The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-02-14
CHAPTER XXI.
In the Paris Express.

minutes at his chambers. His things
were already packed, and earlier il,
the day he had drawn out a large sum
of money i'll bank notes.
He knew that his wife would not be
tray him to the police. But she knew
Claire Barton. The marriage he had
contemplated became impossible. He
didn't think that May, even if she dis.
covered that John Wilson had become
Sir Mark Brettinghan, would tell
| Claire the truth But the situation had
become a dangerous one.
And now that May knew he was
alive lie was TO longer safe in London.
At any moment he and his wife might
meet again, and recognition by her
in the presence of witnesses would be
fatal to him.
He would go to Paris as he had ar
ranged, write to Claire, and explain
that a family affair had involved him
in heavy financial loss which had
materially altered his position.
He would behave handsomely to her
in the way of money to stop pub
lication
And he would communicate with
Hank. who would see May and impress
upon her the necessity for the most
perfect caution on her part if she did
not wish to send him back to the
shame and torture of penal servitude
again.
May had never been his enemy, in
spite of his cruel treatment of her. He
would make her an allowance, too.
But there might even now be no
necessity for letting her know the
truth. She had only seen him for a
second and had swooned. She had
| been to his grave. She might on COM
| ing to her senses believe that she had
been the victim of sudden shock
caused by the resemblance of one man
to another.
Yes, he was justified in taking a
hopeful view so far as May was con-
cerned But Claire was lost to him
| forever. He was sure of that. The
risk of marrying her, now he had dis
covered that May was her friend, was
/ too great.
1t was stroke of i'll luck that he
had never contemplated. He had felt
so secure in his new individuality that
the sudden collapse of the edifice of de-
ception he had reared was a blow
which temporarily crushed him.
His servant put his baggage into the
car, and he motored to Victoria and
caught an evening train to Dover.
He wanted to be out of London as
! soon as possible.
! He dined at the Lord Warden, and
went on board the night mail to Calais
and secured private cabin.
Then one fear came upon l1im-the
fear of recognition. He tried to put
the idea from him as absurd, but in
vain. He was Sir Mark rockingham,
with splendid estates and magnifi-
cent income; but for all that he was
once more John Wilson, the escaped
convict, in terror of the ever out
The night was dark. and after the
vessel started and was well out at
sea Mark Brettingham went on deck
But his nerves were wrong, and in
every dim figure that came toward him
in the darkness he saw possible enc
my.
Ii May had in her terror confessed
4 no Do rt0
learned it. Others might have learned
it. The discovery of John Wilson in
Mark Buckingham might have reached
Scotland Yard His movements were
known. Among the passengers who
moved about quietly, silently, like
chooses in the night, there might be q
lyns-eyed officer of police watching
upon his prey.
Appalled, by the vision he had con
ju1ed up, Sir Mark went back to his
cabin and shut himself in and tried tt
sleep.
Shortly after / o'clock in the morn
ing they made Calais. Sir Mark, afte1
passing the Douane. went on to tax
li16u " seizure a coupe
to himself
| The officials were sorry, but such
thing was impossible. There were +;
great many passengers and every sea
but two was booked, and they were ii
the sleeping car.
A berth in the sleeping car woul,
be better than making one of six o
eight passengers in an ordinary com
partment, and Sir Mark secured on
of the berths.
He got into the car at once. H
didn't want to go to the buffet, which
was crowded. He sent one of the al
tendants to get some sandwiches an
bottle of wine, and made his suppe
in the car, which was as yet empty.
The attendant was making the beds
and Sir Mark got in q little smokin
compartment at the end of the car.
When his berth was ready he wen
into it and lay down In his clothes.
He was still too nervous to undress
He wanted to be ready for action q
the slightest suggestion of danger.