The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-06-14
CHAPTER Nv.
Comrades I'm Grief.

Comrades I'm Grief.
Frank Fairfield sat in an office that
was situated In one of the large thor
oughfares within couple OF hundred
yards OF the Bank Of England.
He was only a Junior PARTNER In the
we'll known firm of engineers to which,
he belonged, and he had obtained this
position some two years before OH,
story opens, partly by his own great
talent and industry, but principally
through Lord Lilburne's generosity.
To all intcnts and purposes Frank
Fairfield was working partner in the
firm. lie had been to South America,
to Russia and to lndia, experimenting
the construction Of railways and
bridges; and though he had now been
in England some three or four months.
he knew that he might be required to
start of again Mt any time with but
scant notice.
The young en.!..str. only eight and
twenty, hut he 10 10 :auch older, for,
since lie has return d from his last
Journey abroad, his thick. wavy hair
has become perfectly white.
As may readily be supposed, the
change 10 his appearance is SO start
ling that his old friends sometimes
fail to recognize him, and the ques-
tfons TINT nave 80 constantly been
asked him us to the cause of this sud-
den transformation have sometimes
tried his patience sorely.
lie is seated this morning at table
with plans and drawings spread out
before him.
He IL trying hare to fix his mind
closely upon the work he has in hand.
but the effort required is great one,
and he looks up with n feeling of re-
lief when a clcrk opens the door and
brings him n card.
Lord Roland Eyre" he silently
reads with keen surprise; then he
mods to the youth to admit the visitor.
His lorylship came In, sad-l0oking, It
Is true, but youthful and handsome.
and he started with unfcigned aston
ashment when he saw Fairfield, for
he had been given to understand that
he was a man about his own age. -,
II suppose am addressing the per-
eon. really came to see!" lie said.
taking the seat offered him; "you
were-you are acquainted with Lord
Lilburne of Silverton:"
Fairficld's face slightly flushed MS lie
replied: ~. TT ~.
"Lord Lilburne las helped me to
the position now hold; do you come
to me from him?" H., - ...,..,..-
Eyes, he told me where. should
find you, and should have sought
you some months ago, but I have
been very Ill in consequence Of q
shock received on Christmas Day..
"a shock!" repeated Fairfield. Is,
| Eyes; you have heard of the
strange disappearance of Lord Lii
burnc's eldest laughter?" 4l'7
And as he asked this question Lord
Roland looked kecnly ut the man he
had been assured was his rival.
II have had no direct communion
ton with the Lilburnes for more than
q year." replied Fairfeld, meeting his
companions fixed gaze without wnv-
erlng; 'be good enough to tell me
what has occurred"
| Lord Roland complied, and he told
his attentive listener how when the
merry-making was tagging OIL Christ
mas night, Grace Lilburne had pro-
posed game. of hide and seek, aud
how she had persuaded Kate to Join
in the game. the latter having been
lost from that time to the present.
"Ah! then 1t was Grace who hid
with Kate," remarked Fairfield
thoughtfully: ''what did she say had
become of her sister" Gl7...
| "Shc didn't KNOW"
| "And did she make no suggestiOn?"
and the engineer locked at the noble
man sharply. '=r.'. ~
Eyes; it was she who mentioned
your nnme," replied the nobleman, with
hesitation. n
"Ah, 4 thought so. Size suggested
that had persuaded her sister to
elope with me, SUI poseT'4 20.
| "Something Of the kind" ~ j
i "And may I ask, lord Roland, why
you come to me froi4 LORD LilburneY
Why did he not come to me himself
or send for me? l should have been
only too ready to obey his call" 4I
"ie rldiculcd the idea that you
would harm his daughter; he said
you had given him your word never to
press your suit with her again, and
that he had as much confidence In
your word as he had In mtne." -
"Ahy'
There was pain, Sc tisfaction and ne.
lief in the exclamation. -
"A, few seconds, later he spoke again. /
'tYou have not explained your inter-
est in the matter, Lord Roland.
don't understand what Miss Lilburnc
was to you" iff 5i@E
:. "shc was my promised wife," was
4 the answer. ~ z.,.~,... II T
Fairfield shrnnk u little as though
The had, received q, blow, and. his pale
face became sti1l paler. but he quickly
recovered himself, ord he asked, with
a. sickly smile ON his face: ~
~ 5"Dosyou seriously believe that. Kate
LilbMrDe. your promised wffe;, would
Voluntarily leave her fathers roof to
iun away, with nler e =
"Most certainly not was the prompt
"You think / carried her away BY
&Good heavens, no, 7 should not be
here talking calmly II believed such
p thing possible" ii afsft.as' =
a1'lan what made you come to me?''
II came, ps drowning men clutch At
strawss to Fask YOU ifyyou can, oriwfll,
4 help mo-" Wasisthe eager yesponse
Nobody else can, ] feel convinced.
1t Ia for Rates. sake rpther than my
own, that, I ask you. The mystery
that surrounds her fate maddens and
apl,als me. l love her so truly that II
4 1t would be for her happiness would
rather see her your wife than have
any doubt as to her safety or WEI!
fare"
4 my wifey repeated Fairfield. with
mournfui bitterness; ''the woman is
not born who win be my WIFE HUT
\. You iask for my! help, aud perhaps
will give 1t to YOU. i must think tho
matter over, however. VIII you call
on me three days hence, or, better
still, give ms nm address where l can
write to yol!s' ~. ~ Sc. MT
.'And yon will write to me3", asked
bis lordship. rs he gave him his nd.
dress. In tDlyli.s5r,l S;y,.i,:.; ';;:,s:.,,i
Eyes, / Will wrltc without fail..
Chen Lord Roland reluctantly went
away.
He woull hase liked to ask several
questions, bnt Jig felt that Ii be did
30 tho engineer would think be doubt.
Tod; him. AMI hef esttHGte4l the mans
character with Ruftlcient accuracy Ia
feel convinced. TINT only by treating
him with perfect trust and confidence
could he win his cooperation. "a
But raE Roland Eyre walkeyl away
3 from Fairfield:s office. It. was with tile
!, dlsRgrecable conviction that the litter
lad questioned and crOss-QuestiOnetl
him. end learnine ell that 10 had to