The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1907-10-25
suitable moment at which to presen,
his account for services rendered.

suitable moment at which to present
his account for services rendered.
At the terminus Mr.. Hank babe his
companion good night. 1t was not his
intention to be seen with him in Lon
don, where he was known by the de-
tective police, until he had satisfied
himself that no unlucky chance had
aroused the suspicion of Scotland
Yard with regard to the young gentle.
man in whom he was so deeply inter.
ested.
His plan for the present was to
shadow Mark rockingham, to keep
him under observation in order to see
if any one else was doing the same
thing.
The convict at large went to the
cloak room and took out a portman-
teau, which he had left there before
going down to see his father.
1t was necessary that when he ar
rived at the Langham and registered
he should have luggage, and Mr.. Hank
had arranged these details for him.
When Mark Buckingham drove
away in hanson. Hank hailed anoth-
err and followed him. He saw him
safely in the Langham. satisfied him
self that no one else had been SINH.
larly engaged, and then went off to the
little suburban villa where, in the in
tervals Of conducting his private de-
tective agency, he cultivated the do
nestle virtues and little hack
garden, which was the admiration of
the neighbors and his own especial
pride.
The young convict, who had day
or two previously quilted his free
quarters without the formality of bid
ding his hosts farewell, registered at
the Langham as Mr.. Mark Bretting-
ham, OF Drycott Hall, Kent. and took
bedroom and sitting room.
1t. was late. but the smoking room
was still open. He sat down and or
dered brandy and soda and looked
at the evening papers.
He had been too much engaged TO
renew his acquaintance with the press
until then.
A newspaper was a luxury to him.
He mad been for several years with
out the privilege of having the worlds
news arranged for him in convenient
form from day to day.
He turned from old habit first of all
to the racing results. The names of
no IN rs
There were very few of the jockeys
whose names were familiar to him. In
these circumstances the racing events
did not interest him much. He
scanned the sheet listlessly. When
you have been for some years out Of
touch with the days happenings it is
difficult to take up the trend of
events all at once.
Suddenly his eye lighted on head
line:
1.-THE Escape From partmoor.-.
Beneath was only little square
block of news, but Mr.. Mark Bretting-
ham read every word of it with deep
est interest.
There are no fresh details to hand
concerning the convict John Wilson,
whose mysterious escape is greatly
puzZling Dartmoor officials. At pres
ent they are without the slightest clue
as to the direction taken by the runa-
way. The more the facts are investi-
gated the more convinced the authori-
ties are that the convict had a con-
federate or confederates outside the
prison. It is rumored that workman
and one of the wardens have been sus-
pended, but concerning this the au-
thorities decline to give any informa-
ton. Wilson is man of fair educa-
ton and good appearance, and an ex.
soldier. 1t is thought that he may
probably try to re.enlist, and full de-
scription of him has been forwarded
to the various recruiting centers."
Mark rockingham put the paper
down and glanced round curiously at
the half-dozen men who were still in
the smoking room.
They had probably all read the head.
lined item of intelligence, and he-the
escaped convict-was sitting here
among them.
And then, seeing his escape public
ly pronounced, there flashed upon his
mind an idea which seriously dis
turbed him.
His wife-whom he had deserted
when he enlisted-had written him at:
fectionate, forgiving letters since he
Lad been in prison. She was alive
and earning her own living. He had
had letter from her only a month
ago. She was at a big millinery estab.
lishment in Regent street. The girls
there would read the papers and talk
about the contents. She already
might have read of his escape.
In the sudden good fortune which
, had come upon him, the complete
change of his position in life. he had
forgotten that in London there was a
woman to whom he was legally mar
ried, and who, when he succeeded tc
his fathers title, would be Lad,
Buckingham. =
He had not told Hank of his mar
rage. He would have to do So and
-