The Dillon tribune., 1885-08-01
CHAPTER XXIV.
AN OUTRAGE ON WHITAKER.

AN OUTRAGE ON WHITAKER.
Carruthers, when Horace and Herbert
| went forth ut the call Of duty, had asked
that Beatrice's letter might be left with him.
As he had fully proved his right to be
| admitted to the family council his request
was readily granted. With the letter in his
hand he went into the library and pondered
what had happened. The question he had
to solve was what motive could have t,een
strong enough, to force Beatrice to take sue
q step!
He had heard from Horace all about the
claim made upon the child, and this had ex-
planned matter which had for some days
been troubling him greatly, namely. Bea-
trice's abrupt depaI ture from London But
here he could see no srCng motive. The
claim was abandoned, or at least lay quies-
cent Besides, Beatrice, rs he judged her,
was far more likely to fight than to fly.
He dismissed anything to do with the boy,
or at least put it aside to be inquired int"
collaterally.
Herbert, too, had hinted his idea about an
attachment. Frank having as,ertained
that no shadow Of suspicion OF such thing
hung over Beatrice, sterniy put it out OF
sight, Besides there were one or two recol-
lections which he carried always with him
and which rendered such vulgar, unworthy
explanation something not far short of
sacrilege.
| He reckoned Beatrice woman of superior
abilities, logical and perfectly able to foresee
consequences. He felt that she would not
have acted as she had acted without care
fully considering what it entailed. No ro-
mantle, girlish impulse had hurried her
away; no eccentriclty Of character had led
her to shape such a course The reason,
whatever it might be, was to her mind am.
ply sufficient.
She was unhappy. Her own words said
20. Did some danger overhang her! Did
| some evil threaten her: What danger!
What evil! Why could not he, Frank Car
ru,hers, be at her side to shed and aid |,
Heaven knows he would do i, and seek no
reward.
He groaned. He was very miserable and
cast down. 1t was in this very room he had
belnoaned his first sorrow. He had recovered
from that and had encouraged himself to
hope tha. the woman he loved would, after
all, be his. And now to come and find her
| gMe-gone without woru-gone no one
knew whither-no one knew why! To fesl
that she was flying from some n,euacins evil
and yet not know what. He was very I'M.
happy.
| tie had come down with such news for her
news which even as q friend she would
have been glad to hear. He had breathed no
word ot 1t t. her in London had resolved to
say nothing about it until all was settled.
AT las he saw his way to giving up the
dludgery Of teaching what he bitterly called
fools. lie had for years been u thrifty man.
und The money he had saved was not small
sum. For years he had dreamed of literature
as profession, and now he saw his way to a
realization Of that dream. His political
articles had attracted attention. He had
tecn offeled an important journalistic post.
A m'nuscrpt from which he expected great
things was in the printers hands. He saw q
ce'tain amount Of ren0wn ii not fortune,
waiting tor him. All this he had come down
to tell Beatrice before he Went back to OK
ford, wound up his affairs and iwle thu,
CLASSIC t,wn farewell.
Ii ~anrd us II, whenever he counted on
dialn nS the cup Ut joy, it was struck from,
his ll,s'
lie must tind Beatrice. Sacred as her wish
not 10 he traced might he to Horace and
Herbert, Franz felt that it did not affect
NM he would not Of course stoop 10 call.
ing i'll detective aid, but the utmost he could
u" to solve the mystery should be done To
Franz, Beasrice's flight appeared in a far
'."r~ >'rious light than it did to h.. ,ncle,
We mus go ana look at her portrait. There
:'as tine one in th, drawing room. He
went there. stood before it for a long time,
and Ia the representation vi herself vowed
that she was the fairest woman un earth,
we'll worthy for man to live or die for.
Then he began to retrace his steps to the
library. As hs crossed the hall he saw a
strange sight.
Whitaker. the irreproachable. the dsni-
fled, with indignation written in every line
Ct his black-coated limbs. was standing ut
the front door against which he leaned his
full weight, whilst with his right ha,,d he
was tcuSgling with some object which pre-
vented him from quite shutting the door.
Close: examination showed Frank that this
vas th' "ad. about six inches. Of stout
wa!S.HS ''N'S-a 'oate:np!ihc ohjcc:. yet as
1t wa Ln. I. :, ,M ..il. nlnu:n I. foil the old