The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-06-14
CGUR D'ALENE.
BY nARY HALLoCK P00TE.
=. copyright, 1894, by Mary HalIook Foots.1
Continued from fifth page.


she took that message herself, pre-
cisley in your language, because you
were unwilling to trust it on paper
naming the place and the time of the
meeting; and in case there should be
a doubt in the young mans mind that
the message was genuine, you added
these words: Tell him it comes from
her he called his Mountain Lily Faith,
| don't wonder that you cover your
facel''
Faith instantly raised her head 81
deny that / sent that message or any
message" she uttered with white lips
IF Abby says that did, you will have
to choose between the word of serv
ant and the word of your daughter"
Don't get excited" said Mr.. Bing
ham. 81 will have this thing decided on
no ones word but your own and his.
Do you deny that those words you have
just heard me repeat were the words
of that messenger"
81 do not; I deny that they were my
words, or that l ever used them"
1T scarcely matters whose words
they are; but should like to know how
they came to be SO effectual for the
purpose. They certainly brought that
young man-where he got, not what he
came for, evidently, but what he richly
deserved. Whoever sent it, the mes
sage acted like charm. How do you
explain that?"
81 am not bound to explain it; ] am
Tot responsible for his coming.v
well, should like to know who this
IL.
men in woods, alone, at dark hours of
the night"
Father, will tell you all I know"
said Faith, trembling and deadly white,
for now she could not doubt with what
merciless constructions she had to
deal.
He did call me by that name once,
father 1t was when we abused his hos
pitality, and l was left on his hands
alone-yes. in the dark hours of the
night. 1t was then, when my father
failed me, when he was father and
friend and brother to me, that his heart
went out to me; his pity made him ten
der toward me, and he said those words.
How they got abroad to be turned to
this wicked and shameful use, 1 can
not tell you, and l do not care. But if
they had been the means of bringing
him to his DEATH he would have been
the last man-yes, as he is the first
to say such words to me-"
"And do you think that you know the
character of this man?"
How should / know his character?
Do know my own? know what my
father processes to think ! am, and to
whom he goes for his information. A
stranger could hardly expect to fare
better than daughter, If l am--what
you say am, need not be surprised
that he should turn out to be "a spy
BE careful. Faith. l have given you,
in my own mind, the benefit of last
doubt, awaiting your acknowledgment
of this mans true character. But if you
insist on siding with him-well, you
must expect to be judged with him.
Here are the proofs of what he is, in
his own words"
Mr.. Bingham produced a letter in "a
long blue envelope, unsealed, and with
out an address. He offered it to Faith
II will not touch it'll" she cried For
shame, father! Can you stoop to read
private letter picked out of the peck
cts of your guest by your own serv-
ants?"
my guest A pretty sort of guest
My guest is a spy, and he is my pris-
oner," shouted Mr.. Bingham. 81 have
the right to search, and l have proved
his trade on him by the papers he
carries. Abby was right to inform our
boys of this meeting, and they were
right to be there, prepared to take him
alive or dead. The time demands it.
A spy expects the treatment of spy:
be knows what that is when he agrees
to take the job. Now hear what he
says for himself. This is a letter ad-
dressed to Sir Peter Plympton. the
president of our company, as you know.
The date is June 30, the day of that &C.
casion you refer to in manner so re-
spectful to your father, when we first
met this Mr.. Darcie Hamilton, alias
Jack Darcie. His father is Archibald
Hamilton, one of our directors, so it's
not for the wages he has taken up the
trade; it's pure love of the business.
will not stop to read each specific
charge that he brings against me; you
can read the letter yourself, if you like
erudpS you nave READ IL.
Faith rejected the letter with a pas
sionate gesture.
Then you will have to take my word |
for the contents. It's the old list of |
charges that is always put up when |
there is kick against one man on the |
Misrepresentation of lot of other |
men who have something to gain by |
his downfall. I'm liar and a thief, |
and I'm generally incompetent; there's |
nothing wrong that haven't done, and |
there's nothing right that have. If |
you won't read it, you Gun take for
granted there's nothing left out. But
here is his summing up:
L would unhesitatingly recommend
that work be suspended, and the mine
shut down, pending a complete reor-
ganization of the force. The morale of
the men is what might be looked for as
the result of inefficiency, wasteful ex-
-Q u a md -, |