The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-08-20
CHAPTER Xxx.

lnaiu CluuQe M. .wt f. H. "a #E
CHAPTER Xxx.
/ stood glaring at her.
You were a blind bat, or you would
have found It out for yourself" she
continued ~scornfully. "A babe would
have guessed It, knowing as much OF
your father as you did"
Does he know himself?"I muttered
hoarsely, looking anywhere but at her
now. The shock had left me dull and
confused. I did not doubt her word,
rather / wondered with her that 1 had
not found this out myself. But the pos
sibility OF meeting my father In that
wide world into which / had plunged
to escape from the knowledge OF his
existence had never occurred to me.
Had I thought OF it, 1t would have
seemed too unlikely, and though I
might have seen In Gardiner a link be-
tween us, and so have Identified Aim,
the greatness of the chancellor's tran
sactions. and certain things about Clar-
ence which had seemed or would have
seemed n / ever taken the point into
consideration, at variance = with my
ideas OF my father, had prevented me
getting upon the track.
Does he know that you are his son.
do you mean?" she said. mo; he does
not"
Have you not told him?"
NO she answered with q slight
shiver,
/ understood. 1 comprehended that
even 10 her the eagerness with which,
being father n son, we had sought
one another's lives during those days
on the Rhine had seemed SO dreadful
that she had concealed the truth from
him.
When did you learn itG" / asked.
trembling too.
Il knew his right name before I ever
saw YOU" she answered. Yours /
learned on the day I left you at San
ton" Looking back, I remembered the
strange horror, then inexplicable, which
she had betrayed, and / understood II.
So 1t was that knowledge which had
driven her from usi What will you
do now?" she said. you will save him?
You must save himl He Is your ia
ther.''
Save him? I ~shuddered at the thought
that I had destroyed him; that /, his
son, had denounced himl Save him!
The p~erspiration sprang out In beads
on my forehead. If I could not save
him, / should live pitied by my friends
and loatheds by my enemiesl
IF It be possible" ! muttered. II
will save him."
You swear it2" she cried. Before
/ could answer she seized my arm and
dragged me up the dim aisle until we
stood together before the figure and
the cross. The chimes above US rams
IL A shaft OF cold sunshine pierced a
dusty window and, full Of dancing
notes, shot athwart the pillars.
Swear" she repeated, with trembling
eagerness, turning her eyes on mine
and raising her hand solemnly toward
the figure. Swear by the cross"
II swear I said.
She dropped her hand. Her form
L nnnN.A1g A.rl-HnI - ~ Anz -
ing a sign to me to go, she fell on her
knees on the step N drew her hood
over her face. 1 walked away on tlptoe
down the aisle; but, glancing hack from
the door of the church, / saw the small
solitary figure still kneeling In prayer
J The sunshine had died away. The
dusty window was colorless. Only the
red lamp glowed duly above her head
I seemed to see what the end would be
/ Then / pushed aside the curtain an6
slipped out into the keen air. 1t wa!
hers to pray. 1t was mine to act.
! I lost nc time, but on my return
could not find Master BERTHE either II
: the public room or In the inn yard, 81
, / sought him In his bedroom, where
: found him placidly reading a book, his
7 patient waiting IN striking contrasi
with the feverish anxiety which haG
taken hold of me. What is 1t, lad?'
he said, closing the volume and lay
I ing It down on my entrance. you lool
disturbed"
: 81 nave seen Mistress Anne" I an.
! swered. He whistled softly, staring a
! me without a word. She knows all,
/ continued.
! "How much n ALP he asked after
a pause.
"our I ames-alI our names-Penrud
docke's, Kingston's, the others-oui
! meeting place, and that we hold Clar
: ence a prisoner. She was that old WON
: an whom we saw at the Gatehouse tay
ern last night"
He nodded. appearing neither great,
surprised nor greatly alarmed. Doe
: she intend to use her knowledge?" h,
a said. 81 suppose she does"
: Unless we let him go safe and un
hurt before sunset"
: They will never consent to It," h
. answered, shaking his head.
Then they will hang!" 1 cried.
! He looked hard at me a moment, dis
corning something strange in the bit
terness OF my last words. Come. lad,
he said, you have not told me al
a What else have you l~earned?"
How can i tell your" ! cried wildly
waving him off and going to the lattlc
that my face might be hidden fror
him. Heaven has cursed mel" 1 added
my voice breaking.
X He came and laid his hand on m
IA shoulder. Heaven curses no one" h
said. Most Of our curses we make 70
l? ourselves. What Is II, lad?'
nj / covered my face with my hands
"He-he is my father" I muttered. I'D
\. you understand? Do you see what
have done7 He is my fatheri"
Hal" Master BERTHE uttered the
"a one exclamation in intense astonlsf
q ment. Then he said no more. But tn
Il pressure of his hand told me that h
Z understood; that he felt with ms
that he would help me. An
n That silent comprehension, that siler
= assurance. gave the sweetest comfor