The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-04-26
Che Dap Star Of TIE
Orknep'S.
Romance...By Hannah B. Mckenzie
CHAPTER IX.-OContinued. }
Romance...By Hannah B. Mckenzie.


make some arrangements as to his
leaving next day. He was gone an
hour or two, and when he returned
the kotelkeeper met him at tho door.
Miss Stuart has been calling for
you, Mr. Monteith. and has just gone.
Now what pity you were not back
ten minutes ago, and you would not
have missed her!' said the worthy Mr..
Nicholson. But she left a note for
you, sir. Here II is
Monteith took the dainty envelope,
from which subtle perfume of sweet
violets arose, and glanced at the adj
dress. He was too astonished to speak.
He took it into his room-a regular
bachelors room, with pipes strewn
about the mantlepiece, and his bicycle,
which had been mended since his ac-
cident, standing against the wall
There he tore open the note Dear
Evan" ran the bold, dashing writing
of Lilith Stuart, Il am so sorry to find
you are out. / must see you again, If
!. only for a minute. Do not be unmerci-
full; grant me this that I ask OF you.
Meet me at the Rowan Crag at two
o'clock exactly. | shall be there.
Yours. Lilith. P. ST. shall depend
on you
What could 1t mean?
Had Lilith repented! He could hard
ly think so, knowing of her what he
did. III not, what more could she have
to say to him on the subject? 1t was
impossible to conjecture. The note
puzzled Evan.
"But / must go. shall give her that
last chance he thought II shall
meet her at two. as she asks. There
will be time after that for me to run
round to Abbot's Head"
1t was half-past one when he started
from the Cow Hotel The path froT'
the town towards the seashore road
was steep and stony. Evan walked his
machine down 1t, as he usually did.
Once on the seashore road. he mounted
and rode as quickly as the hilliness of
the path would permit
His machine was high-grade one,
with Dunlop tires and high-geared, so
that he had to put good deal of pres
sure on the pedals In ascending the
hill. He was near the top, and the
path was very stony, when suddenly
his fore wheel came in contact with a
large stone he had not noticed.
The wheel went over, but the next
instant there was sound as of some
thing cracking beneath him; then the
II FRO xyfr<y NJ "
over. and before Evan could help him
self. he was shot over the handlebars,
and landed on his back little dis
lance away from the machine. Luck
lily he was not much hurt, and in few
seconds was able to pick, himself up
and look at his machine. To his
amazement. the front fork had snapped
at the point where 1t was drilled for
the axle, the framework had lurched,
the axle springing from tho socket,
and the wheel had "buckled."
Il am an unfortunate beggar," NUT
tered Monteith to himself This Is the
second time I've come to grief in these
islands of nightless summer Well,
there's nothing for it but to leave the
machine here and hurry on to keep
my appointment. I can trust the ma
tives not to touch it." He had
scratched his hand severely and twis-
ted his arm; but these were trifiing in
juries to what he might have expe-
rienced And as Evan hurried on, he
thanked God for what seemed almost a
miraculous escape.
IF it had happened near Rowan
Crag, God only knows where | might
be now!" he thought to himself, shud-
dering little as he hurried EDWARDS.
If he had understood better the ter
rible nature of the danger he had es-
capped, his thanks would have been
deeper than they were.
81 am going along by the cliffs this
afternoon, Miss Troll. You will tell
Lady Westray So"
'On your machine, Miss Stuart?"
Elspeth Troll asked, looking up quick
ly.
YES; ON my machine. Why not?'
AZ do not know that it is quite safe,
Elspeth said, turning away again to
look out OF the window. Nicholson
has not mended that broken fence yet
Lilith laughed little.
You think / am afraid? 1t takes
more than broken fence to frighter
me, Miss Troll"
She passed out OF the room. and Els
Deth looked after her uneasily.
II do not know why should fee
so about this sudden resolve of hers.
she said to herself at last. rising ant
walking uneasily about the room. e
feel as if--as Ii some terrible catas
strophe were hanging over us all. ant
II she had hand In 1t. Surely an