The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-07-01
M IIn mi
I'LL I'LL III
CHAPTER xI.--(Continued1

~ iii |
CHAPTER Extraordinarily.
The Corinth Courier waited It had
everything to lose and nothing to gain.
Inc editor got very drunk-and he
nadnst been drunk In 10 years-and sent
ms lmpotent lamentations to heaven on
more thar one street corner. He desired
ali Corinth to know that he couldn't
nelp himself: That was the curse Of
runn1ng a newspaper In a small town.
I11s hands We're tied. But he was able
70 give an excellent demonstration thai
MS tongue was not tied-that is to say,
not properly tied.
Before nightfall OF that memorable
oay, n population of Corinth, from ex-
IRENE youth to doddering old age, knew
that Chetwynd Blagden had robbed the
pank and had fled, under cover o
night, to join a vile temptress In New
vampire In the shape of q
woman. Moreover, everyone knew that
Giants Castle "-(ghastly misnomer!)
at noon and had not been seen outside
IT'S doors since. Hundreds Of people
went out Of their way to walk past the
house during the afternoon, casting fur
tive glances at the windows. Officials
Of the bank and of other concerns in
which he was interested, t%elephoned to
the house. and each In turn was told
that Mr.. Blagden could see no one, nor
would he speak with anyone
MT. Presbrey approached the house
at 3. confidently expecting to be admit
sed. He was turned away by the sour
raced Martha, much to his surprise. A
couple Of curious witnesses at the gate
DeloW hurried away, snickering over
the minister's rebuff. Mr.. Presbrey
walked very stiffly up he's street, dimly
conscious OF a shy, evasive sense of Ella
Lon, admittedly unbecoming a man Of
MS parts. but stngularly insistent, just
the same. AT his WI dinner table that
evening he confided certain beliefs TO
MS Wife. chief among them being the
opinion that Mr.. Blagden was narrow.
lie even went so far as to question that
Eentleman.s attitude toward the unfor-
tunate children Of Mary M%idthorne.
Chlckens come home to roost," OBJ
served MI. Presbrey, a remark which
may appear vague to the reader Of
prey, on whom the inference was not
wasted.
Neither Of the Midthornes was seen
on the streets that day. They kept
close to the house, and they spoke in
undertones. All through the long af-
ternoon, they wandered through the
tomb like house, occasionally pausing
IN the hallway near the closed door Of
their uncle's room to listen for sounds
from within. Sometimes they wondered
IL the W people who confined them
selves there were dead OF alive. Only
at rare intervals were signs of life ap-
parent, such as the shifting of a chair,
or the tread of slow moving feet, or
the sharp tapping of finger nails on
the arm of a well known rocker, in
which their uncle was wont to sit.
MI. Blagden. on his returns from the
bank at noon, had gone directly up
stairs, followed by his wife. Ten min
utes later he emerged alone. He or
dered n Servants to come to the IL
brary, and there, in the presence Of
the Midthornes. he announced to the
astonished household that his son had
er a member Of the family. He gave no
details. knowing full well hat they
would be supplied by willing tongues
before the day was over, more expan-
s1vely than he could have presented
them even If he had been inclined to
stoop to the task.
You may go now" he said CURLY,
to a gaping audience, composed of COOK,
parlor maid, waitress, gardener and
stable man. He a sail all that he
intended to say. Bear in mind what
I have said about mentioning my sons
name in this house, or in the presence
OF his mother or myself. 1t Is possible.
even likely, that he may be apprehend-
ed and--er. ahem!-brought back to
Corinth. If uch should be the case,
l shall not deny him the right to seek
counsel and the help Of the two persons
who are responsible for his coming into
this world. h is his home when he
chooses to come back to it in humility
and contriteness. But as long as he
elects voluntarily to remain a fugitive.
a-an outcast, 0 might say-1ust SO
long shall he be regarded as an enemy
to this household. I am his father. If
he comes to me for help, for support
ay, even for love-I shall not fail him.
You a go now"
Turning to Eric and Mary, as the SER
wants filed out, he said: ''Your Aunt
Rena will not come down to luncheon.
If o will sit down, I shall try to tell
you as clearly as I car just what it is
that Chetwynd has done. I do not ex-
pect you to say that you are sorry for
him. Perhaps I ought not to expect
you to be sorry for his mother or me.
I shall merely ask you to be consider
ate. If you are to gloat over his fall
from the pedestal on which we placed
him, kindly restrain yourselves in our
presence"
At the end Of his careful and rather
monotonous recital, he lowered his chin
n fumbled for a moment with the
tassels on the arm Of the chat in which
he sat facing them.
my children" he said huskily, 81 am
a God fearing man, as you have rea-
son to know. But I am about to defy
Him. I shall pray to God that my son
may never live to face these charges. I
would rather have him take his own
life today than to continue in the life
he has begun to lead"
He arose and, placing a hand on the
shoulder of each, looked into their eyes,
with a film owe his own.
Il would give all I have in the world
II my son could " looked me fairly
| and frankly IN fha eyes 40 vo,, have