The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-22
CHAPTER xII.-continued.
Some Strange Happenings.

Some Strange Happenings.
DO not call me by that name!" Vivien
was saying. 1t belongs to the past. 1
can't bear that even the air should hear it.
Haven't I bought my freedom land, in
deed, legally, even, I am free You know
that. 1t is only that the story Of my past
must not be known, even to my uncle.
Haven't done enough to buy the keeping
Of the secret? Haven't done enough to
buy all your secret, too? How would you
have got on without my help these last
days?
you have done very well, but then. you
have been we'll bribed too. We've served
each other equally so far. And you ought
to consider yourself well paid by having
this Breakspear with whom you're so in
fatuated, put in such position that he's
virtually forced to offer you marriage
HE isn't in that position, yet"
mo, but he will be in twenty-four
hours" (Jim was exceedingly curious to
know how When you come to his res
cue. as II by accident, save his life, nurse
him night and day at the risk Of being
nnaligned by scandalmongers. will there
be any way but one out Of the dilemma
for man Of his sort? No, he's yours.
my girl; and consider that IhaVe behaved
very generously In saying: Bless you, my
children It's an unusual situation, you'll
admit for the ex-husband to be playing
matchmaker for the ex-wife. Confess I've
paid you we'll for all your help, especially
as the caravan idea was mine; and don't
ask me to tell you any more, for l have
no intention Of doing So" ..
BY this time Jim's ears were burning.
He had acted the part of the eavesdropper
at first with the best intentions and for
@ particular purpose; but the subject he
had wished to hear discussed had changed
embarrassingly, and did not seem likely
to be renewed again. Instead, he was
listening to a lady's secrets, and hearing
Wishes
himself as shocked and astounded him to
the limit Of sensation. He would listen to
no more. Abruptly he turned. and began
walked back in what he judged to be the
direction Of New-Take Farm. But Dart
moor at night is bewildering. He walked
on and on until he felt his physical powers
utterly failing him. STILL not light was
to be seen in the distance; moOrland.
moorland everywhere: and the stars had
been blotted out with the clouds.
To him it appeared a grievous misfor-
tune to have lost his way, and to be
forced al last to fling himself down among
the heather, with no better prospect than
TO lie still until the down Of another day.
Yet had he known what fate hid, he might
well have thanked heaven for blessing
in disguise.
Not much more than half an hour after
the caravan left it's resting place outside
the gates Of NewTake farm, man went
out also. keen as bloodhound on the
scent. He did not know Of the existence
of the caravan, but he saw wheel tracks.
and caught at the idea that a wagon Of
some sort had been sent from the village
to aid Breakspears projected escape. He
was able to follow the tracks, which
tended for some distance in the direction
expected. then left the road and struck
off across the open moor. At length he
saw the moving bulk of the caravan.
black against the sky line, and fastened
his footsteps. which had hesitated some
times in doubt. Scarcely ten minutes
after Breakspear had turned away in dis
gust at the startling information received,
setting his face in the wrong direction,
the man who called himself Michael Du-
pont came up with the caravan.
He had inside his coat the same re-
volver he had carried before-a weapon
he had chosen for himself from arsenal
remarkably well stocked, albeit on a small
scale. He took the revolver out and held
1t ready, as, with even more caution than
Breakspear had observed he drew still
nearer to the caravan.
The vehicle, for obvious reasons, carried
no lamps, and showed absolutely black
save for the dim squares Of light made by
the calico curtains that hung across the
tiny windows. This faint illumina ton,
! given out only by the lantern within, did
! not shine upon the figures sitting side
! by side upon the seat in front. All
! Michael could see was that two persons
| were seated there, shoulder to shoulder
| Their conversation had ceased now, and
I they sat in silence. Michael would have
| taken his oath on their identity. He
would have sworn that one was the man
he had gone out to kill few days earlier
Cor was 1t hundred years?), the other
that mans OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
He had followed the track Of the cara
van from just outside the farm ga tes,
therefore he could be making no mistake
Heaven-if there was Heaven-had de-
livered the two arch villains into his
hands, and this time they should not by
his will be spared. Afterwards, for him
self come what might, at least Maya
would know that the sacrifice had been
made for her.
So Michael drew closer to the caravan
his revolver at full cock.
Maya could not sleep that night. For
years she had forgotten what happiness
was like, but tonight was the most un-
happy she had known. Tho she had pro-
tested to Michael her undiminished faith
In Breakspear, In her heart she knew that
Ats brightness was clouded. A voice
seemed whispering to her: why do you
believe In him? Is 1t not because he Is
young and handsome, and has brought an
atmosphere of romance into your life?
Is 1t not because he pretended to love
you, and was making you love him In re-
turn? Think how easy 1t Is for a man to
deceive a young girl All the evidence
is against him, nothing in his favor ex-
cept that he is good to look at, and has
pleasant ways"