The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-07-24
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Great Mans Death.

| A Great Mans Death.
Even in the moment of dying Sir
Johns mind was still living His
body was on the point of dissolution,
but his brain, though with failing en-
ergy, remained active; it was once
again remembering and registering in
the mysterious mechanism of it's cells
those scenes which had been i'm
pressed upon it thirty years before.
Words came family from his lips
words that would not have been I'M
derstood by any one in that room if
they had not been heard frequently
before.
Observation-Disclosures meant it, Tom
its neutrality-suspicious. much
for me-impulse-never meant to
murder you, Tom-never, Tom, never
coming, Tom, coming, CON-
Then something passed over Sir
Johns face-something indescribable,
and the lips drew wide apart
DR.. Flint. standing close beside him,
made sign. Sir John was dead, and
brain as we'll as body were at rest at
last
"All is over" said the surgeon, turn
ing to Maxwell Sisterson, and he
slipped out of the room. Christabel
followed him, and the Sistersons were
left alone with their dead.
Four weeks had elapsed since the
motor-car accident, and Sir Johns
death had been regarded from the
first as inevitable; the expected end
came hardly as shock to any men,
Der of the family, and, indeed, their
feeling was rather one of relief. Even
Mary bore the news with calmness;
she could not find it in her heart to
wish that he was alive. She was the
first to speak
81 am glad he is at peace" she said,
in low voice.
Lady Sisterson turned a stony gaze
from the face of her husband to that
of her step-daughter, but said nothing.
"Yes," said Maxwell, che is at
peace" and he looked at his mother
strangely-not as one who would Of
fer words of comfort, but rather as if
he were giving her cue. AS things
were. was it not best that Sir John
was dead? he seemed to ask her. But
he did not know all the bitterness of
her soul.
Lady Sisterson could not forgive
the dead man. Her thoughts had
gone back to the time when he mar
ried her; to the time when he was
rich and she was poor. and pleased
enough to have him; but she had
never dreamed that he was murder
err and thief He was dead, and it
was we'll that he was dead; but she
could not forgive him. So she uttered
not sound.
MAXWELL" 1t was Mary who spoke.
you told me to-day that you had de-
termined to make restitution for the
wrong father did the Forbes Will
you not repeat it here and now?'
"How sentimental and even melo-
dramatic!" said Maxwell, inwardly.
Aloud he said 81 told you I should,
Mary, and l am not in the habit of
going back on my word Which was
as it might be.
"You will make restitution to the
Forbes, MAXWELL" asked Lady Sister
son, in chilling tones. "Is it neces-
sary? And how do you propose to do
it without compromising us-and your
father?"
Restitution Is not necessary, but it
may be exredient," replied Maxwell,
"and dare, say some way can be
found of managing the business with
out compromising us. 1t is to quiet
Mary's scruples," he explained.
"Mary's scruples!" exclaimed Lady
Sisterson.
Yes; and also to keep Nurse
Joyce's tongue from wagging," he
made haste to say.
81 see," said Lady Sisterson, and
with a bitter sigh she left the cham
Der of death.
Mary" said Maxwell, Il have Civ
en- you that promise, though it goes
much against the grain. Still, no mat
ter But, now that father is dead
don't you think that you ought to give
me the packet Of papers that is in
Coutts' bank? Surely l am the prop
er person to have it,"
Father did not think so,' said
Mary, drawing away from him Il
must obey his instructions"
"And what were they, pray?"
Il cannot tell you.'
ooh, indeed! You mean that you
will not" said Maxwell with an ugly
look. Il suppose you won't tell me,
either, what the packet contains ?" he
asked.
Il don't myself know what 1t does
contain" answered Mary. a5
"Is that true, / wonder?v ~. u
Maxwell! How can .yon say such
thing when our father Is lying dead
before our eyes? It seems 10 me that
he knew you much better than / did.
lyon are perfectly hateful. Isl