Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1908-12-01
Hidden
Perils
By MARY CECIL HAY
CHAPTER XIII.-(Continued.)

49, AcDOWy toI SuCu as me-
But Rourke shook his friend away !;
and, still without deigning to stand up
IN his passion, looked at the steward with
burning light in his beautiful dark blue
eyes.
You villain you do well to cover
there, you dastardly thief But would
l touch you, do you think? If / wanted
you out of my path, would ser my dogs
upon you, or my keepers. Marshall, l
shall dispute that will to the last penny
/ possess. That won't be long, en-? No
matter, ! will spend all, and then, If the
matter is not ended l will end it myself
In another way"
They left the house together, passing
slowly down the shallow fight of steps,
and Athol noticed how lingeringiy Rourke
laid his hot hand on the old cannon as he
passed it.
"There3' he said, presently, turning to
glance at the high castellated towers,
this is the last time. / will not enter
1t -unless-vere," he said, with
change of tone, Marshall wishes me
not to dispute the will"
And you will not?''
All, you look as anxious over the re-
quest as he did. What towards you all
are"
He sees there Is not the smallest
chance of a decision in your favor, as
your stepmother was thoroughly compos
mentis to the last, and you know that the
power of willing the estate was left in her
hands,"
That doubt" said Rourke sit seems
to me now too degrading a thing for my
father even to have contemplated, not to
speak OF calmly carrying it out Now
thai l see it in this disgraceful light, /
mean for, never thought of it before"
Then Mr.. Marshall is geing to exam
Inc your fathers will again?"
No, l Shall do it myself I am going
at once-to-night. After that, l have
promised to be guided by his advice; a
cowardly promise, call it."
"A brave one, / call it." said Atho,
gently.
That morning Rourke spent chiefly in
The private Office of Messrs. Marshall &
Sullivan, going from there with the sem
ior partner to visit the Wills Office In
Doctors Commons.
Mr.. Marshall handed to the clerk a slip
of paper on which was written the name
OF his late client; then Rourke began to
search through the heavy index volumes
'Trenham'
There it was, and the clerk handed
over the will to Mr.. Marshall. 1t needed
but little study from him, while Rourke's
eyes followed more slowly; yet even he
ceaid distinguish how straightforward
was the fact that everything-aIl estates
both real and personal-was devised and
bequeathed by the testator to his wife.
Rourke's head was not raised until
many minutes after the LAWYER had ceased
reading; then even the clerks coticed his
angry sternness.
us our cab waiting" asked the lawyer.
f1ssily, to cover Rourke's ocl manner
Let us start, then. 1t is all right We
have seen what was needed. l wish you
good-morning."
And with a pleasant nod to the clerk.
who was making his own surmises, Mr..
Marshall ushered Trenham out into the
street.
There Is nothing more to do, then?"
mo. 1t is, as / feared, as was sure"
the lawyer said, looking with elaborate
feigned interest out upon the passers-by !;
but you seemed doubtful, so il was best
to read it over. No; we remain Just
where we were, Mr., Trenham"
II am going straight home now, Mr..
Marshall" be said, with a laugh, when
the lawyer tried in vain to tempt him to
lunch; straight home to Winterfield.
That's lying phrase, that hackneyed
one of Home, sweet home"
wait a little before you condemn IT,"
said the old man. cheerily; wait until
you are settled with your pretty wife. or
wait until you have your little ones about
you. l shall hear different tale when
| come next into the country to see you"
The old farm seemed decked in an i'm
provised gala dress when its master re-
turned, and the meal awaiting him-set
out so substantially and so daintily in the
long, brightly lighted room-was a meal
the novelty of which was to- be as tempt
ing to Rourke as its delicious and savory
dishes 1t was what Mrs. Sheriff called
a Substantial tea,' far more appetizing.
considering all things, and quite as sat
isfying, she said. as any dinner she ever
had overlooked at Hohve.
But this meat was not for the master
alone in his solitude. It had other charms
which a dinner at Hohve had never nos
sessed; for there about the snug. warm
room. waiting for him, was quite a hap
py-looking group of guests. There were
Una and Lorraine; there were Miss Shelf
word and Lucilla We're; and there were
Athoi and Abram Bartle.
Rourke drew his hand across his eyes
as II surprise had dazxled him; then the
FIJI kindness of this thought swept over
him and ie stood among these guests of
his, conscious-as they made him feel
that he was entertaining. under his own
ROOF, those whom he loved best IN all the
world No wonder that ii was the heart
lest, merriest meal that the old farm had
ever witnessed in Its day; having, to be
sure. never received a group who tried
so generously and considerately-and
with such true refnement-to make the
evening happy, and even gay one, for
their host