Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-03-06
CHAPTER XXIv.-(ccntinued.

per- uaded Vera to 50 into the garden anc
wat u at closer quarters. Moyra caughi
her breath as she listened. She guessed
iha they must have followed Miss PrioI
round the house, although each had beer
ignorant Of the others proximity.
1T was just about supper-time W.
went across" Delda went on breathlessly
for there was nobody dancing nor any
mugic sounding, and the hall was quitt
deserted. We walked right in-didn'
we. Vera?-and nobody saw us, SO it ism
wonder thieves did the same. 1t was
while we were in the hall we heard some
body crossing the upstairs corridor, so W.
rali away into the portico, but it was nc
one, only just Bertram, who went off te
The supper-room, | think
'No, he didn't, Delda, because
sOh, yes, of course remember now
because we went round to the side of the
house and peeped through the conserva'
tory glass to see what was going on there
They'd started dancing again, and {
could hear the music beautifully. Oh, il
was tantaIizing And wasn't it then,
Vera, that" She looked at her fell
low-culprit, who took up the tale instant
~.
Yes, | was staring in right against
the glass in the door that leads into the
garden. and all of a sudden somebody's
eyes looked right into mine from the
other side. Oh, was frightened !"
"She shrieked and jumped back, and ]
saw that it was Bertram who was look
ing out. OF course we thought he had
seen us, and we just flew. But just as we
got inside the shrubbery Vera must needs
get stitch, so we had to stop until she
was all right, and while we were waiting
dropping her voice mysteriously-'we
saw somebody come out Of the darkness
Just b. the orchid-house and cut away
across the side lawn to the avenue, and
then about three minutes later we saw
we really did, Moyra-we saw Angus"
Nonsense y Moyra said, her lips grow
ing stiff and cold.
But the girls protested in the truth of
their statement.
sHe came out of the shrubbery, as if
ne had been hiding there, and walked
after the. man who had gone to the ave-
nue.. We saw him distinctly. He was in
evening dress and had that fur-lined coat
ON. We both knew him at once"
Moyra sat silent. This terrible cor
roboratiOn of Miss Prior's assertion near
" overwhelmed her. Of only one thing
she was conscious. She must let no one
else suspect what she already knew. She
counselled the girls to be silent. and to
say nothing more unless they were abso-
lutely Obliged, and she read them an UNI
usually severe lecture or their naughti-
ness.
you sec. If you had lone what you
were told, and gone to bed, you would
not ave got mixed up in what did not
concern you. / hope it will be a lesson
to you both reproof which Delda
took in good part.
But Moyra's little efforts to stem the
tide Of vague suspicion that seemed tend
ing in one direction were ~unavailing. Even
as she sat with the girls the sound Of
voices announced the Rector's return, and
q few minutes later Hammond appeared
with a message that Miss Beresford was
wanted in the study.
Moyra obeyed the summons with a lit
tie shudder there was q fatality con-
nected with that room. Once before had
she gone there to learn the shadow that
had fallen on her path. Was she again to
hear of deceived love, of faith and honour
betrayed?
.But 1t Is not true, no matter how
strong Appearances are against him.
I'll uuOtM Uut pttiSNc nS%IS uOAQEtUIt duu
honest" she told herself with the bitter
ness of despair.
In the study she found the two Fen
tons, Terry. a keen-eyed, a~lert-looking
man, whom she guessed to be a detective,
grave, but Terry and Billy looked also
father who spoke first.
iB ssNF~sVrn sx,n ha vyn cout fo., we. . - -~ASt~
4 point of dispute. Do you know whose
writing this is? Have you ever seen it
before?"
lie laid an envelope before her. The
rising color in her cheeks showed that
Moyra at once recognized the handwrit-
ing.
II believe it 10 Mr.. Robertson's writ
INK" she answered very quietly.
"And this r. ]
The Rector laid u folded sheet Of D
before her. Moyra looked at it, and
then raised her eyes to her fathers.
81 should ray It was the same"
Terry uttered an impatient exclama-
lion. and Billy leaned forward eagerly.
.sThat letter might easily have been
lrinR about for weeks or blown out of
I window or something like that be be-
gssn.
The detective turned on him quickly.
AThe pOst-mafk on Ii shows that 1t ar
rived in London on Monday, sir be said
Il Yisively. "No-theroE can BE- no doubt
ms MI. Angus Robertson was lurking
nj ut the house last night. md it IS
rr ATTY to be feared that he is impli-
ca%4d in the jewel robbery. The proved
"a. = are as follows. He was seen on the
tel o'clock boat coming from Catcrham
BY leveral people, who also allcge that
he seemed anxious TO avoid observation.
He was recognized by two or moro per-
sons as he walked from the ferry in this
direction. and a Miss Prior--referrins
to his noteshas given information that
she saw him crossing the lnwn between
the two houses shortly before eleven. Evil
gdence of his presence is proved by this
letter addressed to him. and apparently
written By his fnther. which has been
found in the strawberries.
sBnt supposing he was here. Billy
said Argumentatively. lit doesn't prove
that he came to nab my fathers jewels. AT
that rate yon could say I vas implicated
becanse. while / was upstairs, apparently
changing my collar. might presumably
have been forcing the pater's stronghold
The whole thing is absurd"
1.-THE strongest evidence lies in this
letter. the detective contained. as II Billy
had not spoken. III runs as follows:
My dear sci,E-What a slow coach
you nre! Had been an the snot thu
s-,t.~l. hsav;r 4, wn,,fI 49,. l.~-8... -l