The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-07-03
desperate effort to get her step.broth-
or to nromise that roafitntif,a should

desperate EFFORT to get her step-broth-
| er to promise that restitution should
/ be made to Norman Fordean she
had only succeeded so far in getting
/ him to say that he would consider it.
Meanwhile Sir Johns end drew visi-
bly, nearer, and Mary appeared to be
not far from the gates of death her.
self. Yet she had sudden rallies, and
1t was in one of these that she and
Christabel had gone out, so that Philip
missed his sister. They had taken,
however, a closed brougham, not Max
wells motor. Christabel felt that she
had the burden of Mary's health also
upon her shoulders.
Then above ALL and darkest of all.
was the wreck of her happiness and
that of Norman Forde. She chung to
the idea OF honor, but it is small Won
der if her hands sometimes felt lame
and numb, and her soul at times was
hot with passionate revolt. The two
days that had passed had made the
remuneration of love no easier, but
rather harder and more terrible. But
she braced herself once more for the
bitter ordeal.
Norman was at the trysting place
half an hour before the time. Feeling
| certain in his heart Of hearts that
Christabel loved him, he was in good
spirits and buoyant with hope. When
Christabel-herself in advance of the
hour set-saw him, she thought she
had never seen him look so we'll, so
manly so handsome.
But his first glance at her face
filled him with sudden apprehensions.
for it was set and very grave. She
smiled when she saw him, but her
| smile seemed sad, and he was quick
to observe that her eyes were wistful
and melancholy. while there was a
new pensive droop about her lips. He
thought she looked as if she had been
ill.
I'm afraid you have not been very
WE'LL" he said to her, in a voice of
marked concern.
''I'm not really i'll, Mr.. Forde." she
said, rather avoiding his searching
glances. "Let us get away into the
park" she went on, as they struck
across the Row toward the Serpen-
tine, away from the people. My
first letter must have miscarried. Do
you know that in it l asked you to
meet me here at the same hour just
two days ago? l can't think how it
was you didn't get that letter."
Nor can l." he replied. But at
least you are here to-day, and that is
much"
Naturally he referred to her illness
at the Savoy and touched ON topics
that were suggested by what they
saw as they went along, but she an
swered only briefly, and silence fell
between them. AS rule Forbes talk
flowed readily, but what he had to say
to her made him nervous. and, be-
sides, he was conscious there was
something amiss with Christabel -
this pale, quiet, sad-eyed Christabel
| whom he hardly seemed to know.
| After a few minutes they found two
seats under the trees some distance
from the north side of the drive that
| lies above the Serpentne. IT. was a
| lovely morning. and both of them long
remembered the scene-the lake with
the toy yachts on the water and chill
dren playing about. with here and
there boat, and behind the water
the green trees and the tops of some
houses beyond, and over all faint
silvery haze.
81 said in my letter asking you to
meet me- began Norman, speaking
quickly so as to get over the choke he
felt in his throat, that there was
something which I wished very much
to say to YOU"
He looked at her earnestly, as Tito
read her thoughts, but her head was
bent to the ground. Yet he though
he saw that her check flashed as he
spoke: IL he had looked more closely
he might have seen that her hands
were trembling.
"Christabel." he said, more slowly,
"can you not guess what il is l wish
to say to your
He had never called her Christabel
before, AMI the sound of her name
from his lips sent thrill through her,
but she 81 not reply.
Ito Be Continue6.)