Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-02

far back-sEe said,it under her breath.
fearfully beyond the murder Of Dr.
Moreau. Her fnce burned, and her
breath came sharp and fast Why
when she brought her warning to the
cabin had Hugh been so anxious to ge,
her away unless to prevent her sight
of the man who was there, to WHOM be
had taken her horse? Who was there
In Smoky Mountain whom be would
protect at hazard of his own life?
Jessfca's veins We're all afirc. A rec.
tor murderer? A double career? Was
it beyond possibility? 1t came to her
like an inpinging ray of light. the old
curious likeness that had sometimes
been made a jest of at the white
house in the aspens aIoreau and Prem
dergast had believed it to be Hugh.
So bad the town. for the body had
been found on HIS ground. But or the
night when the real murderer came
again to the cabin perhaps 1t was his
coming that had brought back the lost
memory. Hugh had known the truth.
In the light of this superstition, his
strained manner then. his present de-
termination not TO speak. all stood
plain. ~" az
What had he meant by a debt of his
past that he had never paid? He could
owe no debt to Harry Sanderson. II
he owed any debt it was to his dead
father. a thousand fines more than the
draft he had repaid. Could he be
thinking in his remorse that his father
had cast him off. counting himself
nothing. remembering only that Harry
| Sanderson had been David Stires' ia.
| vorite and st. James. which must be
smirched by the odiuln of Its rector.
| the apple OF his eye?
Jessica hard snatched at straw. be-
cause it was the only buoyant thing
afioat in the dragging tide. Now with
a blind fatuousness she Rugged it
| tighter to her bosom One purpose
| possessed her-to confront Harry San
| derson. What matter though she
missed the remainder of the trial!
She could do nothing. Her hands were
tied If the truth lay at Aniston she
would find it She thought no farther
than this. Once in Harry Sanderson's
| presence. what she should say or do
she scarcely imagined. n The horrify-
ing question filed her thought TO the
exclusion of all that must follow its
answer 1t was surety and self con
viction she craved, only to read IN his
| eyes the truth about the murder of
Moreau.
She suddenly began to tremble
Would the doctors let her see him
What excuse could she give? If he
was the man who had been in Hughs
cabin that night he had heard her
speak, had known she was there. He
must not know beforehand OF her COM
ing lest he have suspicion of her err
rand. Bishop Ludlow. he could gain
her access to him.. Injured. dying
perhaps, maybe he did not guess tina,
Hugh was In jeopardy for his crime
Guilty and dying. If he knew this. he
would surely tell the truth. But if lie
died before she could reach him? The
paper was some days old. He might
be dead already. She took heart. how
ever. from the statement of his i'm
proved condition.
She sprang to her feet and looked al
her chatelaine watch. The eastbound
express was overdue. There was nc
time to lose. Minutes might count
She examined her purse. She had
money enough with her.
Five minutes later she was at the
station. a scrubbed note was on it:
way to Mrs. Halloran. and before {
swinging red lantern the long incom
ing train was shuddering to a stop.