Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1905-09-28
CHAPTER Nv.

CHAPTER Nv.
| AS old Searle closed the door be
hind him, Sir George buried his face
in his hands and uttered groan OF
! dismay.
| What will this man do? How will
he act?" He asked himself the ques.
lions with staggering swiftness.
"Will he let his daughters disap-
pearance remain forever unaccounted
for? His women-folk must have
doubted his discretion and secrecy, or
they would not have kept him in the
dark. | ought not to have sent him
away so quickly. 1t would have been
| easy to get him to confide in me, to
| tell me more, and to place himself
completely in my hands. How little
did he suspect that l was his child's
| murderer! Heavens, what a villain
I'm growing! But Hilda's happiness
is the first thing l have to consider.
Hang my own villainy! The latter
| and old Searle's misery and anxiety
are nothing in comparison to Hilda's
happiness!
"The old mans sudden appearance
here and the unconscious agony of his
words threw me off my guard ought
to have kept my head better-asked
him to sit down and have chatted the
matter over with him. did not even
get his address. OF all the unmiti.
gated fools, am the greatest! If
ever man was willing to place him
,self in another mans power old Searle
was to-day. He seems harmless and
frail-minded, and glad to have mat.
tiers arranged for him. A villain would
would have asked him for particulars,
made notes of all he stated, spoken re-
assuringly of taking immediate steps
to trace his daughter, and promised
that the whole matter should be thor
oughly inquired into. and sent him
away believing that he had transfer
red all responsibilities from his Shout
ders. 1t would have been so easy to
impress the necessity of secrecy on
him--all lay in the palm of my hand
to clinch. For darling Hilda's sake
I should have done it. But l let all
slip through my hands"
And now--now shall have to pay
bitter price in ever-present fears of
arrest. Arrest IS
He sprang to his feet and began
pacing the room. Suddenly he pulled
himself to standstill.
"Why should not / go after him?
He can't have gone far; outside the
park gates at the farthest. I'll follow
him as quickly as can"
Not a second to lose before acting
on the decision.
Instantly he was striding into the
hall.
George! What has happened?" 1t
was Hilda's voice that asked the ques-
ton.
-what-do you mean?" he
stasnmered.
you look so terribly Ill! A thou
| Sttlu aSlluSS tLdA yOu uAu Hfall
an hour ago.
Hang it! Do I? Oh, don't trouble
me, Hilda." Then with a QUICK change
of manner he placed his hand play
fully on her shoulder and coined a
smile. I'm my usual self now, am
not?' he added. ''Tm going out for
a short constitutional now, and shall
soon be back Goodbye for the pres
ent, Well have a game of billiards
tonight, after dinner"
But she knew his playfulness was
assumed. In silence she watched him
walk away; then she stole up to her
room and stood at the window which
looked on the drive, waiting for his
return.
He reached the park gates, then
glanced right and left.
Nowhere to be seen" he exclaimed
I in surprise. Yes, there he is, and
Heavens, he Is actually speaking to a
constable. Most probably he is bring
ing my name In. Hang 1t! I-Iwhat
shall do? I'll go to Erskine, ask his
advice, tell him what has happened
How these limbs Of mine tremble al
the slightest thing!'
It was to the left that Searle had
turned when quitting Carlton Park
and fortunately Arlington Towers lay
! In the opposite direction. Only once
lsSir George glanced around as he
lsstrode IN that opposite direction. He
dared not do SO q second time, al
though 1T was q desperately difficult
matter to stifie his desire to learn
,what was happening between searle
I and the constable.
\ Is d
replied the footman at the Arlington
4 Towers.
Tell ~ said Guy, interrogati al
the visitor entered the drawing ruon,
\ sssvhat's happened II he asked anx
/. iOusly. painting himself with his bach
II Tho nreDla ace. Hs did not otler L