The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-05-06

missed several things, and-and--wei-
he as much as said I'd taken things
that didn't belong to me-
Horace smiled with grim d~erisiveness.
at is possible he a as much right to
accuse you as you have to Gus him.
1t seems to me his case Is as gooo as
yours
81 am not a thief"
"He might say the same. Did he find
the scarf pin?"
Eric flushed. HE told her he found
it. But he lied"
"Eric!"
He lied"
Mr. Blagden's face grew deathly
white and hen turned purple. He
sprang to his feet and advanced upon
the boy, a furious glare In his eyes.
"You scoundrel! You vilifier! You
unhung rascal! How dare you come to
me with such a story as thts?" He
choked, he appeared to be strangling.
Eric shrank back aghast. No one had
ever heard a blasphemous word on the
lips Of Horace Blagden, but now Eric
was to listen to a torrent of wild pro-
the walls of a ships forecastle. He was
seized with the fear that his uncle had
gone mad. utterly mad.
"Uncle!" he cried, putting up his
hands as If to shield himself from a,
II could kill you where you
stand. curse YOU" Kissed the man.
him. "Ah! Now I understand!
Now 7 can see how a man justifies
himself for taking %another's life. By
heavens, 1 know how sweet it would
be to kill" In his frenzy, he looked
about for a deadly Weapon.
Then, as suddenly, his whole man
ner changed. He fell back against the
table, his jaw dropping. an expression
of great horror crossing his face.
Good God, help me- he sn7 groaned;
I have said? What is it that is in my
heart? Murder? oh, my God"
He would have fallen had not the
boy leaped forward to catch him by
the arm. Mr., Blagden shook him off,
Eric fell away, moving toward the door.
ready to flee from this amazing figure,
this unknown being.
His uncle turned his sodden eyes
upon him, and motioned with a trem-
bling HAND for him to stay.
Stop! Don't run away. Wait, Eric
II ask you to wait here until-until
to say, the words were not uttered.
Somehow Eric understood. He stood
In the middle of the floor and watched
his uncle stagger to h u owe
near the wall, upon which he
dropped as If every yestige of strength
had deserted him.
The minutes passed slowly. The pic
ture remained the same. The wondering,
half stupef1ed boy in the middle Of the
room; the motionless figure on the
couch, from whose lips ever and anon
came two hoarsely whispered words:
My God!"
The shadows Of dusk crept into the
room through the high windows; the
waning light Of the summer day looked
in upon the strange tabIeau. and vague
sounds from the street came, but with
out the power to disturb. Somewhere.
off in the deserted banking room, a
Waterman was shutting and whistling.
Eric waited for him to open the door
and break the spell that had fallen
over the presidents office. Nothing
else. 1t seemed. could shake the fet-
tiers from his feet, or drive the warm
blood back into his empty veins. Would
the heavy breathing figure on the
couch never change its limp position?
Would the hand never be drawn away
from the eyes it covered?
At last, when the room had grown
quite dark. Horace Blagden moved.
The boys tense figure relaxed so sud-
denly that his legs almost gave way.
Answer the telephone, please said
Mr.. Blagden, his voice clam once moro
but weak.
The telephone had been buzzing for
a minute or longer. Eric grabbed up
the receiver.
TT is Aunt Rena," ne said lazily.
"She wants to know If you are ill
why you are SO late coming home.
uncle"
Tell her I am all right and will be
there at once"
He arose from the couch, taller.
more gaunt han ever it seemed to
Eric as he saw him through the gath
ering darkness.
Eric" he said from his position near
the couch, we will go home at once.
Will you get my hat and cane from
the closet?"
with you now, Uncle Horace. Not after
what I've said to you"
There was another long period Of
silence. The mans eyes were half
closed.
Continued next week.)