The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-06-25

"No. you mustn't do that. hs said,
quickly. ''11l co.
why shouldn't 1? oh, suppose IL
is little unconventional-what OF
that?" with half-impatient laugh.
I'm afraid I'm always doing uncon.
ventional things; you see, have the
Strangways blood in me! And what
does it matter If only I can warn hmm
in time? Don't you see. no one will
suspect me; and want you to be out.
side to help him then as I could not"
she said, with an air of eager excite.
ment. mo one will ever suspect me
Of having warned him."
"But-what would Capt. Hughes
say"
Jim? Oh, think know what Jim
would say!" And soft smile crept
into her face. HE has foolish way
of thinking whatever do is right.
Besides, Jim's sympathies are always
for the under dog!'"
Jim Hughes was Margaret Strang.
ways lover, now with his regiment in
India. AS the doctor saw the look that
had come into the proud, beautiful
face at the thought his words had
stirred. he felt inclined to be envious
of "Jim," though Jim's prospects of
being able to marry for years to come
were OF the remotest, the young fel.
low being as poor as Ralph Strang.
ways and his daughter would be if
Pride O. Life failed to restore theiy
falling fortunes.
Perhaps you are right; certainly
there's no time to be lost" said the
doctor, briefly. "No doubt the de.
tective will act as soon as the curtain
falls"
Very quietly he and the girl slipped
out Of the theater. Meanwhile the
detective had leaned over to Bonholt
Hume.
Face altered by the makeup, of
course-but that's the man, think"
he said.
The detective was smiling; it meant
a good deal to his wounded vanity, the
prospect of laying hands again on the
man who had once slipped through his
fingers; he was smiling, too, to think
of Mr.. Bonholt Hume's little ruse,
which he had nipped in the bud. Why
had Mr.. Hume tried to warn Lathom?
1t was rather curious under the cir.
cumstances. He was watching Bon.
holt Hume's face. The appearance of
the man on the stage who called him.
self Craig was so altered that, but for
the warning note he had intercepted,
and the change of color in Mr.. Hume's
face as the actor made his entrance
the detective would have been by no
means sure that he had run his man
to earth.
mot bit like Lathom! Your as.
sumption seems to me absurd" re.
piled Bonholt, hastily, wondering i'm.
patiently whether Lathom would get
his message in time; evidnetly it had
been too late to catch him before he
made his entrance on the stage.
Would the man have the sense to bolt
at once? Bonholt Hume had no par.
ticular friendliness for Lathom; in.
deed, he had virtually accused this
man after the disappearance of Philip
before the tragedy came to light; but
he was desperately anxious now that
Lathom should slip through the de.
tective's clutches. mot the least bit
in the world like Lathom," he added.
Perhaps you are right" the other
said, dryly, rising and walking towards
the entrance. He waited there until
the curtain should fall on the first act.
He felt he could afford to take his
time.
Meanwhile Margaret Strangways had
gone quickly to the door at the back
of the wooden erection. Unceremo.
niously she flung it open, to find her.
self close by the wings of the tiny
stage. The climax at the end of act
I. was being reached, heralded by
tremolo chords on the cello, the one
stringed instrument in the orchestra
Of three; on the stage she saw the
old squire (played by Lathom) fall I'm.
der the murderous blow and lie pros
trate in the patch Of moonlight; other
characters rushed excitedly on to the
stage. Then in twinkling a change
came over the scene; the illusion of
reality vanished, the murdered" man
came to life, the carpenter in his shirt
sleeves rushed on to the stage and be-
gan to shift the borders" The cur
tain had fallen on the first act.
(To Be continued.)