Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-04-10

~ B1NoN alnQl Il HUdIl
dismiss In the morning, ay. two" re.
turned my lord. white with anger
And who are those, pray?"
"Strathgate and Seton"
my friend and your friend. That's
well thought on. and you will have
me deSnseless, then, at your mercy.
Compelled to look upon your love.
ma ing with that abandoned woman
Bat III not stand 1t. I'll 60 back to
Ane.ica!"
You would never dare"
Would / mott" cried Ellen, man.
fully. Watch me in the morning. ("
Il will see that you do not leave
NJ sight after daybreak." said Csa
rington, nercely.
Very well. At least you will leave
me alone for the night" returned bis
wife with equal spirit.
with pleasure, madam. We will
resume our discussion, and | will give
you my final decision in the morn.
ing"
He bowed himself out grandly.
Once again Ellen shot to the door.
Then she bolted 1t. This time she
did not cry. She waited in fierce
eagerness until she heard my lord re.
tire, then she waited longer until she
became convinced that he was
asleep.
1t was one by the great clock in the
hall when she withdrew from her bou.
doir and entered her own bedroom.
Opening closet she drew therefrom
underneath a pile Of feminine apparel
a certain sailors dress which she had
sometimes used In cruising and boat.
ing expeditions with her husband
since her marriage. and which she had
often used before In long cruises on
her fathers ships. There were stout,
heavy buckskin shoes, soft, wooden
stockings, trousers wide and faring
at the knee and belted at the waist, a
soft shirt of blue, a rough pea-jacket.
Slipping off her own clothes, she trans
formed herself with rapid fingers into
a sailor lad. She undid her hair and
tied 1t behind in mans queue. From
the same closet she took a slender
sword and pair of heavy pistols.
These she attached to her belt. A
knitted sailors cap completed her
equipment.
She went back seftly into the bou.
doir and sat down at her desk. From
secret drawer she drew a purse filled
with gold pieces, sovereigns Of Eng.
land. On the table lay a cheque
book. Her balance at the bank she
found was trife over 100000. the
amount she owed my lord. With a
nervous hand she filled out a cheque
LOT the full amount and signed 1t. She
laid 1t open on the desk, hesitated a
moment half rose, sat down, drew a
sheet OF paper to her, dipped the quill
In the ink and wrote rapidly. She fold.
ed the paper, addressed 1t to my lord,
and left it with the cheque in.
closed where he could not fail to see
1t II he came into her room In the
morning to deliver his ultimatum.
Fortunately, there was another exit
from her suite Of apartments besides
that which led through my lords dress.
Ing room. She unlocked the door and
stepped into the corridor. She had
thrown great boat cloak around her
and carried her shoes in her hand. II
was half-past one o'clock she esti.
mated. She stepped along the CORR.
dor quickly until she came to Debo-
rahs door. She opened this softly,
closed 1t behind her and went over to
the bed where the little Puritan slept
She laid her Hand on the young WON.
an and shook her gently. r. 81.
Deborah was a light sleeper. She
woke instantly, terrified beyond meas.
ure to see a tall, dark figure bending
over her. She opened her mouth to
scream, but Ellen had the quickness to
clap her hand over the mouth and
stine the noise. Her familiar voice
treasured Mistress Deborah. The girl
sat up in bed and stared in amaze.
ment. ....
What do you want?"
Il am leaving the castle" returned
Ellen, and you must come with me-"
But don't want to co." answered
Deborah, who was progressing very
sweetly in her love affair with Sir
Charles, and had no mind to leave
him.
You must CO." answered Ellen i'm
periously. 81 am responsible for YOU
and cannot leave you here with Lord
Darlington alone after | am gone. >
And he does not 90 with your?
1T is from him l am fleeing"
OH" said Deborah. And where
are you going?"
Back to America"
But Sir Charles?"
IF Sir Charles cares anything fol
you" said Ellen authoritatively, n.
will follow you to the end of the
world"
But will not Lord Darlington fol
low your"
dNnf haD ala NIL Ns.. a.,