Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-09-09

The doctor paused before answer.
ing. 1t was the dreaded question, but
it would have to be answered truthful
ly; the girls unexpected coming had
overthrow all his plans. A few hours
respite, and he could have kept her
no less than the world generally in
ignorance of the plot that had been
laid in train weeks ago behind the
barred gates of the Grange; but he
knew it would be useless to attempt to
deceive her now-she would inevita
bly, discover the deceit practiced. He
would have to make clean breast of
the truth he had partially suppressed.
Miss Strangways," he said, slowly,
not giving direct answer to her ques-
ton, I suppose it never occurred to
you that your father had very def
mite motive in urging that you should
go away from the Grange when you
did? / know how deeply he felt part
ing from you, but he sacrificed his
own feelings, though he felt, as I
felt, that he would never see you
again"
Then why did he send me away"
the girl broke out, passionately. ooh,
/ didn't want to leave him; it was
cruel to send me away"
But it was for your sake; your
father wanted you never to know what
your unexpected return today makes
it inevitable that you learn now" said
DR.. Brewer, in a lowered voice. They
had come into the house, and he had
shut the door of the room before an
swering. Your father had set his
heart on Pride o. Life running and
winning; he was convinced that it
could win, and SO much hung on it's
winning, not for himself, but for you.
He had backed the horse heavily. He
had a foreboding, we'll founded as I
knew, that he would not live till the
day of the race, only he had deter
mined-and he had made me promise
to help him-that whether he lived
till the race or not, Pride O. Life
should run, to win back of his lost
fortune something to leave to the
daughter he loved"
'But," cried the girl, still not under
standing, "since his death would make
the nomination for the race void Pride
O. Life could not have run in that
case"
THAT was why he was determined
that if he died before the race his
death should be kept a secret from
the world; and we had discussed every
detail. guarded against every contin-
gency, in order that Pride o. Life could
start in the race. AS it happened, the
task left to me was rendered far cas-
Ter than | expected, for your father
did not die till late last night. To me
it is amazing that he lived so long. It
was only his iron will that kept him
alive. The cruel irony of It'll" he
broke out with sudden bitterness
that he did live to within few hours
of the race-to within sight of the de-
sired goal! That, had he lived even
less than another day, there need have
been no deception at all as
it is-well, Pride O. Life ran, as your
father determined it should-ran and
wont"
They walked out of the room, the
girl not speaking DR.. Brewer un-
locked the baize door by which the
wing occupied by Ralph Strangways
had been shut off from the rest OF
the house. The doctor and Margaret
Strangways, whose white, strained
face showed the stress of poignant
emotions within her, passed through
into the room where the man who
once before had masqueraded as her
father, deceiving Bonholt Hume and
the detective, Jumped to his feet,
startled at tbs sight Of her.
Miss Strangways" he cried.
1t was not ten minutes ago that the
doctor had come in excitedly with the
news that the dead mans daughter
was on her way home; but it had
seemed to both of them that hours
must pass before she could arrive-a
respite which would enable his fell
low-conspirators to form a plan to
meet this unlooked-for contingency.
Brewer had left him, to find the nurse
who was also in the conspiracy; then
it would have been given out that
Ralph Stpangways had died quite sud-
denly. Ind here was Miss Strang-
ways!
Then it was you, Mr.. Lathom, who
helped in this-lie?" she said.
Margaret Strangways could not keep
the bitterness of her feelings out Of
her voice. The horror Of the thing
seemed to catch her by the throat,
swept over her overwhelmingly-he
father lying dead, and the cheated
crowd cheering an impostor. And she
had been cheated, too.
Jack Lathom inclined his head. The
situation seemed too difficult for
words.
Then she turned on the doctor with
vehemence of passion.
"Why-why must you add the furth-
er insult of mockery by bringing the
people on to the lawn to cheer when
my father lay dead-when to all in
tents and purposes Pride O. Life had
not won, since it only ran in the race
by fraud?"
Ito be continued.)