The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1899-08-18
CHAPTER XIX.

And there he remained, with eyes. down
cast, for three or four minutes after his
companion had betaken himself to his
roonl-rcmained in deep reverie, his brow
furrowcd with care.
Presently q word or two escaped him.
Dick is on my mind!" he muttered.
Dick will give us trouble. F'ilton is rash
very rash. l have lost confidence in
him, and he has lost confidence i'll HIM
self. And he is bad mana very bad
man. lie is meditating an evil deed
now"
Then the soliloQuizer heaved a sigh-a
weary. heavy sigh, as if his schemes for
wealth had hardly brought him much to
care for. lie moved two PAGES forward,
then came to standstill again, hesitatins
as person who had not yet fully made
up his mind about some perpleXing thing
which he had decided on.
No enc would ever guess the truth,
he nH;tcrcd again. ''1t was all cleverly
managed; and years have rolled between.
Lane wand hold his tongue for his own
sake. Why should be so disturbed? All,
If that letter was safe in my keeping, or if
l could satisfy myself that the fire had
consuned ii, l would defy the world.''
lie raised his head at this juncture. and
Mabel. 20 whom hope had come back-for
the probability was that, as his face was
turned away from her hiding place, he
would not detect her-saw with renewed
torture that he made another stand by the
hall table.
He had better have consented to leave
Mabel where she is" he went on. in low
tone. Here she is safe--every thinks
her insane; why cannot he let we'll alone?"
He clapped his hand upon his brow, as il
distracted with miserable surmises, then
In w-6rcathed words once more gave
vent to his many fears
with Mabel disposed of in some OBJ
scure German village and Dick in South
America. he thinks he viii be secure
Madman--he will risk too much. and he
will not listen to reason. Will Caroline
be silenced? VIII not even Netta and
Miss Gray begin to ask where Mabel is,
and why Dick does not come back? And
he will come Dack--at last.''
Another weary sigh, telling of deep I'M
rest within; and then he moved slowly
with heavy step from the hall, and Mabel,
hardly trusting vet that he would not
gone back, heard him ascend the stairs,
and door open and close again.
She had escaped such terrible dangers.
such awful peril. that she said to herself
success must reward her now. Still she
knew well enough that the least want OF
nerve, the slightest noise, might betray
her: her hands We're trembling so that she
might easily let fall bar or overshoot
bolt in her efforts to unfasten the house
door
Two or three nights before she had TAX
thn 1rpc0'1tiop tn nAobn
small piece of candle. but she did not
dare to strike a match while her uncle
at least was awake in room over the
porch; yet, if she delayed, Jane might
awake, discover that she had left the
room. and rouse the inmates of the cot
tage Ii so, discovery was certain.
In this agonizing dilemma she felt SOFTLY
for the lock of the door. Was the key in
1t? 1cs-heaven be praised! The heavy
handle Of th" huge key touched her fin.
gers. Oh. for a CLEAN of light to enable
her to take down the long bar which was
one of the faStenings! But she was in
perfect darkness. with her heart beating
almost to suffocation and her limbs shal
Ing.
Two solemn strokes doomed out unon
the night air. Two o'clock! Dared she
HA>@AN''tN 'iAf ipLSti I1OW 1ll;lnN minutes
had she remained there in deadly peril?
she was about to strike match. and at
all hazards make dash for freedom
Whcn she heard door open above and a
footstep-a mans footstep-descend tho
STAIRS 1es. yes-the footsteps were those
of the man who called himself her fatherl
Al! was lost then! She was not to es-
cape, Nh. he was returning to the hall,
II fafcwcii nope so sweet and fleetng. She
coHld not dream of escaping detection this
time.
With the blind instinct of despair. size
groped her way back to her shelter. and
then consciousness left her as she cro1lch
I'd against the wall
When Mabel reopened her eyes, the
morning light was creeping into the hal,
from window above. Daylight-and she
was Still where she had tainted, nor was
the household yet astir!
Slowly recollection returned to her. and
she realized how she had come there. and
now It was that day was breaking and
That she was in the hall instead of in ber
Swn chamber. Staggering 10 her feet. she
listened for an instant. her senses sha-1,-
ened by keenest terror. One thing was
clear Notwithstanding all her bewilder
her !ifc's happiness. Dick had in some
manner been sent away from her to dis
tant land-she herself was to be taken far
from England in a few short hours.
In the dim light she unbarred and nm
bolted the heavy door and turned the kew.
There-it was open-the cruel obstac clc
which had stood between herself and free
dom; and Mabel tottered out into the chin
mir of the November dawn. The light
was very dim-under the trees it was vet
quite dark and the affrighted girl fled to
The friendly shelter.
She had almost gained it when a hand
was lard upon her shoulder and a man in
rough country garb stood before her. She
lid not recognize him at first, so perfect
was his disguise; but when he said. in aci-
lated tones, My darling--is it you in.
deed? | have watched for you all night"
the tainted a second time, but he caught
her in his arms
1t was Neville who carried her to fly
which all this time had been either driven
slowly UP and down the grassy lane or
vas drawn I'D by the roadsda aWaitino