Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-05-06
CHAPTER XxI.-(Continued)

say! 1t had been chiefly in his dread
| of the effect of the revelation on the
woman herself-a shock that might
| turn her brain, that would in any case
| make shipwreck of all her life. He
could not strike this blow at the wom-
an he loved, even when the horror of
| the news of Lathoms arrest had
| come. Lathom would be acquitted
Or, if not, time enough to speak when
Lathom was found guilty, he had ar
! gued desperately. The thoughts were
in his mind now; they were always
| with him. And then Lathom's escape
had complicated matters.
1t was no longer then a question of
his being tried and acquitted. La
Thorn was hunted man, suffering be-
| cause of his silence. And yet he had
| not spoken, though Hilda's white face
| and sad eyes were a daily torturing
reproach to him. Yet he had not
spoken-stultifying his life, a traitor,
to his creed, by this tacit lie of silence
that he could not defend even to him
SELF but that was an impulse strong
er than himself. But what was to be
the outcome? He dared not ask him
self
AS he passed out of the gate of the
churchyard a woman was going by
with shawl over her head, woman
sobbing bitterly. He spoke to her.
you have had no news, | am
afraid?" he said, and she shook her
head.
This woman was one of his parish
toner's. Her husband, a ne'er-do-well
wastrel, who was usually drunk and
had earned the name of Thirsty Ned
in the village, had disappeared day
or two before. His cap had been
found On the bank of the river.
mo, the police have heard nothing
They tell me as they're going to drag
the river for him, my poor Ned!" she
sobbed. Ned was a good-for-nothing
who drank most of what his wife
earned, with a reputation for frequent
ly beating her; and most of her
neighbors were of the opinion that it
was the best thing that could happen
for Mrs. Robinson if Ned was never
to turn up again; but Neds wife was
almost heart broken. you see. they
found his cap on the river bank; Ned
was seen near the river, and he-he
wasn't himself at all, I'm afraid If
only he'd listened to you parson,
about the drink! He was allus better
for little while after you'd talked to
him; he had such a high opinion O.
you, parson-so just and fair dealing
to every one no matter whether
church folk or chapel folk.'
Stephen Ruthen stayed speaking to
the woman for a few moments. then
walked on to the rectory.
so just" The words made him
vince
At the old hall the belated guest
was shaking hands with Bonholt
Hume.
mo, l didn't walk don't know how
| came to miss the car you sent to
meet me. | came down with an &C.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES you know him
and | drove most of the way with
him. Sorry to have kept the dinner
waiting. Jove, Bonholt, it seems queer
to come and find you here the mas
teri Five-and-twenty years older than
Philip, and yet you're here and he's
gone. Why, what have you done with
his portrait?" staring at the blank
space on the wall as they entered the
dining room. when | saw Philip
last l was struck by it-such a good
likeness"
Bonholt's face was turned away.
"Oh, II couldn't bear to see it: it
was too painful a reminder he said.
"You know how fond Philip and
were of each other"
Were your" Anthony Strangways
turned to look at the older man, but
Bonholt's face was averted. There
was a cynical smile on the formers
face. well, that's news. Now.
should have thought you and Philip
liked each other just about as much
as my second cousin, Ralph Strang-
ways, loves me! l have heard-well,
never mind what I've heard"
Anthony Strangways was a man Of
forty, with dark, rather long, clean
shaven face. He was quietly dressed.
with nothing in his appearance to sug-
gest the turf. Yet all the Strangways'
passion for horses and gambling
burned in his VEINS he was known to
have gone the pace, and to have won
and lost large sums in his time on the
turf Not a bad looking man, with
an habitual touch of cynicism in his
face, and penetrating gray eyes that
did not miss much of what came with
in their radius. And the man with
all the stubborn determination of the
Strangways, of which Mrs. Kirby at
the Kings Arms had spoken in Jack
Lathom's hearing.
L told you l walked part of the
way, Hume-past the churchyard for
the first time since l came down to
Philips funeral" remarked Strang
ways in the course of dinner. Oddly
enough, | saw a woman by Philips
grave, talking to parson chap.
Handsome woman; dark, flashing
eyes-I should say a dash of some
Southern nationality in her. | saw
her point down at the grave with a
gesture worthy of Bernhardt. Know
who she is?"
He spoke as if carelessly; but his
searching eyes were bent keenly on
Bonholt.
by Philips grave?" Bonholt Hume
had been betrayed into little start.
81 think l know from your descrip-
tion-a Miss Olive Vanstone, staying
at the rectory. A friend of the rectory