The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-08-06
CHAPTER xxxlil.
A Change o. plan.

A Change Of Plan.
The car shot swiftly forward from
the gates of the Grange, leaving Hilda
Ruthen standing white and almost
daxed In those first few moments OF
bewildered pain, as the cool. insolent
words OF the girl sitting by the side
Of the man Hilda had recognized As
Jack Lathom struck her almost like
q blow in the face-those words that.
without q protest and In silence. he
had suffered to be spoken. ignoring
her as utterly as though she had been
q stranger.
For Hilda could not know that the
moment the car had swept past her,
at the touch Of the girls hand on the
lever, Margaret Strangways had
turned quickly to the man by her
side.
You understood. didn't your" she
said, quickly, in a low voice that was
very different from the cool. insolent
tones she had used towards Hiida.
II hated to speak as did-hated the
necessity; but 1t was the only way.
For you to have recognized Miss
Ruthen then would have been fatal;
and l had to take the course l did,
or her manner would have betrayed
you to the watching eyes-for there
were eyes watching us! I am only
glad you were able to curb your first
natural Impulse"
It cost Jack Lathom an almost in
credible effort to hold back the cry
that had risen to his lips at the sight
Of Hilda, here at the gates Of Mr..
6trangways' house.
But for the swift warning words
Of his companion, who had seen his
sudden excitement at the appearance
of the girl at the gate-had caught
his low, amazed exclamation: "Hil-
da!"-he must have obeyed that first
instructive impulse to betray himself
by speaking. Margaret Strangways
had realized the danger in a fash,
and had whispered insistently:-
You must not recognize her by
word or look! Everything depends
on your acting as though she were a
stranger: your safety-and mine. too,
for having aided your escape"
She had added the last words less
from any personal considerations
than to lend further weight to her in
junction. Lathom might be reckless
80 far as his own safety was con-
cerned; he would not be reckless
about hers.
"Then you think that the man
breaking stones by the road"
'He may have been spy set there
by the police: and that cyclist, too,
who dismounted just by the gates"
Miss Strangways said. "Dr. Brewers
warning that the police would have
the gates watched impressed itself
too strongly on my mind for me to
dare TO run any risks. You remem-
Der what he called 1.-THE danger
zone? But we sha'n't be out of the
danger zone till we are out Of Lendal."
1t had seemed the only way Of get
ting the fugitive out of the Grange,
for Jack Latham to pass out dis
guised as the man whom he had i'm
personated two nights ago sufficiently
well to deceive the detective and Mr..
Hume. The muffled-up form. leaning
back in the shadow of the hood of
the car, of whose face little could be
seen except the iron-grey moustache.
dressed In the conspicuously old
fashioned mode that Mr.. Strangways
had always followed. was wonderfully
like the Squire, who until lately had
been one Of the most familiar figures
In Lendal. as the motor car drove
swiftly through the streets.
A group of loafers standing on the
pavement outside of Kings Arms
started at the red and white car fash
ing past; and then a man shouted:
why. It's the Squire out again! Good
old Squirrel" For Ralph Strangways
had always been popular man.
Tradesmen standing by their shop
doors gossiping In their shirt-sleeyes
looked In amazement after the cur:
within an hour not a soul In Lendal
who took the slightest interest In rae
ing matters but had heard that the
owner Of Pride O. Life had emerged
from his seclusion again.
THAT DR.. Brewer must be q mar
vel; here's the Squire out again,
though DIR. Hill said a. he couldn't
live to the day of the big race. He
wouldn't be driving out II he was at
the point Of death. no fear! Well. it's
good enough for me to have my little
bit on Pride o. Life before the days
out and the odds shorten. Shouldn't
wonder II the horse isn't second IA
yorite tomorrow; the race II q gift
for Pride o. Life II she runs. TN be
. treat to see the old SQuire's colors
in front again." was . specimen a
the sort Of talk to be heard ut every
bar In Lendal that afternoon.
It was . russ that had bsen neces-