The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1909-04-09
Hidden
!: Perils
~ MARY CECIL HAY

CHAPTER NIiI.tContinned.,

dear fellow, for such as he"
But Roiarke shook his friend away f.
and. still without d~eigning to stand up
in bis passion. locked Mt the steward with
a burning light in his beautiful dark blue
eyes.
"fou villain ron do well to cover
there. ron dssiardly thief But would
] touch yen, do you Think IL | wanted
you out Of my path, | would SIT my dogs
upon yoi, or my keeper. Marshall. !
shall dispute that will 10 the last penny
| Possess. That won't be long. en- No
matter. l will spend all. and then, IL the
matter Ii not ended | will end it myself
In another way"
They left the house together, passing
slowly down tie shallow flight of steps,
and Athol noticed bow Iingeringiy Rourke
lad his hot hand on the old cannon as he
passed IL.
THERE be said, presently. turning to
glance al the high cassellated towers.
this II the last time. | will not enter
1t again--uniess-Yere." be said. with
. change Of tone. Marshall wishes me
not to dispute the will"
And yon will nott'
All, you hook as anxious over the re-
quest A. he did. What towards you all
/ are"
lie sees there IL not the smallest
| chance Of a decision in your favor. as
your s~teprnotaivr was thoroughly compo
mentis 10 the last, and you know that the
power Of willing the estate was left in her
hands,"
That doubt" said Rourke. 1T seems
to me now too degrading "A thing for my
father even TO have contemplated. not to
speak Of calmly carrying it out. Now
that see it In this disgraceful light, |
mean for, ! never thought OF ii before"
Then Mr.. Marshall is geing to exam
he your fathers will again..
NO. ] shall do it myself: / am going
~ once-to-night. After that, l have
promised to be guided by his advice; a
cowardlg promise, | call It."
"A brave one. l call it." said Athol,
gently.
That morning Rourke spent chiefly in
the private Office of Messrs. Marshall &
Sullivan. going from there with the sen
Tor partner TO visit the Wills Office i'm
Doctors Commons.
Mr.. Marshall handed to the clerk a slim
u paper on which was written the name
Of his late client then Rourke began to
search through the heavy index volumes.
"Trcnham."
There IL was. and the clerk handed
sver the will to Mr.. Marshall. Il needed
but little study from him, while Rourke's
eyes followed more slowly; yet even be-
could distinguish how straightforward
xas the fact that everything-all estates.
both real and personal-was devised and
Sequeashed by the testator to his wife.
Rourke's head was not raised until
many minutes after the lawyer had ceased
reading then even the clerks noticed his
angry s~ternness.
lis our cab waiting:" asked the lawyer.
fussily, to cover Rourke's odd manner
LET us start, then. Ii is all right. We
have seen what was needed. | wish YOU
good-morning.s
And with a pleasant nod to the clerk.
who was making his own surmises, Mr..
Marshall nshered Trenham out into the
| street.
There Is nothing more to do. Them
NO. 1t is, as l feared. as | was sure"
the lawyer said. looking with elaborate
feigned interest out npon the passers-by /;
but yon seemed doubtful. SO il was best
to read it over. No; we remain lust
where we were. MIR. Trenaam.'
4 am going straight home now, MIR.
Marshall he said. with q laugh. when
the lawyer tried in vain to tempt him to
lunch straight home 10 Winterield.
That's a lying phrase. that hackneyed
n of Home. sweet home"
wait . little before you condemn IL.
said the old man. cheerily wait until
zen are settled with you pretty wife, or
wait until you have your little ones abou,
you. shall hear a diferen; tale when
! come next into the country to see you. .
The old farm seemed decked in an inn
proyiscd gala dress when its master re-
turned, and the meal awaiting him-set
! out 70 substantially and so daintiiy in the
long, brightly lighted room-was a meal
the novelty Of which was to be as tempt-
ing to R0urke as its delicious and xayory
dishes. Ii was what Mrs. Sheriff called
. Substantial tea" far more appe,izing.
considering all things, and quite as sat
isfyins, she said, as any dinner she ever
had overlooked at Hohve.
Bat this meat was not for the master
alone in his solitude. 1, had other chs rms
which a dinner al IIohye had never pos
sessed for there about the snug. warm
room. waiting for him. was quite a hap
| p~y-looking group of guests. There were
Una and Lorraine there we're Miss Shelf
word and Lucilla We're: and there were
| Athol and Abram Barile.
Rourke drew his hand across his eyes
AZ Ii surprise had dazzled him then the
full kindness Of this thought swept oyer
him and he stood among these guests Of
his, conscious-as they made him feel
that he was entertaining, under his own
roof, those whom be loved best in all the
world. No wonder that 1t was the bear
lest, merriest meal that the old farm had
ever witnessed in its day having, to be
sure, never received q group who tried
- generously and considerately-and
With such true refinemcnt-to make the
evening a happy. and even a gsy one. for
tA<ir host.
CHAPTER XIV.
nuriu0 fhA fow waate hafu,aar 0,rt.