Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-04-23
Hidden
Perils
BY MARY CECIL RA
CHAPTER xxi.

He took Rourke's whip from the
ground, and with 1t in his hand, moved
n few PAGES nearer TO Winterfield. leading
the painting mare; then he stood again,
dropped the bit, moved aside and gave the
animal a sharp cut across the neck.
The next moment she was galloping
homeward. the reins hanging loose, the
saddle empty frightened, riderless
mare, with whom her masters secret was
safe.
Lorraine stood watching, as if in a
dream . then her eyes wandered back to
Athol, as he turned again. with the I'M
natural calm still on his face. But be-
fore he had joined her she had fallen on
her knees beside Rourke and hidden her
face az IL she dared gee no more.
"Iorrain, be strong-just for a little
longer said AthoI. in his new tones Of
still authority. IF you faint all hope is
over. Move away, my darling, where
you cannot see"
Il will not faint. / will stay here
He mel her pleading eyes and read their
steadfastness.
"Thank God that it is you who were
here with me-if any one he said. in n
low, concentrated tone. as he stopped and
gazed searchingly into Rourke's motion
less face.
Lorraine waited breathlessly until lie
slowly rose again and drew a long breath
of relief. Near Rourke's outstretched
and he laid the whip he had been using,
but everything else he left untouched.
Then he went back n few steps to the
spot where lay the PROSTATE form of
Horton Newley, and bending, took it up
in his arms. Lorraine, still kneeling be-
side Rourke's watched him, half bewil-
dered. The whole nature of the man
seemed changed. Yet all that he did she
instinctively knew to be the best, while
she still trembied in every limb to see
the calm and strength which he could
show at such Il time as this.
Slowly he bore Horton Newley's IMAM
innate form along the drive in the direc-
tion of the farm, following the track of
the galloping horse, for fifty PAGES or
more. Then he laid it down in the cen
ter of the avenue, just as it had lain
above when he had come up too late, the
face upturned and the marks of the
horses feet so plainly visible on the dark
dress.
When this was lone Athol brought
Horton Newley's hat from the spot where
he had fallen and placed it near the
PROSTATE form. Then he joined Lorraine
again, and she rose and stood beside him,
waiting for his words, her fingers locked
together. looking mistily Mt him, with a
fearful pallor on her face.
Lorraine, be brave, my darling, for a !
few minutes longer he said, and even
she could not guess at his mingled suffer-
ing as he looked from the motionless fig
ure on the gravel to her white. bewil-
~ Wy Ar - -. ~ - |
once. Run in terror and alarm the
household. Send a unite messenger
Kumley for DR.. Thorne, then on into
Alton for DR.. Meredith. Say that Mr..
Trenham has been thrown, and that the
horse has trampled Mr.. Newley. That
Is all. Send another man for our father
and Mr.. Spencer"
But she faltered, her eyes piercing
the distance as she spoke, literally star
tied. too. by her own voice, MIR. Spen-
Ger was to be there, you said, at the
lodge, Athol."
He started, looked forward with bent
brows and quickened breath, knowing
well that the little window in the lodge
which faced them was the window of
Mirinm's room. If the curate had been
through those few awful minutes !
Athol shook the thought from him as he
might nave shaken an infectious touch
and turned to Lorraine again.
"Do you understand? Rourke was rid
Ing . young horse which had been doing
for several weeks. You saw it
~galloping home riderless, and here Rourke
lies, and there Newley. Do you quite un-
II quite understand" she sid, the az
ony Of understanding quite as great as
the agony of telling had been to him.
And then she turned away and ran like a
frightened child toward the farm.
In his own room at Winterfield they
laid Rourke Trenham. in that silent hush
which rested on the house. Motionless,
almost GREATNESS, with ffaded lips
and a deathlike pallor on his face, with
closed and still. as they are rarely
still except in death, he lay until the
weary hours of that long night had almost
sped. Then there came a change-almost
imperceptible but n change which Athol.
30 intent and watchful. caught in a mo-
ment. The feeble pulse fluttered n little,
Rourke's eyes opened wide upon Athol's
face. then closed Observation-Disclosures as
sc in slumher now. Athol, moving his
hand slowly while he kept his watching
beside the bed, took a small vial
from his breast pocket. He dropped a
few drops Of the dark-colored fluid it
contained upon a lump of sugar, and eau
placed this between Rourke's lips.
Then the sleep grew deep as death once
more, and Rourke lay white and notion
less again. in the still Inconsistencies
which looked so terribly like death.
When Athol left tho room for the first
time that morning he found Lorraine
in the hall, expecting him to come.
Il am going to the Narroway," she
said. as ne ook her cold HAND into his
close grasp. and rested his tired. harass-
ed eyes upon her face. nov that l have
seen you, Athol.s
II knew you would be going. No one
can break this news to the old man SO
gently .and lovingly as YOU will, my
darling
Not conscious YETI. questioned the
girl. below her breath.
win her-rwin he r~ecollect it all, Or
or forget:'
s.At first 1 think he will forget. 1t
mas be gone from him even forever. 1t
may all come back"
.'But ~not--not Mt first" she whisper
Cd eagerly. .How long may it be. Athol?'
Not until after the inquest. Not un-
ill tEen--if God please" he answered in
= tone Of xsich sorrowful. awed reverence
that Lorraine from that moment shrank