The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-10-04


| 1T was a long rigamarole of a story,
but it boiled down to this: that we were
charged with hopelessly misprinting DIR.
Weston's MSS. To get rid of the old
boy, L sent up for the original copy of
the article and showed it to him. He
went away quite satisfied after that"
did he mention DR.. Weston's name 2"
mo. That ST.
did your?
YES, l believe l did. But l took it
that he knew it already. Halo. Any
thing wrong"
| Raeburr has since admitted his doubes
as to our sanity; for without another
word my cousin rushed from the room,
and l followed at his heels.
CHAPTER XVI.
| From the Review Office to our hotel
was not great distance, and this we ran,
regardless of the indignation of jostled
| wayfarers- My cousin plunged into the
smoking-room and seized a Bradshaw. /
| looked over his shoulder with an equal
excitement. The next express from Pad
dington was at midnight, and it was
timed to arrive at the nearest station
to Polleven that the map showed US by
twelye-thirty the following morning. But
that village Itself was distant by road
a good fifteen miles from the station.
With Cornish hills we should be lucky
if we arrived there by three in the after
noon. The postal guide informed US that
our letter of warning would be deliv-
cred about twelve o'clock next day.
telegram-for there was no wire to POLE
ven = would scarcely arrive earlier.
There was nothing more to be done.
1t was, indeed, shortly before three
o'clock that our carriage groaned and
screeched its way down the steep descent
into Polleyen village. At the inn we
soon discovered the direction of DR..
Weston's cottage, and, taking the advice
of the landlord as to the roughness OF the
track thither, We left our carriage and
started off on foot. After stiff climb
of three-quarters of a mile between rug
ged cart ruts running with water from
the winter springs, we emerged into
little glen, sparsely wooded. At the
further end, built on the higher ground,
we caught a momentary glimpse OF
building which we took to be the place
we sought. From our right, low, boom
ing reverberations told of distant break
ers on a rock-bound coast.
II was l who first saw her, a glimpse
of white amongst the bare skeletons OF
the stunted trees. Then at the turn of
the path we met her. Her face was pale
as fine linen, ner eyes fixed and CLASSY.
her arms with her cienched hands rigid
by her sides. She might have been the
ghost of some great lady who had died
by cruel wrong. So blindly did she walk
that l believe she would have passed
US if Graden had not sprung forward
and barred her way.
She woke as sleep-walker wakes,
with a shuddering surprise. "Who are
your she asked family. If she had
not grasped the branch of tree, think
she would have fallen.
Are you a relation of DR.. Weston's"
asked Graden very softly and kindly.
His daughter"
"And you go?'
sTo kill myself Oh, no." she burst
out as she sprang forward. 1T is no
good, You cannot help me. The villain
sits in the porch. waiting and watching.
If l delay. he will kill-my father-my
poor old father, who Is so i'll. Let me
go-to the clif-let me go, l say"
Graden slipped his arm round her
waist, and from his great height looked
down at her with those honest blue eyes
of his that made every child his friend
OF once
II am old enough to be your father,
dear" he said. You can trust me, can't
you? Yes, yes. knew it. Now tell me
what have you TO do?'
He is waiting in the porch" she an
| swered him. IF he doesn't see me throw
myself over the cliffs, he will kill father"
''CoIId he see us coming by the path
which brought you here?"
oh, yes; above this glen it is open
moor right up to the cottage"
us there a way to the back of the
houseY"
Yes; but there Is 10 time"
THAT is foolish talk Come. tell me-"
About two hundred yards back on the
track you followed here there is a little
spring amongst the rushes. There is
path. short cut which the boys from
| the village sometimes take that leads
into the clump of frs by the garden
wall. The wall is quite low-and then
oh! then-you could get straight into
fathers room. 1t is on the ground floor;
the room ON the left as you open the
| back door. You could lock the door and
defy the other man."
Now listen to me, DEAR" said Gra-
| den. You must walk on very, very
| slowly. Take all the time you can. At
the cliff top make several starts as If
you would jump. but feared. Mind that
you do not go too near the edge. And
SO in ten minutes come home. We will
meet you, and all will be well-at least
for your father" he added grimly.
Il understand" she answered simply.
and walked on.
| 1t was a wild rush that we made. We
found the spring. and turning to our
right. crashed into the thicket-for the
path" was 4 courtesy title. The hang
ing scrub brushed our faces, in the open
patches the dead gorse dug its spines into
our knees. We quickened our pace in
the more open fr-wood, vaulted the four
foot wall of the little garden. and, pant
Ting like exhausted hounds, ran furiously
upon the house. There was no time for
lodging and crawling. 1t was a forlorn
hope we led.
| And DR.. Weston was alive.
He sat amongst his pillows, a great
book upon his knees, gazing over his
spectacles with the most profound amaze
ment on his kindly old face at the two
disheveled strangers who burst in upon
him. Leaving me to guard and quiet
b:n-for, indeed, the shock might prove
4 mt dangerous-Graden dashed out on
rrand of vengeance. Two minutes
alter / heard him call, and, breaking
| of the excuses that / was inventing,
IAN Though the house to join him.
| Miss Weston and he were standing be-
/ fore the porch-alone. She was leaning
ON his srm, painting from great exertion.
Think of it, Robert cried my cousin.
He chased her-the villain followed and
chased herr
"Elow is my fatherY she faltered.
SIS ie-as this gentleman says-quite
unharL,ed"
"Quite safe, assure you," / answered.
Il must go to him."
Zone moment. Miss Weston said my
cousin. I'VE have yet a duty to the
public safety. Which way did this man
rum