The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-03-12
Through a
WOman's Heart.
By Sidney Warwick.
BY Sidney Warwick.

| quick-before they knock at the door.
Parson. you'll have to play up to the
/ deception for all you're worth! It's
In good cause. II depends largely
| on you-you'll do your beste" cried
+! Thornton. breathlessly.
Stephen saw Hilda's eyes full OF
their mute distress bent eagerly on
| him, and her lips moved TREMENDOUSLY.
He could not refuse their pitiful APP
peal.
Its madness to try. bu; I'll do my
| best he said.
I'm not so sure we sha'n't pull II
off!" cried Thornton. Jack. IL all
| goes well I'll be waiting for You with
the car near Bonholt Huma's place.
| Now dent lose a second"
! For a moment before he turned to
attempt The forlo-n hope. Jack La
thom caught the slender. sirlish figure
! again In his arms. and held her close
TO his heart with an infinite passion
| of tenderness. Win or lose. this must
inevitably be long parting for him
end for her. After tonight, when
/
hear her voice. For a moment he
looked into her face: their lips met.
Then he freed himself gently from the
arms that still chung to him. and with
a face set and resolGtc walked to the
door. The footsteps outside were very
close now.
Hilda stood motionless. looking aft
| H., tn hnt he,
light drowned in her eyes. as If
turned TO stone.
Gore. Miss Ruthen: We mustn't
be I'm sight when the door opens."
whispered Thornton, urgently.
He drew her into the diningroom
and shut the door. Just within the
room Hilda stood. pathetic figure of
rigidly by her side, listening feverish-
~. dreading the worst.
Stephen Ruthcn had opened the hall
door. Almost in spite of himself he
YVES committed % this scheme. and.
lltt'e as he liked ii, IL had TO be gone
through with: he had given his prom
Use. and anything less than to do his
|
tie plan. this rnse Oh deception was
hopeless. foredoomed to failure.
We'll. gcoi night. Mr.. Grale. BE
careful: there's step here" he said
loudly, as he opened the door.
Outside stood two men, who had
been en- the point OF knocking. One
of them was a man in plain clothes
an inspector of police from Fells
garth; the other was a local eonsta
BILE.
Floyd" the rector exclaimed IL
the latter, rs II In surprise at seeing
the two men. "You want to see me
| won't keep You a moment"
Stephen felt his heart beating fast
or: he wondered tina he could keel
, the excitement out of his voice. Hi
, companions stick went tap-tap witt
:, Ire measured regularity OF bin,
man. The sound of Ii somehow
;, brought back to Stephen Ruthen'
mind the memory OF that winter
night from which all this trouble ha
:, sprung-this path OF lies that. ono
. entered upon. had to be traversed IA
! iANi NAtt W 0lhS
= OF at the beginning-when, as he an
woman stood over a dead man
= the white roadway, that sound ha
: coma nearer. nearer. intruding on til
:, tragedy.
You can find your way now, NJ
= Grale7" went on Ruthen, feeling 4
r. he acted the lie that nothing coul
IN save them from discovery. that eve
M the attempt was absurd. the dece
a tion would SO soon be laid bare.
Yes, thank YOU. parson. Coo
en- night" came the mufied voice fro
e. under the white wrap with its Ion
dangling end. to the ACCOMPANYING
I'D of the tapping of the metal ferruie
he Peeping cautiously through the wi
D, dow of the diningroom Freddy So
tn the police Inspector turn and VIII
Ter to his subordinate; then the co
IN. stable went quickly up to the m,
ne tapping his way down the path.
No How are You tonight. Mr.. Grale
nh Freddy. suddenly sick with apprehe
sion and suspicion. heard the eons
tie bic say-saw him peer at close qul
lid tiers into the pseudo-blind mans IA
re. In The light streaming out throu
lad the hall doorway. And Thornton HI
nj his breath The farlorn hope h
he failed. In that sharp scrutiny I
md man. evidently suspicious. could I
ing fail to see that II was Lathom. Tn,
ON to his immense surprise. the cons
cut BILE said. Good night. Mr.. Grale." a
of came back to the inspector and spo
to him.
ON What the constable whispered
ose his superior. who. having his sus
,ell eions. had told Floyd to make S,
her that the figure In the dim light v
not the man they wanted. was tn
ron 4 Was suspicious. too. for l
aim men,. SIT. nut As M. uraie, the
,,y ganist. right enough"