The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1900-04-06

has q twofold nature, one part spirit
ual, the other sensuous and material;
but whether Magnus would have yield
ed to it or not was never known, for
at that moment the door opened gently
and another girl came in.
Magnus rose to his feet, slight flush
on his face. It was impossible to. say
whether the newcomer noticed 1t or
not. She extended her hand calmly.
Lady Westray is able to see you
now, DR.. Halcrow," she said.
Magnus knew Elspeth Troll we'll.
They had played together as children,
and Elspeth was not far from his own
age, which was twenty-six. She had
been the only child of the Manse at
Finstray in those days. Now both PAT
ents were dead, and for five years Els
peth had been part companion, part
secretary to Lady Westray. Now that
Lady Westray was no longer lady of
the manor, but that lady's chaperon-
for the widow of the late Sir James
had been left poor-Elspeth occupied a
somewhat anomalous position.
She was a tall, slender girl, with a
grave, thoughtful face, whose only
beauty lay in the eyes-dark brown,
soft and earnest. They looked at Mag
nus often with an expression whose
meaning he could not fathom, but
which made him vaguely uneasy.
He rose to follow her from the room
AS he did so there was startling glare
of light, and overhead a rafting peal
which seemed to shake the whole
house. Lilith uttered cry and chung
to Magnus.
"Oh, don't go! don't leave me alone!
Lady Westray can wait; there is no
hurry"
Lady Westray is nervous about the
thunderstorm, Miss Stuart" said Els
peth, in her quiet tones, which might
have almost seemed emotionless If it
were not for certain flash in her
brown eyes, which Magnus caught as
she raised them for one moment, and
then let them fall again. "That is why
she wishes to see DR.. Halcrow at
once"
"But you are keeping her company"
Lilith cried. Then she raised her i'm
ploring eyes to Magnus' face. What
man could resist that look?
"Miss Troll will stay with you, Miss
Stuart. There is nothing to be afraid
Of" said Magnus, gently loosening her
hold. ''You know my first duty is to
my patient"
DUTY? All, what an unpleasant
word that is!' said Lilith. 'But have
no right to detain you; only you will
come back before you leave the cas-
tle?"
81 shall come back!" Magnus replied
gravely. Then he left the room.
But he had barely escaped from Lady
Westray, who was a nervous, selfish
hypochondriac, for whom no one had
any affection save Elspeth Troll, when
the messenger arrived from Abbot's
Head, covered with perspiration and
pale with fright.
Magnus was met on his way to Lii
this sitting-room by footman with
the message.
"It's a matter of life and death, sir
the young man babe me tell you," said
the pompous functionary.
"Tell him to return to Abbot's Head
at once, and shall overtake him, y
said DR.. Magnus. He snatched a mo-
ment to say farewell to Lilith, who
was still sitting in corner of her room
hiding her eyes from every flash of
lightning; while Elspeth Troll bent her
dark eyes over a heavy seam. For
Elspeth, as Magnus knew we'll, was
never idle, but employed all the time
she could spare from Lady Westray in
working for the poor.
Going? All, it is unkind-it is pos
itively cruel of your said Lilith when
Magnus announced his intention. "And
in such a storm! Must I exercise nv
woman's right, and forbid it,"
"You will not, Miss Stuart, I ain
sure" said Magnus, holding her hand
fast and feeling his pulse thrill, "wheo
you know duty calls me away"
(To be Continued.)