The Red Cloud chief., 1907-07-19
"Iou have lied to me, George!" he
cried. There was a telegram
CHAPTER XVIII.

s~pcctacleS, unrecOgnlZable, threat
ening, was within n few inches of his
own lie felt his hot breath upon his
cheek. For u moment there stole
through his numbed senses fear of
more terrible things. And then the
grip which held him relaxed. Andrew
stood away gasping. The crisis was
over.
"You lied to me, George. WhyT
DuncOmbe did not answer. He could
not. 1t was as though his body had
been emptied Of all breath.
"You meant to keep the contents of
that telegram a secret from me. Whyp
Was l right, after all? Read me that
telegram, George. Read II to me truth
fully"
"The telegram Is from Spencer"
Duncombe said. Gle Is coming here"
"Here? Is he giving up the search?
Has he failed, thenT'
"He does not say" Duncombe an
swered. "He says simply that he Is
coming here. He has wired for a mo-
tor to meet him at Lynn. He may be
here tonight"
A discordant laugh broke from Pei
hams lips.
"What about your Miss Fielding
nowT" he exclaimed. "Why do you
suppose that he is leaving Paris and
coming here? I was right. 1 knew
that l was right"
DuncOmbe stood up. His expanse of
shirt front vas crumpled and battered.
His white tie was hanging down in
ribbons.
"Listen, Andrew he exclaimed. 81
am speaking of the girl by whose side
/ sat tonight Mt dinner. who calls her.
self Miss Fielding, who has in plain
words denied that she knows anything
of Phyllis Poynton. l want you to I'M
derstand this. Whatever she may
choose to call herself that shall be her
name. | will not have her questioned
or bullicd or watched. If Spencer
comes here to do either. | have finished
with him. | elect myself her protector.
1 will stand between her and all sus-
picion of evil things"
"She has found n champion indeed!"
Pelham exclaimed ficrcely. "With Miss
Fielding | have nothing to do. Yet
YOU had better understand this. If she
be Phyllis Poynton she belongs to me
and not to you. She was mine before
you heard her name. I have watched
her grow up from n child. l taught
her to ride and to shoot and to swim.
| have watched her listening to the
i wind han1inn pt-nr fhn HnV.nrc ;n hn.
garden. ! have walked with her over
the moor when the twilight fell and
the mists rose. We have seen the
kidding OF the stars, and we have
seen the moon grow pale and the east
ern sky ablaZe. / have taught her
where to look for the beautiful things
of life. She has belonged to me IN all
ways save one. | am Il poor, helpless
creature now, George, but by the gods,
| will let no one rob me of my one
holy compensation. She is the girl |
love, the better part of myself"
"Ihyllis Poynton may be all these
things to YOU" Duncombe answered.
II do not know her. | do not recog-
nize her. Find her if you can. Make
OF her what you will. All that l ask
of you Is that you divcst your mind
of these senseless suspicious. Seek
Phyllis Poynton where you will, but
leave alone the woman whom l love,
l will not have her troubled or an,
uoyed by needless opportunities. She
says she is Miss Fielding. Then she
is Miss Fielding. 1t is enough for me
II must be enough for your
"And what about Spencer?" Pelham
asked grimly.
Spencer in this matter is my serv
ant" Duncombe answered. IF his
search for Phyllis poynton entails his
annoying Miss Fielding, then he Is dis
missed. / will have no more to do witt
the business"
II have heard of this man Spencer
Andrew answered. IF you think thai
he is the sort of creature whom yor
ran order about Ike that, / fancy tina
you are mistaken. You may try t
call him off, If you like, but you won
succeed. He Is searching for Phyllis
Poynton, and he is coming here, / be
lieve that he will find her"
The windows were wide open, an
both men suddenly turned round
There was no installing the sount
which came to them from the roaC
outside-the regular throb and beat o
n perfectly balanced engine. Thel
they heard a mans voice, cool ant
precise.
Here you are, then, and a sovereign