The Red Cloud chief., 1898-09-23
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che Dap Star Of the
0rknep's.
A Romancs...By Hannah B. McKenzis. I


'NNs c'f
she could not shake off? Elspeth did
not know; but before the horror OF It.
she shuddcred and covered her face.
feeling suddenly icy cold, though the
dag vas warm.
II am mad she whispered present
~, letting her hands fall. God forbid
that anything SO horrible should be
real! And yet why not go out myself
and-and avert danger, IL there should
be any,"
Lady Westray was taking her after
luncheon nap. Elspeth ran downstairs.
put on a hat in the hall and, starting
through the grounds, wa soon on the
scashorc path.
1t was n September afternoon, and n
glorious day-not too sultry. but with
n first cool breath of Autumn In the
air. Az Elsreth raced along, listening
to the soft swlsh-swlsh of the waves
AZ they broke on the cliffs below. the
inviGorating air seemed to Danish the
horrible fear that had seized her mind
in So sudden and wild a fashion.
What a wicked, suspicious mind |
must have" she thought. Even as the
thought passed through her mind she
noticed the tall figure of a man walk
ing rapidly toward her.
For Il moment Elspeth thought II
was Evan Montieth, and her heart beat
fast; but In a few seconds she saw her
mistake. and recognized him as Mag
nus Halcrow. On "a sudden impulse
she moved from the pathway. and re-
treated towards the line of rowan-trees
and blrches which ran along higher up
from the cliff.
AS she did so the whirring sound OF a
bicycle coming rapidly along the road
startled her. She looked round. 1t
was Lilith, who came flying along the
dangerous road like a creature of the
woods and sea, her masses Of reddish
auburn hair floating about her, her lips
parted, her eyes wild with excitement.
She was rushing at a breakneck speed.
Elspcth could have shriekcd aloud to
see her.
She was close to that dangerous part
the part OF the clifl-road which was
so close to the rocks that ii had been
| tSutil ' ~ al laillNdit VI Npob vi thN
safety of pedestrians or riders,
Only the day before the keeper had
come to inform Miss Stuart that a por-
ton of the fencing had been broken
down, evidently by some malicious per-
son., and that the path was therefore
dangerous. Yet, in defiance of this,
L.ilith had elected to ride along this
pno1 today Nhu hod lhn 6nVA an9
AS Elspeth gazed with fascinated
eyes, hardly drawing a breath, at the
flying wheel and It's rider, Magnus sud
denly emerged into the path round Il
turning.
Did Lilith Stuart see him? Did she
recognize him? Did she take him for
some one else? None knew-none
should ever know in this world.
She rode on wildly, her pedals hard
ly seeming to reyolve, so rapid was the
motion. A log lay across the road.
The rider could not have noticed it, for
the next nj her machine rocked
wildly.
A shrek rose to Elspeth's lips. She
checked it. with a strange feeling that
size HcTStll Ndn hbout W dlN.
Then-oh, God, how could Elspeth
look on It and still liye?-the pedes-
trian had sprung forward and evil
IDENTIFY made a wild attempt to seize
the machine.
Fol- one moment-it was all done in
the twinkling of an eye--Elspeth saw
Lilith Stuart's face as she wildly threw
-. I.-l - "a xtfo ,Ia Zee avnrnuctnn ~
horror, amaZement and white despair
would haunt Elspeth as long as she
lived.
A scream rent the air-such O scream
as one hears in a nightmare, and can
not forget for days-a scream from
Lilith's lips; and then--Elspeth was
gazing wildly at empty space! Man
woman, bicycle-all had disappeared
Elspeth thought she uttered a cry;
In reality no sound came from her dry
lips and throat. She could never after.
wards recall what she did. The frs
thing she was conscious OF was tina
she was looking into Evan Monteith'i
face and trying, with lips that refused
to move or do her bidding, to tell hin
al. Out sue Knew tnut nc StcS>
her when she saw his own face grow
pale as death.
"WaIt here" he said hoarsely, SELF
ing her hand In a momentary grasp
81 shall run for Nicholson, and we nal
go down to the shore together. Don
move till ! come back"
When he returned she was still
there; but her expression frightened
even the keeper, and she was shiverinl
from head to foot like one n an agu
/ Run on to the castle, Miss Troll
Send men with stretchers," said Mon
} teith. speaking very quietly. "Hav
| things ready for them, and pray 90
they may be required"
| Elspeth Troll only asked n ques
ton.
! You will bring both to the castle?
! I'VE will. Miss" answered tn
' keeper, whose face reflected the PABLO
: OF Monteith's.
Elspeth was waiting In the haI
when. an hour later. the terrible cor