The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-24

tell me-"
''Stop your raphsodies, foolish, man
Believe me, I am not worth them. III
acknowledge, however, that I am rather
fond Of you, perhaps ON account Of the
spontaneity there il about you. Hops
it will last, though-there, don't gush
again. Ibelieve you'll try and be true
to me, and"-with more seriousness Of
manner-''I will never be false to you.
He tried to take her in his arms but
she repulsed him gently, bidding him
be rational and discuss their future
prospects, calmly, and 90. TOR awhile,
they did, no illusion being made Ia
Cousin Barbara, or the part abe wa
likely to play in their lives.
On sudden Madge's eye fell on the
open drawer.
"Wilfrid Lanel" she exclaimed point
ing 10 some papers on which that name
was written. "Wilfrid Lane? il he 4
relation Of yours? How odd I should
never have thought Of that before"
"Why? Do you know him?
II know Wilfrid Lane! As we'll q
though he were my own brother"
How strange! He 10 my half
brother"
eyes, he is much older than you are.
When did you see him last ?"
II have not seen him for seven
years."
"Ahi of course; he is always abroad.
But you 60 abroad sometimes; why NOT
to see your brother?"
"There have been family differences,
Madge.n
"Ohi II will be awkward when We
are married If may never see Wilfred
I wonder what he will ssy when he
hears that I am going to marry you."
A sort of shiver passed over Trevor
Lane.
my brother Wilfred is scarcely the
sort of man with whom I should care
for my wife to be on intimate terms, he
said.
ooh, yes, know he is vaurien, but
that can't hurt me, and he is very anus.
ing. Quite treat to see his dear old
handwriting in your drawer"
HE ruined Cousin Barbara-that'e
why she is here" persisted Trevor.
Every likely. He ruined my father
and my father ruined him; that's why ]
am poor. Yet owe him no grudge.
Trevor; why should you?" and once
more she looked into his eyes with that
strange mesmeric power she had, which
set every nerve in his body vibrating.
And from talk of Wilfred Lane they
drifted back once more to themselves
and their own affairs, murmuring to-
gether softly in the light Of the pale
moon, which had risen and cast magic
spell over the scene; broken at last,
however, by o little scream from Madge.
"What is it? I heard something
moving. Is it q DOGGY or Cousin Bah p
''Cousin Bab!" And Trever, indig-
nant lest Bah should have been listen
ing, went through the portieres into the
painting room, the moon, as it were,
followed him.
"No one to be seen-on into the gar
den he passed. Barbara was in her
room; he could see the reflection of her
form on the drawn blind. Instead Of
returning to the spot where he had left
Madge he walked down the garden and
called her to come to him. "The night
was SO beautiful, the moon SO bright, -
he said, lit was better there than in.
doors"
From the garden they strolled int,
an adjoining wood, along a pathway
leading to the village where Miss
Craigie dwelt. The vicar was her un.
Gle, and she was on visit there for q
while. Nor did they come back To
Trevor's cottage that evening; on the
contrary he went into the vicarage and
stayed talking to the vicar till past 1C
o'clock.
How he should tell Barbara that he
was absolutely engaged to Madge
Craigie puzzled him not little during
his walk home, and probably would
have engrosed him even more had moi
his thoughts been diverted from
it by almost a feeling of annoyance
that his Madge should be on friendly
terms with the half brother whose very
name was never mentioned in Heath.
field Cottage.
When he reached home all was silen,
as the grave; the glass door leading
from the sitting room to the garden wa
ajar, as Miss Craigie had left it when
she joined him, the lamp was still burn
ing on the writing table, everything
was as she had left it. No-the draw
was still wide open, but the papers hai
been touched. He noticed il ct Q glance
those which had attracted Madge Graf
gie's attention, with Wilfrid Lane,
name ON them, were gone.
Pearly drops burst forth on Trevor'i
brow as he perceived it, and staggering
into the seat which Madge had but re-
Gently quilted, he remained there for ,
time immovable. What did she know
of Wilfrid Lane was the question h,
asked himself over and over again
We're the details Of this mans shame
full past known:to her-had she aught {,
do with them? Gould it be possible tina
she had made the excuse Of sending
him away in search Of bogies, while sh,
possessed herself of letters and docu
ments inculpating Wilfrid Lane? No
no-the thought was madness.
Yet the papers were gone. and tina
they did inculpate Wilfrid Lane yer,
heavily there was little doubt, sine
more than one of them was o forgery o
his brothers name, and it was b,
the holding Of them that Trevor sue.
ceeded in keeping the vaurien out O
England, and his own hearth and hom,
in peace.
Cousin Barbaras warnings agains
Miss Craigie rose like spectres into hi
mind, and would not be chased away
let him struggle as resolutely as b,
would. Madge and none other hat
been in that room, and the papers wer,
gone-the case was conclusive. And b,
had promised to marry this woman
What should he do! Go to her Is soon a,
possible, accuse her straightforwardly o
the theft, demand the return of the stole1
papers, and then spurn her image 70,
ever from his heart.
That was the decision he arrived q
while he sat gazing at the open drawer
and the clock struck four before he at
tempted to 60 to bed.
To bed, but not to sleep; and when b,
met Cousin Barbara at breakfast h,
looked pale and hsggard, and was yer,
silent, while Bah grumbled away in hel
usual style over the thousand and ont
petty annoyances which she managed K
find at every turn.
At last Trevor rose and took up hi
hat.
"Going out, Trevor, instead Of K
work Pr