The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-02-22
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80 terrible he cath he swore-that
PEELED to hslievs.
BETTER" the ,visceunt cried, despair
inSly-"a thousand times better those
fatal letters in your hand than In those
Of Nicholas 6hearman, from whom I
had long believed ] had nothing more
to dread"
And Mrs. Chssterton recognized that,
II Norton had now really spoken truth.
fully, then were they, both Of them,
lost Indeed.
And how trace out Nicholas Shear
man? the viscount asked himself. They
could not call to their aid omcers Of
Justice. for. their former accomplice ar
rested. he would denounce his assocl.
ates. and drag them with him into the
abyss.
And the viscount and Mrs. Chester
ton acknowledged to themselves, and
to each other. that Nicholas shearman
was more dangerous object now
than he had been twenty years before,
for then he had known neither their
names nor their features-and now he
knew an.
But the viscount was mistaken az
concerned himself; Nicholas did not
yet know either the name or features
Of the man by whom he had been
hired to Stay poor helpless, innocent
child, while sleeping, all unconscious,
In his destroyer's arms.
And Nicholas Shearman had been
one of the three masks that had 20
terrified her; Of that Mrs. Chesterton
was now very certain.
But who were the two others?
The vlscount thought Of Emmeiine
and Darlington; II Nicholas Sherman
had been able to obtain admission to
Mrs. Chesterton's house, how much
easier, on such night, that the others
should have been there also.
Then suddenly 1t flashed across his
mind. was not the man who had been
seen In Barrington's company, and
whose name and address the viscount
had written In his tablets In reality
the Nicholas Sherman so long believed
to, be no more?
Viscount Dareleigh received from
Mrs. Chesterton description, not very
perfectly given, Of the man who had
robbed her.
In the evening the agent before spo-
ken of was again with his employer;
and the viscount had soon no doubt
that Nicksey and Nicholas Shearman
were one and the same person.
And the viscount's conviction Of that
fact was strengthened when he had
been told by his agent that Nicksey up
peared to have become suddenly pos
sessed of considerable funds, since he
had been riding about all day in q
hackney coach and scattering money in
every direction.
Mrs. Chesterton had returned to her
own house and thither Viscount Dare
leigh hurried.
"Eugenia," he cried. ms he darted into
her presence, IF Nicholas Shearman
should continue silent until tomorrow
If by to-morrow's dawn he has not
already betrayed US, we are SAFE"
Eugenia's heart leaped wildly.
This night, and alone" pursued the
viscount, II will seek that man, and
even with my life. IL 1t should be nee
essary, will regain from him our Sc
cret!"
Mrs. Chesterton had confidence now
in her former lover; knew right well
that he was thoroughly in earnest.
Before proceeding in search Of the
man who now held them both within
his power, the vlscount said:
"Eugenia, danger has again arisen,
and so let danger make us again allies;
and this time fortune for US both, or
both of us for the scaffoldy'
And Mrs. Chesterton gave her hand
to the viscount as token that she as
scented to the new compact he had just
proposed.