The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-08-13

| hind the closed door had been too faint
for him To distinguish the tones; but
he was sure that it must be an haiiu-
cination on the others part
Its impossible" he said.
NO. it's true; that was Jack Lath.
| om's voice." the blind man said. in
tone of conviction. Jack Lathom's
in that room,"
The door Of the drawing-room had
opened suddenly. and the two men
standing on the threshold of the study
heard Hilda's voice saying:
II will 60 and tell Stephen that"
Then, as the girl appeared at the
doorway and saw her brother and Mr..
Grale in the hall. she checked herself
abruptly in the middle Of the sentence.
The blind man walked across the
hall to her and said, quietly:
.You may trust me, Miss Hilda.
heard his voice Just now, and | know
who's in that room. I'd do anything
| in my power for Jack Lathom, that
I've known from lad. You may trust
me-"
1
been distinctly audible in the room.
Lathom came forward. and at the
sight of him Stephens face went
white.
Il know, OF course. that I can trust
you. Mr.. Grale." Lathom said. grip
ping the blind mans hand. "Rutben.
you see I've turned up again like a
bad shilling. after being hunted from
pillar to post | owe II 10 this lady
that l escaped the clutches of the
police sent to arrest me two nights
/ ago. Miss Strangways"-and he turned
to the girL"this is Mr.. Ruthen. one
Of my many good loyal frieads. who
helped me weeks ago to make my es.
cape from Wildfell." he said. warmly.
The words stabbed the rector guilt.
ly. A loyal friend"-he who had been
screening at this mans expense the
woman whom at that time he had be-
lieved to have been Philip Hume's
slayer,
Miss Strangways' name hardly sur
prised him. as he bowed at the intro
duction. Bonholt Hume had said that
II was at the house of Anthony Strang
ways cousin that Lathom was be
lieved to have sheltered-Anthony
Strangways, who had not yet an
: swered his letter asking for the ad
: dress of Olive panstone.
The rector averted his gaze from
: I.athom; the blind mans sightless
} eyes seemed to be bent on his face
: almost as though they could see and
, read the self-accusing thoughts pass
r ing behind 1t. He remembered Mr.
) Grale's impassioned appeal:
81 haven't betrayed you. parson; but
aren't you going to speak now?"
Though the blind man stood silent
| Stephen Ruthen could read that ap
peal again. dumbly expressed in his
: face.
Aren't you going to speak now? II
only you would speak,"
There was sudden heavy knock
on the front door. startling everyone
A swift look of fear crossed Hilda's
face.
Quick. out of sight" she whispered
breathlessly, to her lover. almost push
ing him back into the room. Fly
by the window. If 1t should be the
, police"
Stephen himself went to the door
: before old Martha could come out Oh
the kitchen to answer the knock
, With a rush of relief iiilda saw that !,
was merely telegraph boy.
The telegram was from Anthony
, Strangways-his answer to the rec
, tors urgent letter. He CURLY de
, ciined to furnish Olive yanstone's ad
dress.
There was queer light in Stephens
eyes as he crushed the strip of bur
paper fiercely In his hands and walked
back to the drawing-room. where the
! blind man still fingered. speaking 4
Lathom and Hilda. Margaret Strang
. ways was not there. feeling that Jaci
: might wish to speak alone with hi.
a friends, she had told Hilda that she
T would wait in another room. and hat
d slipped quietly into the study.
Anthony Strangways refuses L
u give me her address; no doubt thii
s woman l have shielded. and whom
Y still would have warned, has forbid
4 den him to tell me where to find her
| might have been her worst enem,
y that she treats me so-this woman
e for whose sake I've fastened this mil
N stone round my neck. I've been silen
ID too long," Stephen muttered fiercel
le to himself. his face twitching with tn
n stress of the pent-up emotions he wa
le fighting with. Then he made a sue
den swift movement towards Lathou
y. fiinging ont bis hands in a wild &c:
IN ture as Of appeal.
"Lathom, l have a confession /
e. make. can't keep silent any longer.
The tones were hoarse. scarcely r,
. cognizable as the rector's voice. II