The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-08-13
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Fir ! olu8h q ( oman ! 5,
Heart.
By Sidney Warwick.


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hind the closed door had been too faint
for him to distinguish the tones; but
he was sure that it must be IN hallu-
,cination on the others part.
ITS impossible he said.
mo. it's true;:. that was Jack Lath.
om's voice!" the blind. man said, in
q 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:
Il will go 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. I
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
met"
The words, low as they were, had
been distinctly audible in the room.
Lathom came forward, and at the
sight of him Stephens face went
white.
II know, Of course. that I can trust
you. Mr.. Grale!" Lathom said, grip
ping the blind mans hand. "Ruthen,
you see I've turned up again like q
bad shilling, after being hunted from
pillar to post. l owe it to this lady
that I escaped the clutches Of the
police sent to arrest me two nights
ago. Miss Strangways"-a he turned
to the girl-"this is Mr.. Ruthen, one
of my many good loyal friends, 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
twas 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 Vanstone.
The rector averted his gaze from
Lathom; 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
ing behind it. He remembered Mr..
Grale's impassioned appeal:
II 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? If
only you would speak!'
There was a 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. ely
by the window, If it should be the
police!"
Stephen himself went to the door
before old Martha could come out of
the kitchen to answer the knock.
With rush Of relief Hilda saw that It
was merely telegraph boy.
The telegram was from Anthony
Strangways-his answer to the rec
tors urgent letter. He CURLY de-
clined to furnish Olive Vanstone's ad.
dress.
There was queer light in Stephens
eyes as he crushed the strip of buff
paper flercely in his hands and walked
back to the drawing-room, where the
blind man still fingered, speaking to
Lathom$and Hilda. Margaret Strang.
not there; feeling that Jack
might wish to speak alone with his
friends, she had told Hilda that she
would wait in another room, and had
slipped quietly into the study.
Anthony Strangways refuses to
give me her address; no doubt this
woman l have shielded, and whom
still would have warned. has forbid.
den him to tell me where to find her. !
might have been her worst enemy
that she treats me so-this woman
Tor whose sake I've fastened this mill.
stone round my neck! I've been silent
loo long!" Stephen muttered fiercely
TO himself, his face twitching with the
stress Of the pent-up emotions he was
lighting with. Then he made. a aud.
len swift movement towards Lathom.
Ringing out his hands in wild ses.
lure as Of appeal.
Lathom. / have q confession to
make. can't keep silent any longer i"
The tones were hoarse. scarcely re.
'osnisable as the rector's voice, Hsf