The Red Cloud chief., 1906-11-23
I[0NrINUED.l

Tyne followed his example.
Say, uncle" he cried. "here's a
queer item! When l first net Con
stance I spoke of Mrs. Yansittart, and
called her my prospective step-aunt.'
"A very silly name too
Constance seemed to think that, or
It's feminine equivalent. She corrected
NE. You mean YOU iancee's aunt |
she said"
"Oh, did sher'
eyes, and here's to her being my
fancee's mother"
With the morning came doubt. A
maid who was given charge of the two
children told Pyne that Mrs. Vansit-
tart had been greatly upset the pre-
vious evening. The girl was sure that
the lady had passed nearly an hour in
tears kneeling by the side of the bed.
Then, having regained control of her
seif to some extent, she rams for the
maid and asked at what time the first
train left for London next day. She
ordered her breakfast Mt an hOur which
seemed to indicate her intention to de-
part by that train. said that she would
leave instructions with Mr.. Pyne con-
corning the children, and gave the maid
two letters which she had written.
These were to be delivered at o o'clock.
What was to be done with the letters?
AS they were addressed to Pyne and
his uncle respectively. he soon settled
that point.
His letter read:
Dear Mr.. Pyne-I am leaving for Lon
don quite early. so I will not see you
again In PenZance. I have supplied the
little girls with all the garments they will
need during the next few days. II. on in
auiry. you ascertain that they have no
relatives anxious, not merely willing. to
tak charge of them, i shall be most
pleased to assume that responsibility. In
that event, kindly write me. care of my
bankers Yours very sincerely,
E., VANSITTART.
The communication to HIS uncle was
equally brief. Mr.. Trail read it to
him. 1t an:
Dear Mr.. Traill-I cannot marry you.
Please forgive me. I did not realize when
you honored me with your proposal that
an insuperable obstacle existed. That Is all
"a lame explanation, but complete so far
as it goes. A woman who has wrecked
her life finds it hard to choose her words.
Your sincere friend, e. VANSITTART.
They discussed these curt notes dur
ing breakfast.
Il do not like their tone," said Mr..
Traill gravely. 'They impress me as
the hurried resolutions Of a woman
driven to extremeties. Were it not for
her request about the children l should
think what you thought last night,
Charlie, when that policeman turned
up"
II must have ~telephoned my ideas to
you mighty quick" was the retort.
my dear boy, even at this moment
we don't know what she intended to
do. Why did she go out? What Is the
nature of her sudden illness? How
comes II that she Is at Brands hOuse?'
II may be mistaken, but l think we
will be given answers to all your ques-
tions in due time. Nothing really seri-
0us can be amiss or we should have
heard of ii from Brand himself. Now,
will you remain on guard here while I
go out with Elsie and Mamie? The
n thing hat matters in their little
lives this morning Is that l shall hurry
ap and go doll hunting with them"
II will hold the fort until you return.
You will not be long?'
Perhaps half an hour. While I I'm
out / will make some inquiries as to
the condition of our other friends of
the Chinook"
"By the way, many of them must be
destitute. 1t is my desire, Charlie, to
pay the expenses of any such to their
destination and equip them properly
for the journey"
"You are a first rater, uncle, but it'll
make your arm tired IL you o. X. the
bill all the time. Now, here's a fair
offer. Let me go halves"
"Be off, you rascal! You are keeping
two ladies waiting"
With seeming anxiety to atone for
the excuses of the week, the weather
that morning justified the claim Of
Cornwall to be the summer lam Of
England. The sun shone from a blue
sky fiecked with white clouds. The
waters of Mounts bay sparkled and
danced In miniature wavelets. The air
was so mild, the temperature so equa.
bic, that u was hard to credit sea and
wind with the havoc OF the preceding
days.
The Gulf Rock disaster did not stand
alone In the records of the hurricane
Even the days papers contained be-
lated accounts of casualties on the
00asts Of Normandy. Holland and far