The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-02-13

I smiled at his clumsy attempt to
dispose Of me, and glanced at Miss
Sanborn. She was evidently bracing
herself for something trying but in
evitable.
IF I get down shall never get up
again." said I. "Now that we're this
near, I'm going to ride on to the end
of the valley. Put me on the horse,
Angus, and wait for me; I'll pick you
up as come back
He did it, with palpable gratitude;
and so rode on and left them. @
Fifteen minutes later I repassed
the schoolhouse; and, not to mar
their leave-takings, waved my hand
to them and rode on down the val
ley. Macpherson overlook me in the
second half-mile, and the gloom in
his face was absolutely portentous.
I charged it to my inconsiderate
haste, and made instant amends.
"Go along back to her, if you want
to; I told you could find the way
home alone"
For five full minutes he did not re-
ply. Then the words came tumult-
wise.
"That's the heart-breaking pity of
it, Jack; I can never go back to her.
Do you understand?-never. For
heavens sake, bear with me if you
can, old man; shall go mad if L
don't talk about it. She says it's all
over between us; that we mustn't
meet again; that if I'm obstinate,
as promised to be, she'll go as she
came. And she wouldn't tell me why.
God in Heaven! what have I done?"
cts nothing you've done or left
undone. Can't you see?-it's wy
kamp."
Macpherson consigned the engineer
to a place from which the theolo-
gians assure us there is no escape.
"That's all right; his Creator may
send him there, but you're under
bonds not to-"
The double quartette of pounding
hoofs beat out another mile of
silence, and then he broke out again.
Damn it all, man, why don't you
say something's"
eve been trying to think of some
thing worth saying. Let's begin at
the beginning. Here is very riddle
Of mystery with only two people
who can solve it. One of the two
won't talk; ergo, the other must be
made to. You were in Fort Cowan
the other day. May inquire what
you did?" - --.' ..--.>-+
Il located placer prospect on the
line of the Glenlivat ditch, and made
ready to ask for an Injunction if
Wykamp runs his survey across it,"
"Good! But you also asked ques-
tions. Who knows anything about
Wykamp?"
"Nobody at the fort; he's from the
east
"Who employs him?''
'"The board of directors, I suppose.
He's the chief engineer of the COM
pany."
"Who are the directors?"
he named the members of the
board.
"Lovatt's one of them, you say?"
EYES,"
"That's lucky for US. Can you
spare one of the boys to take let
ter to town for me?"
Sure. What are you going to ,do?"
II know Lovatt pretty we'll; he's
under obligations to me, in fact. I
shall ask him for letter of intro
duction to his chief engineer"
what good will that do?"
much, let us hope Armed with
my letter, I shall proceed to. quarter
my ailing self upon Wykamp for a
day, week, or a month";"
"Well?'
''When I get through with him.
we shall know more than we do
now"
what if he won't talk?"
Hell be made to. A few minutes
ago you gave him Dantean blessing.
and I told you that you are under
bonds to keep the peace. I'm not"
Macpherson lighted his pipe in mid
gallop and smoked upon it.. At the
>AAA VI WIZ ASAASSC1FO 1uUcrVdl ne said:
II can't let you do it.''
''Why?" I demanded.
because you're sick man, and
my friend. 1 should never forgive
myself"
"Nonsense! If anything will serve
to keep me alive beyond the DOCTORS
reprieve of six weeks or so, it's a bit
OF detective work which will keen me
from counting the days. So YOU see
the motive is selfish, after all"
II see that you're the best friend
a poor devil ever had"
Don't fatter yourself. Two hours
ago I should have let you wrestle
out of it as best you could" ~
But now?" ...z1
But now I have seen her; I'm her
champion and none of yours. nv
dear boyt You're only an incident"
And then the undreamed-of truth
laughed out in a jest. "You can
thank your luck stars that I've one
foot safely in the grave. Otheru3.a