Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1907-10-04

there came no WOru ITOIu INC
master of the house. nor did the coach
return, but between 8 and 10 it did,
and Mr.. Harding was out and up the
steps before ii stopped.
In the hall he inquired for his daugh-
ter. She had gone upstairs. He rush.
ed up instantly. Claire was waiting
for him at her bedroom door. He
Numbered in and shut 1t behind him.
"They have got him." cried Claire.
with both hands to her heart.
SCOT whomY said her father sharp
". "Got whom, eh?"
Her face fell beneath the angry gilt
ter in his eyes.
"The man-they want-for this
frightful business" said she lamely
and sank down upon chair.
"And pray who Is hei You seem to
know"
No answer. save twitching fingers.
rocked body. lowered lids.
'If you were to hear It was that
young Erickson would It surprise you
very much? No; 1t would not! 1t had
only stilled her. "And now intend
to know why not. You have thrown
sand enough in my eyes, but your
manner this morning told me some
thing. and am determined to know
all there Is to observation-disclosures
this-roOm."
And with no less emphatic delibera-
ton the father strobe to the door,
locked it and pocketed the key, but
was met on his return with such wild
eyes and suppliant hands that even
his harsh heart melted at the sight
"Only tell me whether they have cap
tured him." she said, land ! faithfully
promise to tell you ALL"
"Well, then, they have not, but they
precious soon will Now keep your
promise"
1t was kept to the letter.
"Now you see." said he when Claire
had finished, what has come Of your
folly. You have entangled yourself
with a young fellow whose fate. If he
be caught. one would rather not con-
template. You may even be called as
witness against him. If last nights In
teryiew leaked out And If you told
a jury all you have told me. about the
address and all that, am afraid 1t
would hang him If nothing else did"
"Hang Tom"
"Well, Claire, 1t looks to me very
like a hanging matter. 1t would need
a very clever and probably a very
costly defense to give him the ghost
of chance of having 1t brought in
less"
"Then he must have itr' cried Claire.
."Oh, he never could have done IT.
willfully! He must have the very best
defense that can be got, but, oh, who
will pay for It?"
II am thinking Of doing so myself"
replied Mr. Harding quietly. II don't
say will, but may"
"Youw
And the girl was sobblng upon his
breast. with her arms about his thick
red neck, as they had not been for
many year now. He removed them,
but almost gently. and told her not to
Jump at conclusions. as he had by no
means made up his mind. Indeed. let
them first catch their man. But az the
lads father had been his constituent
as well as his enemy. on whom he had
perhaps been little hard. he thought
that OH the whole 1t might prove the
right and proper thing to do. Claire
was overwhelmed, not only with graf
itude for first CLEAN Of comfort. but
also with shame All these years she
had misjudged that magnanlmous man.
her own father, and what Goals Of fire
was he heaping ON her undutIful .headl
She cried herself to sleep with shame
and hope. and that was when Tom
Erickson was flying south from West
bourne park. with the police In full
cry at-hIs heels.
Thomas Erickson had been appre-
hended at Kew on the Saturday even
Ing and lodged for that night In the
local lookup The bare fact was read
by Mr.. Harding in next days Dispatch
and by Claire in her fathers face be-
fore she heard 1t from his lips at twen-
ty tainuses TO II In the morning. On
HE MoLday morning she gave him his
early and alone, and he then
assured her that he was going to see
what could be done.