Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-11-19
CHAPTER XIV

tective's reading ceased. The Rector
stood erect and stern, Mr.. Fenton glanced
irresolutely from Billy to Moyra, the one
hot, flushed and indignant, the other cool,
white and, save for the tightly clasped
hands, apparently unmoved.
II again say you cannot accuse man
on such evidence" Billy said.
Mr. Fenton fdgeted nervously. He was
kind-hearted man, but he naturally
enough felt the loss of his diamonds, al
though at the same time he hated the POI
sition In which the Beresfords and he
found themselves Billy had strongly adj
vised him to let the matter drop, and bear
his loss as best he could; and now, see
ing from Moyra's expression how much
this revelation of Robertson's presumed
duplicity affected her, ne wished he had
taken his sons advice. But when he
began a remark to that effect, the Rector
would not hear of it.
Certainly not ! Such proceeding
ought not to be suggeste. Justice must
and shall be done. Suspicion lies upon
one whom you met under my roof and in
the guise of my friend; suspicion lies even
upon my daughter for having betrayed the
trust confded in her"-his voice growing
very cold and stern-"that suspicion must
be removed or confirmed. Moyra, will you
bring Bride here?"
al have told you again and again, Rec
tor" declared Mr. Fenton, irritably, that
/ do not think Bride is to be blamed IN
any way. | would much prefer that she
is left out of the matter entirely"
Moyra rose very early the next morn
ing, before the rest of the household were
stirring. She had passed very wakeful
and disturbed night, but in the dark
watches, while Aileen slept peacefully at
her side, she had come to a resolution
which as soon as she was dressed she car
ried out She went down to the school
room, that looked very cold and cherries
in the light of the candle she carried. She
lighted the lamp and put it on her writ
ing table, and then, with Infinite pains,
she wrote a Letter, pausing often to wipe
away the tears that obscured her vision.
Dear Angus-A very dreadful thing
has happened Mr.. Fenton's celebrated
diamonds have been stolen, and you have
been suspected of taking part in the rob-
berry because some people are saying they
saw you in the grounds that evening, and
also a letter has been found which was
written to you by your father, and which
they say you must have dropped. | am
quite certain you could give a satisfac-
tory explanation of all this, and | am
writing to ask you to come back at once
and clear yourself. | know you can do
it. am sure that you know nothing of
this dreadful thing. that you are as inno-
cent as l am.
Ever your sincere friend,
"MOYRA BEREFORD."
The dressing bell rang as she finished
the letter, and, sealing it up. she adj
dressed the envelope to the hotel at which
Angus had been staying. But the Lon
don mail went. and the letter was still
in Moyra's pocket. She had forgotten
all about it in the new trouble and fresh
anxiety that had fallen upon the house
hold. Bride had disappeared!
Her bedroom was unoccupied when
Moyra took up her breakfast tray, bat
for the nome she was not alarmed.
Bride was vel sand of attending early
service, and Mo- supposed she had done
| so. But drawing up the blind even as
she was thinking she ought to have stay
ed in bed and not faced the cold morning
air. Moyra caught sight of an envelope
bearing her own name pinned on the
dressing table. She tore it open. 1t was
from Bride. and was written in pencil
and blotted with tears.
Dear, darling Moyra-I am going
away because l have brought trouble and
disgrace on you. But indeed l never
meant to tell. did not know / had until
he said so. He was so clever; | wish
had been a better girl. | have always
been a trouble and anxiety to you. But
you must forgive me.
Always your loving BRIDE"
When Moyra could move-for at first
she seemed paralyzed-she went straight
to her father. who was alone in the study.
Her white face terrified him, and the
name she uttered. as she watched his eyes
travel down the sheet, and his healthy
coloring change to a deathly hue, in
creased his terror.
"Bertram Charters" was the name she
uttered.
Her father sprang to his feet as If he
had been struck.
"Moyra. what do you mean? You can't
| think that Bride" He stopped, his
white face and angul shed eyes turned to
| hers.
! Il don't know don't know what to
think. | feel as if | could not beaf any
more" she cried helplessly.
1t was Aileen who came 10 the fore in
this crisis. Her practical common sense
and clear-headedness were the means Of
restoring their customary optimism to the
stricken family.
"0f course she hasn't eloped with any
one" she cried decidedly, as they held a
hasty council of war. "She has been
frightened and has lost her head. and has
gone off to get out of the way. We all
know what Bride is. No doubt she i'm
agined she would be put into prison be-
cause she couldn't keep a secret. Terry.
you 20 to the postoffice and telegraph to
the Hamiltons and ask il she is with
them. Word the telegram carefully so
that Smith can't gossip about it. We
must not let people suspect she has ran
away yet. Moyra, you must tell the
maids not to talk about her going. and.
children. don't say anything of all this to
any one Father is the right one to tell
the Fentons. Probably we shall soon get
a telegram saying that she is either with
Aunt Pat or with the Hamiltons."
Terry's return with the disquieting
news that the reply kilograms had said
that Bride was not with her friends or her
aunt reduced their spirits to their lowest
ebb. Moyra found it impossible to re-
main in the house. and when Terry got
out his bicycle and prepared TO ride TO the
railway stations in the outlying districts.
she insisted upon going to the ferry her
self.
Il must do something" she told Aileen
piteously. II feel as though the inactiol,
and suspense would drive me mad Oh.
where is she. my poor. misguided Bride z"
tTo be continued.l
Caused by kissing.
Eva-Do you consider kissing dele
I T,,.~