Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1905-05-12
CHApTER Xxx -(Contlnued.l

host, but affected Judith not at all; for
she felt convinced that he had some sub
Ject Of mutual interest In view, or he
would not be there.
Now" said Montgomery, after he had
got himself into a more genial mood,
suppose we proceed to business; for |
guess that you begin to think / am not
here altogether for pleasure, much as |
love you. But, ali! forgot; you are
too pious to transact business on Sun
dayg'
There are exceptions to all rules, YOU
know" grinned his host.
''That is to say, you don't object to
business when anything's to be got by
ton any day This is your adver-
tisement, isn't it2' he went on, with a
sudden change Of tone, and producing a
newspaper from his pocket.
A look Of eager interest came into
Judith's face, and her father began to
brighten up as he answered, Yes"
Very well, then; know where to put
my hand upon the lad at this very mo
ment."
you doY9 cried the listeners both to-
gether.
Il do. But before we go any far
Their, / have two conditions to make. In
the hrst place, you must make clean
breast to me Of everything you know
concerning this youth. You must tell
me your motives for hunting him down;
and, lastly, il there Is anything to be got
which / am certain there is by the trou-
BILE you are taking, | must have my
share"
Protesting that he would speak simply
the bare truth, Mr.. Porter proceeded to
relate the same story that he had told
Silas, suppressing, however. the mention
Of the locket. He knew that If he could
once come face to face with Silas' friends
that locket would be an alI-powerful
lever to raise the price Of his silence. To
the narrative, however, he added other
particulars telling how, when he had
gone up to the city upon certain bust
neRs OF his own, he had seen the woman
who had committed the child to his care
coming out Of the ONCE Of Messrs, Fogle
& Quick; how he had followed her and
heard her ask for ticket for certain
station in Hertfordshire; how he lad
taken a ticket for the same place, and
got out upon the same platform.
"And her destination was a mansion
called The Willows2'" put in Mr.. Mont
gomery. You see, know little, he
added, in answer to the narrator's aston
ished look; $50 be cautious"
Her destination was "The Willows"
he had loitered about the neighborhood,
In the hope Of cleaning some intelli-
gence; but all he could learn was that
tho woman's name was Madame Berne;
that she was housekeeper and confiden-
tial friend to Mr.. George Morant. the
gentleman who resided at 'aThe VIII
lows and that those two, with the
servant, constituted the entire household.
Nevertheless. had learned quite
enough to tell me that Master silas was
a family secret that might turn out I'M
common profitable one day" he conelrd
ed.
"But how did you contrive to track
this woman without being recognized?
Your face, once seen, Is not easily for
gotten
'Well, you see, was very cautious,
and kept at a good distance behind her
except when had to press close at
the ticket ONCE, to overhear what place
she asked for. Then put my handker-
chief up to my face, as though had the
toothache. And she never once looked
right or left as she walked, but stalked
straight along, with her eyes right be
fore her. Well, that Silas had not bolt
ed more than a month, when got let
ter from Fogle & Quick, to say that he
was come into an annuity, and was to
send him up to their ONCE at once"
''But cannot perceive what hold you
have upon this youth. What Is the se-
rious charge you threaten to bring
against himW
"Well, he carried away a suit of
clothes with him, for one thing" said
Mr. Porter. THE other thing is for
deserving his wifeI"
DESERVING his wife, echoed Mont
gomery, in a loud tone OF astonishment.
do you mean to say he Is married?"
ITO Judith there"
Montgomery was struck speechless
with establishment, and. for a moment,
could only stare with the most bewil-
dered OF expressions, which quickly
merged into one Of intense satisfaction.
more feod for revenge upon that
woman" was his first thought 'Well,
you have astonished me this timel" he
cried. "But I should have thought Silas
Carston was the last man In the world
that Judith would have selected. Rather
4 hazardous spec to risk that much on
the fellows probable marketable value
wouldn't for the world make mischief.
between man and wife" he said, sneer-
ingly; ''but / can tell you that he is
making up to a girl In the city. He
seems to have q weakness for golden
hair" he added, CHANGING sarcastically at
Judith's red tresses. "This girl has the
most That reminds me- No,
such a coincidence could never occur out
OF a novel"
"oh, the deprayity OF the human
hearth snufied the Rev. Obadiah Por-
ter, forgetting himself for an instant,
but the color had again flushed up into
Judith's face, and there was a dangerous
look in her eyes.
81 met your old friend, Rodwen, the
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