The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-16

arm and led her from the room.
II insist upon your going upstairs,
said he.
But she resisted still.
mo, no." she cried. I'm afraid"
afraid Of what?"
"That he'll do some harm to you"
There was such genuine solicitude
in her look and tone that he was
touched, and smiled as he released
her arm.
Nonsense! I'm more than match
for the poor wretch, you may be sure.
And the police will be here in a min
ute to arrest him as a wandering
lunatic."
1.-The police!" The color left her
face. But the next moment she re-
covered herself, and said: well, per-
haps that's the best thing that could
happen. I've heard most Of what he
said, and of what you answered.
couldn't help listening; was so afraid
of what he might do to you.'
Before he could answer, they were
both startled by a noise from the adj
joining room. Lord Catherington
moved quickly back to the door. The
noise was over, however. There was
no further sound to be heard. and
becoming rather curious as to what
was going on in the library, Lord
Catherington waved Beatrice back.
turned the key in the lock very softly
| and peeped into the room. i
Beatrice watched him from q safe
distance. 2
The door opened wider; Lord Cath
erington looked further into the room
and finally went quickly in and shut
! the door. ts- E--
"By jove!" Beatrice heard him say.
And the next moment she heard his
rapid steps up and down the room. :
MAY I come in ?" she cried. '.-
Eyes, yes, if you like"
Then she guessed the truth. and,
| entering, found the Viscount alone,
! staring about him.
Hes gone" said he, in an irritated
tone. "And Green, who was outside
the door, says he didn't go that way.
| And he's not hiding anywhere In the
| ROOM"
II know" said Beatrice. HE got
out by one Of the windows. 1t was
the shutting down Of 1t that we
| heard"
Lord Catherington pulled aside the
! blinds, and found that the window
which he had himself previously
opened was Unmatched. Throwing 1t
| up, however, he could see nothing TO
| make him sure that the man had dis
appeared by that way, and he shut 1T
down again in very uneasy frame or
mind. -r.
In the meantime Beatrice, who was
still afraid to let the child go out OF
| her arms, had been examining the
| room with scrutinizing eyes, and she
| now uttered cry OF horror. turning
| quickly towards her, Lord Gathering
| ton saw that she was, pointing to an
old table knife, with a worn black
| handle, which lay upon the floor not
| far from the door near which the
struggle between the two men had
| taken place.
The viscount picked it UP and
| whistled softly. It was common
table knife, strong, good deal worn,
and recently sharpened, as the keen
ness Of the edge betokened.
He meant to murder you," cried
! Beatrice aghast.
| IT don't know that. Still, it's not a
| proper sort Of penknife for a man to
carry about in his pocket. It must
have dropped out Of his rags when
threw him down. Well, wish knew
where he's taken himself to!"
The tears were flowing down Be-
atrice's cheeks. She felt that the con-
sequences of her crime had now be-
come too serious for any further tr1f-
had now become a danger to her bene-
| factors very life; for, as long as the
crazy artist believed that Ermyn was
the daughter Of Rosa, his wife, so long
would he doubtless continue his at
| tempts either to get possession or the
child, or to revenge himself upon the
man who refused to give her up to
him.
So the unhappy woman stood up
leaning against the table, and clasp
ing Ermyn tightly in her arms.
LET me go away" said she: You
must let me take her away. The child
Is not yours, she's NINE"
! H. nd ~
promptly: Eyes, we must take he1
away. I propose to go down to Stone
Court tomorrow, and in the meantime
T will have this man looked for; he's
such striking figure that 1t ought no,
| to be difficult for the police to get
hold Of him. In the meantime tine
child will be safe out Of his reach"
Beatrice uttered a little moan :.
mo, no." she whispered, you dom
understand. The child Is mine
mine, not yours at all, and I'm going
to take her right away from here, ur
J into the north, where my mother lives
| and my old friends. I hate the
while the tears, which did not come
. easily to her as a rule, flowed fas
} down her cheeks, because hate the
, thought Of going so far from where
} you are. I never met anybody like
!, you; I didn't know that men were 81
y
, miserable, and full of remorse and de-
spair for all the trouble I've brough
upon you"
/ She paused moment, her voice
t husky and choked, her limbs culver
? ing, her lips trembling. The knowl
, edge that she must go away had g1vel
. her boldness, and the real gratitude
she felt towards him shone IN he
blurred eyes and thrilled in her voice
Lord Catherington. instead Of show
ing any surprise, took hold of her b.
both shoulders and put her gently int
; a chair.
l Hush, hush, little woman" said he
you're upset; you're not yourself to
: night. And you're talking nonsense
you know. All the trouble you speal
= Of is nothing; it wasn't your fault tina
E the man saw you, followed you; no
your fault that the old lady was 81
8 disagreeable. AS for your passinl
(; the child off as your own, you knoy
t it's impossible, because she's so utterl
t unlike you"
/ At these words she suddenly raise
! her head with scared look. He wen
e on, not giving her time to speak, JUS
= in his old imperious manner:
"She's got her mothers blue eyes.
And he took Ermyn into his owl
. arms, looked at her little face, an
kissed away the Fuckers. mo, nc
How could you protect her, If this fel
low were to follow you up to tn
4 north ?"
alarm; she had not thought of tha
al u Tho