The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-05-22


go off by myself"
I'VE couldn't think of allowing you
to do that" said Norman.
NO" said Ada Arlington; Il must
go with you, Chrissy. Well get into
four-wheeler and I'll take you home"
Philip looked at his sister and at
Ada ruefully, but he made no further
objection, for he saw that Christabel
did seem very ill. AS for Norman, he
wore such an air of detection that it
must have been plain to the most
casual observer that his feelings were
deeply involved. At the moment he
quite forgot that he had hoped for
an opportunity of declaring his love to
Christabel that night, although he
thought of it afterward.
II wonder what can be wrong with
Chrissy?" said Philip, when he and
Norman had seen the two ladies into
a cab.
She spoke of the heat of the ROOM"
suggested Norman.
Yes" said Philip: "but nurse is
accustomed to hot rooms isn't she? l
can't account for her indisposition,"
he added testify. for he felt that the
fates had been unkind. I'VE were
having such good time, tool"
Norman said nothing; he was great
ly concerned about Christabel, and as
he reflected on the longed-for opror-
tunity he had lost through no fault of
his own he could not but think that
fate had indeed played him scurvy
trick. Somewhat silently the two
young men walked to the Arts club to
spend the rest of the evening.
Christabel wished to be alone. so
that she might think out and COM
petely realize her position. She was
disposed to hate herself for having
broken down so ANONYMOUSLY, bit
the crisis had come upon her so sud-
denly, and was of so unforeseen ma
ture, that it had caught her utterly I'M
prepared. She had set out. full of life
and spirit. to spend happy evening
with her lover her brother. and his
friend-and this was the disastrous
result. How disappointed Norman
and the others would be. she thought,
and they could not even dimly guess
the tragic thing that had happened to
her. How was it that she had not
borne it batter? she asked herself.
Suffering acutely. she took herself to
task bitterly. and determined that
nothing of the kind should ever hap.
zen again: henceforward she must be
ever on her guard
1t was terrible to Christabel to have
to return to Hans Square, and yet she
knew she must, as that was her obvi-
Gus duty. Honor bade her go back to
act as nurse to Sir John. just as honor
babe her be silent regarding what she
had learned respecting him. She
knew that she was not really ill, and
that by and by she would regain her
calm and composure. And yet it was
terrible to her to think that she must
continue to play her part. knowing
what she did. For one moment she
thought of asking the matron Of her
institution to send another nurse in
her place but almost Immediately dis
missed the idea, as that savored of
again breaking down in face of a.
cIisis-it was like running away.
Against her will she had run away
once: never would she do so again,
she was resolved. She must nurse
Sir John, and continue to meet Max
we'll as if nothing had occurred to
make any difference.
She knew that Maxwell had seen
her leave the restaurant and could
hardly help being aware of her os-
tensible reason for doing so. That
hateful Maxwell! His appearance had
been the last straw. She might have
borne up if it had not been for him.
but when he came upon the scene she
| had felt unable to regain her self-con-
troll. AS she thought of it there came
the swift apprehension that she had,
perhaps, betrayed herself to him; yet,
on second thoughts, that did not seem
at all likely-it was preposterous
notion.
But in the background of her mind
there was something deeper which
had come to her while Norman was
telling her the story of his fathers
death-the death which she had seen
spelt murder. How was she to meet
him again, with this dark secret in her
mind? Would it not rise up between
them and hopelessly divide them?
The secret must be kept from him;
never did she swerve from this de.
termination, and yet this. was by far
the most terrible thing of all.
1t was no more than 9 o'clock when
she and Ada Arlington arrived at 36
Hans Square, and she went immedi.
ately to her room. There she found a
note from Mary Sisterson asking her
to see her when she came in, If she
was not too tired. II am too tired, ?
said Christabel to herself, but she
thought of Mary's grief and sorrow
and in thinking of these forgot to q
slight extent her own troubles.
About midnight Maxwell returned tc
his home, and went at once to his
fathers room, In which Mary wal
sitting.
a Have you seen Nurse Joyce to