Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1903-02-12

She dld. not disguise the interest
she felt. She came to the door.
Have you any news?" she asked.
She had been sweeping. and she
leaned heavily on the broom as she
awaited his answer.
The detective. unimpressionable as
he was. felt thrill of almost tender
admiration as he looked at her face,
which was beautiful even in its pal
lor and anxiety.
Yes. have news" he said, hating
to say what that news was.
Mr.. Rothesay was in Philadel-
phia?" she said. in very low voice.
Unfortunately. no. He has not
been there for some months. Read
those"
And he put into her hands the two
messages he had just received.
AS her eyes glanced over them,
she pressed her hand to her heart.
and an expression of the keenest
anguish passed over her face.
But she stood steadily there. though
it was a moment before she could
command her voice to speak. When
she did. it was to say. coldly:
You think him guilty. That is
because you do not know him."
Il think circumstanceslook bad for
him. You must own that. yourself,
Miss Purcell"
Kate did not reply She turned and
sat down. unable longer to stand.
Loud saw that his presence torment
ed her but he longed to settle it in
his own mind as to whether she
knew anything of the whereabouts of
Rothesay.
DO not look upon me as his enemy"
he said at last, deprecatingly. cit is
true it is my business to suspect
where there seems reason for such
suspicion, but it is equally true that
almost invariably my efforts to let
light in upon these dark matters
clear suspected innocence. 1t is inn
possible now but that Rothesay be
suspected; but Miss. Purcell. l beg you
to bear in mind that l shall not shall
not strive to convict him-I only
try to find the truth; and in the inter-
est OF that truth l ask you. who feel
sure of this mans innocence. if you
can tell me anything that can guide
me in my search
LIQUIDS eyes. searching as a flame,
were fixed on the girls face. Her
heart beat in such tumultuous pulsa-
tons as to almost suffocate her. Her
face was ashy white; her delicately
curved. full lips. usually so crimson,
were colorless as her face.
IL have nothing to tell YOU" she
said. at last.
Very WELL will not intrude upon
you longer" and Loud turned away.
AS he did so, Dick Burt came in
at the other door of the house. He
saw Kate standing at the open door,
her face turned toward the outer air,
as one blind will turn the face toward
the light. seeing nothing.
Burt paused a moment. awed by the
terrible agony in Rates countenance
and attitude.
She had not heard him. and he soft
ly stole out and looked down the road
in the direction in which that blank
gaze had been fixed.
He saw middle-aged man. walking
with bent head. and hands clasped be-
hind him.
Il don't know him." he said to him
self 1T can't be that man who has
made her look like that. It's time
l hurried up matters little. She's
getting farther and farther from me
every day. I'll put the screws on
Purcell tighter. l can't say I'm sorry
Caryl is out OF the way. He promised
me help. but | always doubted his
help. Rothesay is gone also. I'm
glad | didn't have row with Caryl
just before he got knocked in the
head. I'm all right. and now seems to
be the time for me to work. If Kate
has had a fancy, I'll catch her heart
in the rebound, as they tel about"
Thus speaking. Burt went down to
the water. dragged a boat down to
the waters edge and then jumped
in. rowing rapidly out in the direction
where he knew Purcell had gone
fishing.
For some reason for the last few
weeks-ever since that chest with its
strange contents had been discovered
Purcell had not been so eager. at
least in action. concerning the buried
treasure. and he had reused himself
to work more at his calling.
He was in one OF those stages
which come to all dreamers. when
they wake to the reality of life and
work before them-wake. perhaps, to
fall into their visions again.
Burt knew the weakness of the
mans mind. and he had played effect
ually upon it in times gone by. He
believed, with reason, that he could
do it again.
He saw Purcells boat anchored off
the BLACK ledge" and he leisurely
pulled. sure of finding his man.
AS he came nearer he saw that
Purcell was not fishing. but sitting
with head bent, and hands clasped
on both knees.
A disagreeable smile came to Burt's
lips as he saw and knew that Charles
Purcell was again bent upon dreams
and calculations.
What luck to-day. Purcell?" he
asked, as he brought his boat along
side the other one,
Purcell started violently, and ex.
claimed. irritably:
How you come upon one, Dick!
There's couple o. dozen perch. but
they are not of much account. What
does this fishing amount to? might
fish every hour of the day all my life,
and never get more money than
enough to feed and clothe us shah
billy"