Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-05-07
IA MAN FROM THE DARK.
BY MRS. C. N. WILLIAMSON,
"The Barn Sormer "The Woman Grey"
Sport" "The House by Lock" &C.
Copy right.)

expect SdcflnceS from me, what was
| more, she would not have them. While
| was engaged on her business whittier
| l went, there would spe go also; and
| that was "all there was about it."
But, despite her dainty vehemence, it
was not quite all. l got my way at
last by persisting that should be safer
without ner, as we'll as more at ease
in mind. Her face changed as / sprang
this final argument, and the flashing
light died out of her eyes. She had no
more objections to offer, but with lips
tightly pressed together got the hat
and jacket 1 had bought her the day
before.
She was not to take any luggage for
in case of complications I wished to
provide as far as possible against being
tracked. The changes we must make
in the railway trains would help us
when we had got on our way, and at
Edinburgh, even at this early hour of
the morning, there would be life
enough in the station, hoped, to save
us from being particularly observed by
the officials
l locked her bedroom door, while
mine had not opened since fastening
it last night. 1t would be supposed, I'M
til late hour in the morning, that we
were resting after yesterdays fatigue,
so that our rooms would not be dis
turbed or our absence suspected, l
hoped. Meanwhile intended to hasten
back, and, should worst come to worst,
if only l could cover the place of La
noes retreat, the mere fact that the
bird was flown might then, for all l
cared, be discovered.
We did not breakfast at the hotel
but passed out in the interval of
changing the night porter for the man
who relieved him, unobserved. At the
station / bought Lance some sand
witches and a cup of coffee from the re-
freshment bar, which was just open
ing. A few moments later we were in
the train, and then, and not till then,
did l fully explain what 1 hoped would
be her fate for time indefinite.
told her about Tom Wynyard, the
quaint, kindly old boy, with his true
heart and his queer mannerisms, and l
described Miss Wynyard as fiattering-
ly as I dared
when Tom knows as much as we
| think it best to let him know" l said
"he and his sister will both be ready
to lay down their lives to guard you
from harm. And while they are look
ing after you l want you to feel, if you
can, that l am doing all that is posi-
BILE toward righting your wrongs and
bringing at least one criminal to JUS
tice. If it can be satisfactorily proved,
as I hope with all my heart, that your
uncle is innocent, he shall be sent to
fetch you home as soon as that can
safely be-
For long moment she looked at me.
Then don't you mean to see me again
until-until everything is settled one
way or the other?"
for you? AS for me, L look upon myself
only as a means towards an end-that
end, your well-being.
you are very good to me-" she said
thoughtfully, hanging her head. But
why do you speak as if you had no
no intimate interest of your OWN"
Because I literally have none any
more. I am tree cut down, only of
use if l can be hewn into another shape
to fit the needs of Others"
l smiled as l spoke, that my words,
though they were true enough, should
not pose as misanthropic.
But you are young; and stronger,
1 should think, than any man l have
ever seen. You have suffered, but your
life isn't over, as you seem to feel. 1t
ought to be just beginning-the best
part of it, mean"
Suddenly the impulse came to tell her
something of Marjorie Tessett. 1t was
not that l had sentimental longing
to pour confidence into her charming
little ears; but l had still, underneath
various other feelings less definable,
sensitive fear lest she should think me
an impudent adventurer bidding for
her favor, scheming through my SER
vices to her (such as they were) to
secure Ter person. and her fortune for