The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-05-15
CHAPTER X.
The Point of Honor.

A crisis had, indeed, come upon
Christabel. Fled was all the pleasure
of the evening, and she grew very
quiet and very pale. Her mind was
in whirl. She heard, but hardly fol-
lowed, Norman as he began speaking
to her again in that tone of intimacy
that was plainly meant for her ear
alone. His eyes were fixed on hers,
and she appeared to return his gaze,
but it was with outward seeming only.
Yet as he talked her thoughts became
clearer.
"My mother saw Sisterson several
times after my fathers DEATH" he
was saying. Father had had 5000
pounds in the business, and for
year or two mother went every quar-
ter to draw 5 per cent on the money,
and she made point of seeing Sister
son. No doubt she worried and weari-
ed him with her suspicious and &C.
cusations, but, at all events, he paid
her off as soon as he became prosper
GUS, which was not long after the
famous cement was brought out. She
took good care of the money, husband
ing every penny of it. When she died
q distant relative took charge of my
education, in the course of which 1
discovered a natural bent for drawing
houses and palaces and cathedrals.
That's how l became an architect
AS he finished he gave little char
acteristic wave of the hand which
caused Christabel to start slightly.
Have bored you?" he asked.
Not at ALL said Christabel, but
with an absent air.
Ever since that binding light had
flashed upon her she had been think
ing, at first confusedIy and then clear
ly and rapidly.
Putting together What she had
heard Sir John say and what Norman
had said, she had come to the inevita-
BILE conclusion that Norman's mother
was correct in her superstition that
Sisterson had stolen the secret of the
preparation of the cement. And, if
this was true. how had he gained pos
session of it? Here was something
far darker and blacker, for the answer
to that question could be none other
than that Sir John had obtained it by
the murder of Norman's father. 1t
was this conviction that made Christa-
bel so quiet. pale and self-withdrawn
as Norman was speaking; this was
the binding light.
Norman's father had been murdered
by John Sisterson!
Christabel in imagination could hear
Sir John saying, Its murder-temp-
tation-too much for me-impulse-
never meant to murder you, Tom
never Tom, never"
What was your fathers Christian
name?" she asked Norman, with Sir
Johns words ringing in her ears. And
then. repenting of having asked it, she
went on hastily, WAS it Norman, like
ycurs?"
NO; it was Thomas remember
among our friends"
'Ycur fathers story is very sad
my mother spoke of him as Tom
one" said Chistabel. knowing better
than the son how terrible that story
was.
Perhaps should not have told you
of it, but it is such an old story-to
me. at any rate" he said. noticing
that it appeared to affect her.
when your father fell from the
scsffolding and was killed." asked
Christabel. pursuing her own line o.
thought, was there any one witt
him? mean, did any one see how il
happened?"
Il believe not" answered Norman
surprised at Christabels inquiry. II
occurred in the evening. Sistersol
and he had been making an examina
ton, after their workmen had left TO
the day. of a building they were put
| ting up at the time. At the inques
Sisterson stated that he and fathe
had been looking at portion of tn
work together, and then had gone o.
to another part, when my father sal
that he was not quite satisfied wit
what they had just been looking q
and went back to 1t. Sisterson di
not accompany him, and said that b
! knew nothing more, but that hearin
the crash Of the body as 1t fell on til
pavement, and seeing that father wa
nowhere in view, he rushed down I
= the street and found father dead
= 1T was very sad, 2 said Chrfstabe
most mechanically. She was thinkin
Of Sir Johns saying, Down. dow
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