The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-03-12
Through a
Woman's Heart.
By Sidney Warwick.

it might rouse suspicion. Now, Jack,
quick-before they knock at the door.
Parson. you'll have to play up to the
deception for all you're worth! It's
in good cause. 1t depends largely
on you-youll do your best?" cried
Thornton, breathlessly.
Stephen saw Hilda's eyes full of
their mute distress bent eagerly on
him, and her lips moved TREMENDOUSLY.
He could not refuse their pitiful ap.
peal.
cts madness to try, but I'll do my
best,' he said.
I'm not so sure we sha'n't pull it
off," cried Thornton. Jack, if all
goes we'll I'll be waiting for you with
the car near Bonholt Hume's place.
Now don't lose a second!"
For moment before he turned to
attempt the forlorn hope, Jack La
thom caught the slender, girlish figure
again in his arms, and held her close
to his heart with an infinite passion
OF tenderness. Win or lose, this must
inevitably be long parting for him
and for her. After tonight, when
would he again touch her hand or
hear her voice? For moment he
locked into her face; their lips met.
Then he freed himself gently from the
arms that still chung to him, and with
a face set and resolute walked to the
door. The footsteps outside were very
close now.
Hilda stood motionless, looking aft
er her lover no color in her face, the
light drowned in her eyes, as if
turned to stone.
Come, Miss Ruthen; we mustn't
be in sight when the door opens!"
whispered Thornton. urgently.
He drew her into the diningroom
and shut the door. Just within the
room Hilda stood, a pathetic figure of
mute despair, her hands hanging
rightly by her side, listening feverish-
ly, dreading the worst.
Stephen Ruthen had opened the hall
door. Almost in spite of himself he
was committed 10 this scheme, and,
little as he liked it, it had to be gone
through with; he had given his prom
Use. and anything less than to do his
best would be betrayal. Yet he felt
tic plan, this ruse o. deception, was
hopeless, foredoomed to failure.
well, good night, Mr.. Grale. Be
careful; there's step here" he said,
loudly, as he opened the door.
Outside stood two men. who had
been en- the point of knocking. One
OF them was man in plain clothes,
an inspector Of police from Fells-
garth; the other was local consta-
BILE.
Floyd" the rector exclaimed to
the latter, as if in surprise at seeing
the two men. "You want to see me?
1 won't keep you moment
Stephen felt his heart beating fast
er; he wondered tina he could keep
the excitement out of his voice. His
companions stick went tap-tap with
the measured regularity of blind
man. The sound of it somehow
brought back to Stephen Ruthen's
mind the memory of that winters
night from which all this trouble had
sprung-this path of lies that, once
entered upon, had to be traversed far.
Their and farther to ends undreamed
of at the beginning as he and
a woman stood over dead man in
the white roadway, that sound had
come nearer, nearer, intruding on the
tragedy.
you can find your way now, Mr..
Grale?" went on Ruthen, feeling as
he acted the lie that nothing could
save them from discovery, that even
the attempt was absurd, the decep-
ton would so soon be laid bare.
Eyes, thank you, parson. Good
night" came the muf1ed voice from
under the white wrap with it's long,
dangling end, to the accompaniment
of the tapping of the metal ferrule.
Peeping cautiously through the win.
dow of the diningroom Freddy saw
the police inspector turn and whis
per to his subordinate; then, the con
stable went quickly up to the mar
tapping his way down the path.
"Eow are You tonight, Mr. Grale?'
Freddy, suddenly sick with apprehen
sion and suspicion, heard the consta
BILE say-saw him peer at close quar-
tiers into the pseudo-blind mans fac,
in the light streaming out through
the hall doorway. And Thornton he'll,
his breath. The forlorn hope ha.
failed. In that sharp scrutiny tn
man, evidently suspicious, could no
fail to see that it was Lathom. Then
to his immense surprise. the consts
BILE said, Good night, Mr.. Grale!" an
came back to the inspector and spok
to him.
What the constable whispered
his superior, who, having his susp
cions, had told Floyd to make sur
: that the figure in the dim light wa
not the man they wanted, was this
Il was suspicious, too. for M
ment, sir. But it's Mr.. Grale, the o
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