The morning call., 1892-08-07

me that no power can prevent a meeting:
il tells me that the day is not far distant"
| Her look and voice expressed the con-
idence she felt in every word she
new spoke lit is inevitable" she re-
| sumed. Il read in his face that no one
neither you nor lean turn my father from
> his purpose. Not that he has moved
| finger, during these ten years, to find the
| man. He would never do that. But Ken
rick is creeping near, with the hopes of
| taking nv father unawares. NV father
| knows this and Is on his guard; and in his
| strange, fearless style feels a certain pleas
IRE in the situation. l am SUR. at least,
that he would never step out OF mis- way TO
| avoid a meeting"
Her words confirmed my worst suspicious.
| The encounter between these two men must
sooner or later come. l could no longer hide
| my Impotence 10 take my leave and go in
| search of SybiP5 father
Sybii moved toward the window, raised
| the curtain and looked out "a few nights
| age, she said, almost in a whisper, as
| though there were fears of being overheard,
| Il passed this limekiln in the carriage with
| my father. l saw man standing there
! with the light upon him. / could not see
/ his face, but read in my fathers face who
/ that man was"
l did not stay minute longer now. |
| told her that | would return within the
! hour, il all that | proposed TO DO could be
done In an hours time. l went out into the
| night
1t was not until was we'll on the road
| leading 10 the iImekiin that | thoroughly
realized how i'll l was. While seated in the
! draw lng-room at Watering Hall sympa-
! thiZing with Sybil in her distress. was less
mindful of myself. But when the cold wind
| swept gustily about me and beat against my
hot cheeks, l began to shiyer from head TO
! 1eet, though sensible ali the time of burn
! Ing fever within me.
! | was approaching the limakin fire The
light was thrown across the road with
| stronger glare, as il appeared to me, than on
| the night upon which | first passed this way
| 1 stop ed fer moment tried To collect my
! thoughts; tried 10 put away The swarm OK
| odd fancIes that crowded upnn me threaten
ing TO conquer my better judgment. If any
| thing 10 my manner or speech should rouse
| Kenrick's suspicion-for L had thoughts OF
confronting this man-if look If dread es-
| capped me- as / feared Il might the object
had in view might be detected.
crept toward the limekiln fire. keeping
! out Of the path OF light until the heat
| scorched my face / then knelt down, and
leaning cautiously forward. looked about
! from the intense glare. The or at furnace
| door stood wide open. TIE kiln being
| built up in the low hillside. the higher hills
in the dark background above looked
| darker, with the blue transparent flames
| appe ring and disappearing at the aperture
| or chimney. with the grim unearthliness of
witches bonfire. Down below in
the quarried space In front of the
furnace sat KeDrick. | was bending
| down quite near him, so near that
| hy stretching out my hand | could have
! touched his arm. he was smoking a shnrt
| clay plpe, resting his elbows on his knees,
| and looking intently into the dull culver
| Ing glow. What could he see to gaze AT so
fixediy in that red-hot, gigantic pile of
weed aud Goals? There was n weird,
haunted loOk in his face look that
brought new terror TO my thoughts.
There WAS only one thing 10 be done
So.
| minutes: there was a short cut across the
| field. | at once determined to 60 there and
| telegraph TO a friend ia London and await
| his repiy-a friend who knew Colonel Heih-
| ersett, and the most likely man 10 furnish
| news Of him if siill in town.
! / found the telegraph clerk busy at the
| wires. When had written out my message
| and handed II 10 him, ! expressed my inten-
| ton TO walt for an answer. He looked at
| me thr ugh his ltile square window with a
| haif-glaDce Of recognition. Won't you
| step inside, sir?" said he. There amt
| much of a fire." he added, apologetically:
| hut the waltng-Toom is locked up aud it's
| cold and windy enough out there to cut one
| to pieces. You'll ind the door on your
| right"
II k-tick-tiek- He was busy again
| working al the wires
sat down by the fire in the telegraph
| Office and tried to take more hopeful view
| Of the situation. | began TO imagine that
| lengthy pauses which now took place ex-
| pressed a Asuended power of yolition-
| that the telegraph clerk was too terror
| stricken TO complete the message on ac-
| count Of It's tragic Specification. | became
| intensely excited. | watched the clerk
| with fevrrsh sense of certitude that by
| studying his face / could Interpret these
electric sounds. / was on the point of ask
ing him TO confirm or dissipate nv imures-
sions when be began to write, with a de-
| liberation that almost drove me mad upon
a telegraph form. This paper he at last
handed 10 me. The words ran as follows:
"Hethersett left London in dOgeart at g."
| l glanced AT the clock; II was on the
stroke Of 10 It would take little more than
an hour fer an eXpert driver like Colonel
Hethersett to reach Watering Hall.
Once more | started across the fields The
| way vas dark, so dark that TO attempt run
ming was out of the question, for there was
| a deep ditch on either side of the narrow
| path. And as | walked along, tapping my
| stick in front Of me- like blind man, |
| kept my ewes open; nv ears too for the
possible sound Of Colonel Hrthersetrs dog
cart along the high road More than once
| l stopped to listen and To look out ahead
for the slightest glimpse of gig-lamps IN the
| distance.
Stay! What light is that? And surely
can distinguish the sound of wheels upon
he road. Ii must DE the dOgcart; no one
but Colonel Hethersett would drive at that
reckless pace along country high road on
so dark night with no light for miles, ex-
csDt the ghost OF one at the crossroads on
Watering Green. Yes; / can see the gig
lamps plainly now, and they lock like great
blinking orbs flashing out and in as the
trap spins along, passing by trees and
| hedges and other objrcts that are frequently
| black screens between Us. And there Is
| still broad field to cross before can reach
/ the highway; and before | can ever run
over the ground the dogcart will have passed
the stilr that leads out npOn the road.
NnfYnn loud .1rerr
| have attracted his attention; he brings the
trap TO a standstlll. But | now begin bit
terly to repent having raised my voice For
| see the reflected light of tie Iimekiln fire
right ahead in The night; and / know that
| my shouting VIII have reached Kenrick's
sharp ear. He will see the dogcart: for
Colonel Hetbersett is stopping at the lime
kiln. They will meet face to face
/ have no distinct recollection OF how,
either running, walking or stumbling /
gained the highway. But | did gam II, and
IN an amazingly short space OF time: for as
! sank down exhausted at the stile which
nearly faced The limekitn, | saw Colonel
Hethersett pulling in rein just within the
path OF light that always stresmed across
the road; at the same moment saw Ken
rick start up from the ground within reach
| OF the dogcart, raise his arms and straighten
his back, as If nervlng himself for a spring.
Hold my horse, said the colonel. in a
firm voice, as he flung the reins across tho
animals back. Don't stand staring there
My name is Hethersett-"
rs ZIP" interrupted the man. ''Do you
think don't know ynu?"
"Fll not dispute it. Hold my horse"
"Do what2" said Krnrick; and. glaneinp
savagely about hiIJ, lie selected n stone the
size Of his great first. and hurled it at Col
onel Hethersett The stone, flying within
an inch of the colonePs head, dropped into
the hedge below.
From the point where / had sunk down
against the stIle the whole scene was visible
TO me in the light of the ltmekiln fire. The
iron door was wide open, as had seen il an
| and the heaf