddenly had grown
very old.
81 should have killed myself as WELL"
said Horace Blagden quietly.
The boy stared at him in utter
amazement. Suddenly it was revealed
head of the Blagden family. He was
conscious Of a choking sensation in his
throat; there was a rush of moistura
to his eyes. A great, perhaps unwel-
come wave of pity for the man swept
over him.
Its all right now. Uncle" he MUIR
INJURED b~rokenly.'
AS they entered the hall, Mrs. Blag-
den emerged from the library. She
sent a swift, searching glance into
EIric's eyes, a glance expressing doubt,
anxiety n no little antipathy.
Eric smiled, a bitter, s%cornful little
smile. the real inwardness Of which she
was never to grasp.
He could account for her uneasiness.
He had but to go back for a few min
utes to hat second call on the tele-
phone. She had said to him then, In
accents of real despair and dread:
you are not telling him Of Chef
wynd and Mary, are you? You can't
be such a beast, such a dog as to for
get your promise to me. If I thought
you were telling him. I'd turn Mary
out into the street this very minute, be-
cause I know your uncle would insist
OF it himself when he got home. Have
you breathed it to him? Speak! VIII
Go you hesitate?"
mo. it isn't that. Don't be worried
Aunt Rena," he had said.
rrJ A rrIvro WITT