The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-04-23
CHAPTER xvIIi.-(continued.)

OF It, said Joe. as the eight or nine
men who formed the masculine por-
ton of Mr.. Chatterton's company
swung along the hard. dry road.
Sorry you joined?"
Il think l was in luck's way to get
the engagement" said Jack
He would not have had two such
pleasant weeks to look back on II he
had adhered to his first intention
probably with the result OF running
into the arms OF the police on the
lookout for him at Liverpool.
These first two weeks of the tour
had brought Jack Lathom a growing
sense Of security. No photograph of
him had appeared in the newspapers
he had dreaded that-the interest
OF the public seemed to have been
diverted from the case Of the murder
Of Philip Hume, widespread as that
interest had been: another crime had
taken its place in the columns of the
press; the Wildfell tragedy was al
ready dropping out OF the public
mind though once or twice when he
had been in the company Of the other
actors the talk had turned on the ac-
cused man who was still at large. and
on the murder-the incident of the
marked card found In the dead mans
hand appealed TO their dramatic In
stincts-and Jack had wondered, with
q little chill feeling. what they
would have thought could they have
known who lie was. especially as all
seemed to believe that the accused
man must be guilty.
Though the night was sharp. the
walk was pleasant enough along the
country roads after the houses near
the station had been left behind.
where the hedges and trees were
bursting into green and the almond
trees were already in blossom.
Presently they began to come to
houses again-the outskirts of Len
play: scattered big houses, standing
In wide grounds.
| One house. standing far back from
the road. was inclosed In a high wall.
a great dark gloomy place, with
scarcely a light in any of the win.
dows showing through the trees. as
the party came TO a narrow wicket
gate and stood for a moment looking
through. Some distance down the
road great gates of fantastic ironwork
opened on a carriage sweep that led
to the silent. isolated house.
Those gates are always shut-shut
and barred like a prison-as II to
keep out would-be intruders on mys-
terry. You don't know who lives there,
4 expect?' remarked Chatterton to La.
thom as IL they walked along, But
there's not a town or village in Eng
land where the chances OF Its owners
living for the next seven weeks are
not being eagerly discussed"
"Then this Is Mr.. Strangways
placer" cried Joe. interested.
The manager nodded.
"A man whose life hangs on a
thread" he said. There are thou
sands OF pounds depending on this
mans life all over the country-ou
his living for the next seven weeks
Halloa. What's this?"
Almost as Ire was speaking. the
sound of horses hoofs was borne te
their ears along the windy road, com
. Ing towards them. making the grouI
look up quickly. two people on horse
back riding furiously, riding as though
life and death hung in the balance
The men moved hurriedly aside.
In the moonlight Jack Lathom saw
that the rider in front was a girl
girl who. In the first moment, remind
ed hims strangely of Hilda: cir
scarcely out of her teens. with a slim
! slight. graceful figure. and of striking
beauty. whose face was white an,
! drawn as IL in great distress or feal
That's his daughter" whispere,
chatterton. as she drew reain nea
the gate. There weere fiecks of foam
! about the horses mouth indication
/. the pace at which II had been ridden
! As the man following clattered vi
a man with professional air abou
him. Jack went quickly forward Z
2 open the gate which barred the girl
> way. But it was locked. Almost a
he realized that fact an old man al
> peared down the drive. as though h
I had been waiting for them. He fun
: bled with the key Of the lock.
"Oh. quick-quick." cried the gin
excitedly. in an agony of impatienc.
as the old mans clumsy finger
: seemed to be an endless time in doin
!. their work. why did you lock III
7 gates at such a time as this? Quic
quick.