The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-02
MURDER OR MERCY.
A Stcry ofTo.l,ay.

oeSu va oAOu.uS Ia W Nistulu lIlt Ill
timacy OF the twilight l,our. Tea at
Milton CourJ vas always drunk by
firclight on winter afternoons.
Darkness is such an aid dtoscania!." !"
Lady Minton used to say: ''how can
we pull our nci:ghbors To pieces in the
glare of those odious humps? Half
the best things l have ever heard
have been told me i'll the dusk"
The hour of tea was IL sociable one,
and the surroundings were thorough
ly feminine. The morning room was
furnished in that heterogeneous man.
ner which is the characteristic of our
time. There were many screens, and
palms in brass pots, Indian mats
and Japanese tables, Turkish divans
and Smyrnesc carvings, while a num-
.ber of Rajon etchings, framed in
black, made II sad note on the Pom
peian red walls, giving the other
wise ovcr-luxurious room that touch
of studied pathos Which is ever pres
cnt in the complex and many-si,lcd
life of to-day. The curtains were not
yet drawn, and far OFF, apart from
the group of dainty fingers who We're
clustering round the tca-tablc and
the fire, stood Il young girl with her
face pressed against the window. 1t
was Il cold, melancholy afteroon. and
outside IL heavy white for WAS gath
ering over the trost-littcn ground,
making Il fine contrast to the m;,v
and cllccry scene within doors. Sud-
denly she turned with IL cynical little
laugh from the window. what Il
fool ann said the mirl tn herself.
81 have been standing ut that cold
window for exactly twenty minutes.
And for what reason. because DR..
Brooke chose to go out for IL walk
owes the moors on IL particularly iln-
possible day, and hasn't come back
yet. Is that Il reason why should
go without my tea. not to mention
the awful possibility of catching ~
cold in my head, and having IL rod
nose? oh. thanks. Capt. E&",ton.
l should like SON" tea. nwinl|v -
and repeating thrlast scntcnrnloul,
Alison Bligh came forward into tile
tirc-light.
Even in the Pickering fi,r-r4lvs sh"
revealed herself as IL very striking
girl. There was an unlniStakailc
touch Ot sensuouSncsS in the full liI,s
and in the clcar-cut nostrils, Which
were the lest part oi IL nose Which
was somewhat too thick for IL wom-
an, and i'll the fine c,lrvc, of hcr
shoulders and bust. But intellect
WAS not wanting, as her broad. we'll
marked forehead proved; nor deter
mination, which was revealed in the
square lines of her jaw and chin: nor
II certain amount of ilnulity. which
looked out Of her somewhat dreamy
cycs-dark, Southern eyes which wc:r
in direct contradiction to the twists
OF pale rc1-gold lair which crownc,
her head. In sum. Il very ,l;,n"rr
GUS young woman, whom Lady Min
ton was wont to ,lcclarr she would
not trust with her own husband. al
though Sir Francis was past 20, and
IL model of tho conu"nl virtues.
Miss Bli:gh felt her spirits rise sud-
denly as she took her place in the
CHEEKY round and fire, and she smiled
when she thought of her watch blythe
window just now. How cold and
miserable she had telt-how ri,liu-
lous to have cc'led TO such II senti-
mental impulse! That was not her
way either: she who had long ago
made up her mind to snatch every
moment oflappincss-evcrv pleasure
able emotion cvcn-lic could offer
her. And then the soft voice ofl.;i,v
Minton was heard saving: allison.
when you have quite finished with
Capt. Egcrton and those mullins.
pass them both OH. And do. like /,
dear child, sing us something.
Miss Bligh tllcrcupon sprang up
and went to the open piano.
81 will sing you" shc said gr,vclv,
"a little romance which | heard once
at the Varieties. believe it has 4,
moral. Judic used to sing it," and
striking up IL quaint accompani-
mcnt, she sang some words familiar
enough on the bouevar,ls.
While the room was whoing with
plaudits on her rather risky
performance. the door opened and /.
man of about 81 came i'll and sat
down in Il rOcking-cl!air at the far
end of the room.
''Awfully good, by Jovcr' cried
Capt, Egerton. who was leaning OH
the piano. II could have sworn it
was .Judic, herself, only you aren't
fat, you know" The last part of
the gallant captains sentence was
a tender whisper intended for Miss
Bligl's ear alone. but, like many
other soft speeches. was audible to
the rest Of the room. DIR. Brooke
frowne'l as lie moved from his sea-,
near the door and. coming forward
into the freight. asked Lady Mini
ton for Il cup of tea.
$50 glad you're back, Doctor! We
all thought You wcir lost ON
Exmoor. J" said Lady Min,un purring
over her guest as she poured him out
some tea.
"ies, we were all looking forward
to seeing you brought home 'tiiIy
frozen on Il shutter cried Allison,
who seemed in the highest spirits.
Had she forgotten her impatient
watch hy he window only half ;ln
hour before.
"Ah. the gods don't love me-. ]
shall not die young. sni,l he Doe
tor. whose keen eyes Were, rivctc,l on
her face. Then ,lepar,y broke up in
to small groups, an! ii WAS ail!er
by choice or bvchancc,hnt she ionnd
herself, only Il few minutes later,
standing alone with him ut the same
window Mt which she had watched
half an hour before.
Il am glad you are back. she sui,!
at last, Ealt-shyly. as the Young man
stood and gaz"d nj her i'll HE dusk.
"Arr you. You knew WAS out
them"
Yes"