Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-11-04

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~Why, then, did you not"
Il could 40 nothing; was locked
In" 1'l "a
"But IL he wishes you to think your
child dead. why does he bring her
here?" hiteo3t
why? 1t is part of his plan. IL II
what for some weeks he has donc In
London. He wants me to hear her
voice, to chafe at my inability to reach
her, to rage impotently when he re-
peats the fiction of her death. am
naturally nervous, and perhaps, n.y.
sterical; II you do not help me, shall
not be able to bear the strain much
longer. Selhurst will succeed In eff
fecting his object"
but why should he desire to do
this thing?" 4
| "I'll tell you in a word-for money!
In the event of my insanity he would
become my child's guardian, and
would thus have the handling of our
property, sum of about $4,000"
"You are making terrible charges"
l said, slowly; terrible! II Mr.. Sell
hurst"
| She interrupted me. mr.. Selhurst-
can never again bear to speak
of him as my brothers. thoroughly
INSCRIPTIONS" she said. HE sticks
at nothing. Even in sporting matters
he has acted dishonorably. Three years
ago, at a great bicycling handicap in
the Midlands, he was warned off the
track for giving false name and
false particulars in his entry form. He
won the race. but some one found out
the fraud. Since then-but why do
you start?"
The movement had been inyolun-
tary. l recollected now that I had
seen the man before, and how chance
had enabled me to unmask him. l did
not reply to Mrs. Gray's question, but
asked instead:
"Well, how can I help you?
I'm this way. believe that this
evening l shall be able to make my
escape-that is, If you will help me.
Do you know village called Nepton"
Eyes, but 1t Is six miles from here,
and long distance from railway
station"
Never mind; l must get there; i
will tell you why. My dear husbands
father is the rector of the place; he Is
the only friend / have in the world
now, and l want to tell him how l am
situated, for know he will help me-"
Eyes, but"
"You ride a cycle, don't you? Ev-
doU rtd
self, though / haven't machine. But
Mr.. Selhurst has one, and he has
brought it here. If you will only come
with me, / can go on that. II can
wear his clothes. Do come with me,
DR.. Dingle," she added in a pleading
voice.
What was I to say, to do? Was she
mad, or had she spoken truth? Dis
trust of Selhurst almost led me tn be-
lieve her.
"At what time would you start?" I
asked, at last.
you will come, then? Thank YOU
thank you!"
II cannot promise"
ooh. you will come! Be here at
nine-outside the house. You must
go now, or my jailer will grow sus-
picious. Goodbye" She pressed my
hand gratefully.
l went downstairs and confronted
Selhurst.
"Well?" he said.
WELL" l answered, "the case ie
difficult one. / must think it over.
You shall hear from me later on"
mo immediate development IS like
ly?'
"Oh, no."
was about to step into the street
when a piercing cry in child's voice
rang through the house. An evil look
mounted to Selhurst's brow. but he
said nothing. I went out. That cry
decided me. Mrs. Gray was victim
of this villains wicked plans. She
should have my help.
Accordingly at S.45 that evening
went round to the clubhouse which had
excited Selhurst's comment and got
out my old roadster. AS I did so, I
glanced at the new and glittering
mount l was to bestride in to-mor-
rows race, and suppressed the thought
that to-nights adventure was scarcely
the best possible preparation for that
encounter. Then / locked the door,
put the key in my pocket and started
for the rendezvous.
Mrs. Gray, dressed in knickerbock-
ers and short jacket, awaited me, and
rewarded my punctuality with smile
and slight blush.
II hate riding in these things" she
said alphabetically; "but you see, 6oc-
tor, have no option. Let us get away
at once" she added.
I assented, silently, and we both
mounted and rode off.
There was little conversation be-
tween us. Our way lay along smooth
and level roads, so that we proceeded
at good pace, and were soon within
mile of our destination. But at this
point Mrs. Gray, who had fallen be-
hind, suddenly called out that she had
punctured her tire. dismounted, and
walked back to where, apparently In
tears, she stood beside her bicycle.
How Unfortunate" she cried, brok-
emily. ooh, how unfortunate"
Perhaps 1t can be set right" I said,
soothingly. "Let me see IL 1 can find
where 1t is"
Then asking me to hold my own BIZ
cycle stopped down, and
Tn a vv1ornant ho baA x,aupxaS 49,,