The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-11-06
CHAPTER xxxll-continued.

| pcIleu lOIS, liNlS ago, anu IlciS 10 AO
use in hating Il dead man, is there?"
suggested Christabel. Inwardly she
was debating what she would say. 1t
was in her power now to make the
man she loved perfectly happy; the
Sisterson secrets that had kept them
apart need keep them apart no long.
er, but she doubted if this were the
proper time to speak and how she
should frame what she wished to tell
him.
Nothing can touch the dead" said
Norman; that is true. And Sir
John suffered acutely for his sins,
but"
Norman said Christabel, softly,
interrupting him. don't let what hap
pened to your father so long ago make
you miserable" Then she went on,
There is that would say to you,
dear, which will make you happy"
He looked at her wistfully, not
guessing what she meant.
| Il am happy" he said; happy in
your love; there is only one thing
that would make me happier, and you
! know what it is, Christabel. I want
/ you."
Il know" she said, simply, yet ten
| derry, smiling at him, though she saw
| him through a mist of tears. There
! is no barrier between us now, Nor
man."
He gazed at her, uncomprehending-
| ly. The change from that which had
been in his mind at the moment-the
news of his fathers murder-was too
! abrupt for him, though the connection
/ between that incident and what she
had said was very clear to her.
No barrier!" he said. "The some
thing that stood between us is gone,
Christabel?"
Eyes, dearest" she said, with shin
ing eyes; 1T is gone"
You will marry me.?"
Eyes, Norman"
| Now the deck of the Galatz steam
er, especially when its destination is
almost in sight. is not highly suita-
BILE place for the demonstrations of
i lovers, and Norman had therefore to
! content himself with clasping Christa-
/, bells hand end looking unspeakably
/ happy. Yet it was supreme moment
in the lives of both.
will you tell me. DEAR" asked Nor
, man, how that horrible something
that stood in our path has vanished
/ out of it?''
| She looked at him with her lips lit.
/, tie apart and smiled with her eyes;
+! it seemed as if she were about to
| speak, but she did not.
Last night said Norman, study
! Ing her face, you said the something
was there, and this morning it is gone
Nothing has happened in the interval
except the reading of Sir johns
statement. Was it that?" he asked
''But how! Won't you tell me, dear?''
Don't ask me, Norman Is it not
enough for us that it is gomez"
ut is. 1t is everything-now.''
you have not opened the other en-
velope," said Christabel, after an in
terval. "Sir John said restitution
was to be made
Il had forgotten about it," replied
Norman. What does he say?"
Opening the second envelope. he
found inside it another sheet of paper
in the same writing as that on the
sheets containing Sir Johns confes
sion. 1t was short will, by which
Sir John left his entire fortune to the
heirs Of Thomas Forde, "as last act
of justice, and for reasons that they
now understand" The will was duly
signed and witnessed, and Norman
had no doubt that it would be held
good in law. When he passed the
will over to Christabel she made nc
remark, but she thought that Mary
Sisterson would be satisfied, coulC
she but know.
Presently the lovers landed at Ga
latz, lost no more time than wa:
necessary in going on with their jour
ney, and soon were back in England
Philip met them at Dover, and wa!
amazed at the tale of their adven
lures. But he, too, had his own bit O
news for them; it was that he wa
engaged to Ada Arlington.
Il move," he said, in his heart,
way, that all four of us have din
ner at the Savoy tomorrow night,
and the others laughed happily an,
agreed, as he added, Il think cal
speak for Ada"
During the journey across Europ
Norman had frequently thought of 81
Johns confession and the use h
should make Of it ON his return t
England. He still knew nothing O
the real character of Sir Maxwell Sit
terson, and as Christabel had not er
lightened him he was inclined to b
rather sorry for that young gentle
man, who had nothing to do with hi
fathers sins. He decided to put
copy Of the confession and of the WI
before Sir Maxwell in private intel
view, and ascertain what he propose
to do.
BY this time Sir Maxwell knew {
the destruction Of Sulja, and nothin
being heard of Mary or Christabel b
had come to the conclusion that the
persisted. and though he mourned GU
Wardly for his sister his Gallons an,