Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-05-09
Perenna S eyes narrowed.

house, in the midst Of everything,
by my side. He is lying in wait for
me. He is following every 50, 1
take. He is living in my shadow.
He is waiting for the time and
place to strike me. Well, / have
had enough of it. | want to know,
| will know, and | shall know.
Who is he?"
The girl had moved back a little
way and was leaning against the
round table. He took another step
forward and, with his eyes still
fixed ON hers, looking in that inn
mobile face for a quivering sign of
fear Or anxiety, he repeated, with
greater violence:
"Who is the accomplice? Who
in the house has sworn to take my
life?"
II don't know" she said, 81
don't know. Perhaps there is no
plot, as you think, but just a series
OF chance coincidences-o
He felt inclined to say to her,
with his habit Of adopting a
familiar tone toward those whom
he regarded as his ~adversaries:
you're lying, dearie, you're
lying. The accomplish is yourself,
my beauty. You alone overheard
my conversation on the telephone
with Mazeroux, you alone can
have gone to CASTOR Sauverand's
assistance, waited for him in a
motor at the corner of the boule-
ward, and arranged with him to
bring the top half Of the walking
stick here. You re the beauty that
wants to kill me, for some reason
which | do not know. The hand
that strikes me in the dark is
yours, sweetheart
But it was impossible for him to
treat her in this fashion; and he
was so much exasperated at not
being able to proclaim his GER
tainty in words of anger and in
dignation that he took her fingers
and twisted them violently, while
his look and his whole attitude ac-
cused the girl even more forcibly
than the bitterest words.
He mastered himself and re-
leased his grip. The girl freed
herself with a quick movement,
indicating repulsion and hatred.
Don Luis said:
Every well. l will question the
servants. If necessary | shall dis
miss any whom l suspect"
"No, don't do that" she said
eagerly. "You mustn't. / know
them ALL"
Was she going to defend them ?
Was she yielding to a scruple of
conscience at the moment when
her obstinacy and duplicity were
on the point of causing her to sac
rifice a set of servants whose con
duct she knew to be beyond re-
proach, Don Luis received the i'm
preston that the glance which she
, threw at him contained ali appeal
for pity. But pity for whomY For
the others9 Or for herself?
They were silent for a long time,
Don Luis, standing a few steps
. away from her, thought of the
photograph, and was surprised tc
find in the real woman all the
beauty Of the portrait, all that
beauty which he had not observed
hitherto, but which now struck
! him as a revelation. The COLDER
, hair shone with a brilliancy I'm
! known to him. The mouth wore q
less happy expression, perhaps,
rather bitter expression, but one
, which nevertheless retained the
: shape of the smile. The curve 81
! the: chin, the grace Of the neck re
vealed above the dip Of the liner
collar, the line Of the shoulders
the position of the arms, and Of
the hands resting on her knees
all this was charming and verJ
gentle and, in. . manner, very
seemly and reassuring. Was i
possible that this woman should
be q murderess, a poisoneri
He said:
. 81 forget what you told m,
that your Christian name was
: But the name you gave me was no,
: 1.-THE right one"
9 Yes, it was, she said.
2 Your name is Florence: Flor
4 ence Levassenr."
She started.
{ What Who told youi Flor
encef How do you knowi,.
Here is your photograph, Will
z your name on it almost illegible.
2 Ohl' she said, amazed at ace
2 ing the picture. can't belieY,
9 i'll Where does it come from
Where did you get It FRONT Ant
Z suddenly, It was tho project 8
| police who gave il to you, waa i
\ mott Yes, il was he, I'm sure
it. nm sure that this photograph