Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-06-09
CHAPTER XIII.


jewels
CHAPTER XIII.
Only man running stealthily, swiftly
across field The moon has come from
behind a cloud, and is flooding all the
land with it's radiance. Every object
is for the moment discernible And Hill
airy, his senses all alive, knows that the
man is Deane. He is hidden nov behind
some heavy furze bushes-and now again
can be seen, keeping in the shadow as
much as possible, but still visible to the
clear eyes watching. Now he is lost
again, and now the breaking of branch
OF the quiet air tells Hilary he is
little ahead Of him. He had run oblique-
ly across the fields, SO as to overtake
them, and behind that low wall over there
he is rouching-waiting. There is gap
just there-be will fire when the cart
comes abreast of it,
They are at the gap now, and at this
moment dark figure rises from behind
the wall, and deliberately raises an arm.
There is CLINT of steel in the moonlight
Adare clutching Amber, drags her from
her seat to her knees, on the floor of the
dog cart, holding her there with cruel
force. No doubt this sudden action of
his, means to save her life, saves also
his own.
A whiz of bullet over their heads
fash, thud of metal against the stone
wall opposite-a frantic dash forward of
the frightened mare, and
They are safe The good mare, tear
ing along on the road to Carrig, is now
getting slightly under control again, aid
ed by Hilary's hand and voice. The one
danger past, he had to encounter the 9th
err; but a runaway horse seems child's
play TO him when he knew that Amber
was safe, alive, unhurt. Brave and darl-
ing girl She had not even tainted. He
had spoken to her, "You are not hurt,
my darlingY' and she had answered,
NO." but had begged to stay where she
was for the moment, as if movement was
impossible to her. And with his hands
Ilil-and terrified and spirited mare be-
ing of no emall count--he had let her
resi- there on TIE floor of the cart, with
her dear, beautiful head against his knee.
Now, however, the good little mare has
grown reasonable again. and Amber, al
most without help, raises herself to the
seat beside him.
1T won't be very long now" says he
quietly, encosragingly. Not that she
wants courage, his brave and beautiful.
girl! With a miserable anger directed
against himself, he remembers again all
his past sins against her-his cruel sur
misses, his contemplate suspicious. Here
on this lonely road, with nothing to break
the silence but the sound of the horses
hoofs upon the ground, the kind and
thoughtful night is making all things even
more clear to him-is showing him in
rich colors the sweetness and truth of
the lovely nature of the girl he loves.
The night as a great purifier 1t gives
us time and pause, If often terrible pain.
He would have spoken to her now,
when they have reached the lower road,
and no impediment can lie between them
and Carrig you'd have poured out 70
her words of desperate apology, of heart
felt grief and love, but something in her
stiffness checks him. Not here. Not now
1t would be to take her at a disadvan-
tage. In spite of the wonderful spirit
that has kept per up so long, and that
has forbidden her to utter one cry of
fear during all the terrible incidents of
this horrible night, he can see that she
e tired, exhausted, even to the point of
She feyives, however. as they reach the
hall at Carrig, and Hilary having given
her into the astonished but very friendly
hands of May and Dolly, he goes straight
10 the library. where one of the men
tells him Sir Lucien is to be found
well. ! have found the missing heir
LOOMS says be at once, not calculating
the result.
Sir Luclen, with wild exclamation,
rushes at him. his lean old hands treui,
bling, his dull eyes on fire.
Found them. boy? Found them? That
Deane-thai fellow--he has given them
up. She las consented theng Hah! 1
knew she would, Bad-bad. like her
Ilother-'
BE silent, says the young man. with
sich a cold force as checks the hideous,
slmost insane, excitement on SIR Lucien's
face. "Have you forgotten everything
that it is of your own sister you speak
that she is dead?"
"No doubt" Ays Sir Lucien with a
sudden attempt at his old dignity II
bpoAr W. quiSh-Mitnoue suHSiene
thought"
II Mast ask you as well to think S,ore
carefully when next speaking Of your
niece" This face is set and hard.
: rot course, OF course. I see" says
Sir tucieu. drumming On the table with
quite 9 pitiful agitation. AS soa wa.
BgtSrising and coming towards Hsary
with his form bent In a miserix eager
ness-"the jewels tAe missing Scones-
where sre theys" Involuntary the old
white. sEistocratse hands 70 out, SIS il
to clutch the man before him. then are
drawn back. the fingers Of one beating in
sort OF frenzy against the knuckles ea
the other. where are they. boy?''
81 have them" colSiy.
"Yon--you, Here?' The fingers new
are elawing the ain. and all at once the,
seize % HilaryAs coat. The, are mine
them ND i say" shrieks Sir Iucien
Would vou be robher, too'
An at once the fingers siscken. and h
Ssoald have fallen backwards. but tina
Hilary, catching him in time. presses hin
xenflv into the armchair behind him. Hi
face looks old and yellow, and the eye
dull.
PRAY ry 70 contro yoarseif. sir,
rays he. as he sees Sir Lucisn slowly Re
viye. and show the kesuest Interest agaf
10 the missing stones, n spite CT ina
sharp tussle with death q moment sine
s~There Is no OCCASION for this extreme e,
cisemeLf.s His tone il sstudisosly courss
GUS. vet IL is impossible 10 altogether cor
troi the disgust that Is courSing throug
every vein. II huve the stones The