Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-09-19
CHAPTER VIII.

q dull fury and was met by
~ Claire upon the steps. Her
heart sank at his face. He
passed her without a word. She fol-
lowed him into his library and there
besought him to tell her what had hap
pened now.
ooh, nothing! I wash my hands Of
4 young demon, that's ALL"
"Tom Erichsen?"
eyes"
"You have changed your mindY'
II have"
And he told her how the prisoner
had treated tie attorney he had sent
him that very afternoon, committing a
brutal and %unprovoked assault upon
the very man who was there to save
his life, if that had been possible. 1t
was not. The villain would hang, and
rightly too. But there was gratitude!
There was q young tiger in human
shape!
Claire kept her head, and gradually
Mr.. Harding cooled down. Then she
asked questions and discovered that it
was not the family lawyer who had
been so grossly handled, but one whose
name was new to her.
"Hattersley never touches criminal
work." said her father; besides, l
should have been ashamed to ask him.
No; 1 went to the very man for the
job, and this is all the thanks 1 i et!"
"Did he know it was your"
mo; 1 sent word 1 would give any
money, but not my name."
"That message was delivered?"
at was"
Something more must have been
said!"
Hardly a word. My man was pro-
ceeding to business when this maniac
sprang upon him and flung him out Of
the cell"
Claire shook her head.
II cannot think that's all that pass
ed" said she.
cit was, though; you ask the ward
ers. There were three of them outside
the open door, and they've put him in
a straight waistcoat for it, at any rate!
So you see how he has made use of
the chance l gave him. Don't ask me
to give him another, that's ALL"
"No, no." said Claire sadly; 'it was
only too noble of you to give him one
at all, and 1 shall never, never, never
forget all this-your forgiveness-ev-
erything! Papa, dear, you may not
have me with you very long; how can
one go on living after such a thing? I
loved him, and 1 long to die. But until
1 do 1 promise n thing-I may de-
ceive others, but never again will 1 de-
ceive or disobey my own dear father!'
She spoke with the sad fortitude of
sheer despair, and she left Nicholas
Harding in an icy e%xhalation, with one
tingling spot where she had stopped
and kissed his face.
Claire had hardly reached her room
when there was a knock at the door,
and in came Hannah with a neat, seal
ed packet.
ooh, please, miss, Mr.. Daintree said
1 was to give you this"
"Mr. Daintree.."
She had seen him during the day;
then what could he have to say to her
which would not bear plain verbal ut
t%erance? Claire opened the packet
when the maid was gone and found a
smaller packet and a letter inside. The
letter ran:
Dear Miss Harding Think what you
will Of me for slandering the dead.
can bear 1t better than to see you mourn
Ing one who was never worthy to touch
the hem of you garment. The inclosed
will give you a true insight Into the char
acter of the late Captain Blaydes, but
make a separate packet of it so that you
may destroy it unread if you prefer not
to know and to think me the liar.
You may remember telling me that
Captain Blaydes had the room that
have now when he was here and 1 was
not. That was the week before last. The
weather has been so warm the fire has
not been alight since my return, and to-
day quite by chance 1 discovered torn up
In the crate the fragments which 1 have
put together and now ~inclose. 1 will not
tell you the word that caught my eve
and irresistibly impelled me to put the
letter together and read it through. nor
VIII / seek to defend an action that will
no doubt condemn me in your eyes for.
ever. 1t was dishonorable. admit it.
But 1 am a believer in instinct. NV in
sunct always told me that that man was
q bad man. and my instinct told me then
that l was within reach of proving its
own unerring truth and the measure Of
a Villains villainy. 1 lave done both. as
you will soon see If you can nerve your
self to know the truth. If not, condemn
me with a glance or with words as bitter
as you please, and l leave his house
tonfght and forever. 1 shall never regret
what have done. You mourn a traitor,
n I had rather forfeit your respect
nay, and my own honor to boot-than let
one so divine waste another sigh on one
so devilish!
But If you forgive me, oh, let me hear
1T from your own sweet lips, and I will
move heaven and earth to atone for
what present misery this may tnhict,
one day you will thank me. Meanwhile,
II you do not spurn, command me. and
your Eghtest word shall be my law. IF
only l could do something for you! NV
one remaining chance of happiness is In
serving her I nay not love. Humblv and
sincerely always, ~
JAMES E. w. DAINTREE.
Claire arrived at the last eranh
with a mind made up. She perceived
With amazement the writer's theory
regarding the wretched Blaydes and
herself. 1t had never struck her that
her every agitation might be Tins mic.