The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-04-30
Mr.. Strangways being worse, Mr.
Lirl,yC,


Hes very i'll, I'm afraid. don't
know rightly what's the matter with
him-some long-standing disease, COM
plicated by heart trouble; he went the
pace too hard as young man." Mrs.
Kirby in her younger days had been
in service at the old house, Lendal
Grange, as lady's maid to the late
Mrs. Strangways. That was in the
days when all the land round about
had been part of the great estate that
had slipped through Ralph Strang-
ways fingers. ut will be a terrible
thing if he doesn't live till after the
City and Suburban, for that's his one
hope of providing for his daughter,
Mss Margaret. It's said he's staked
everything on the race, to leave her
provided for when he's gone. Poor
dear! Such a sweet young lady as she
is tool" said Mrs. Kirby, sympathetic
cally.
They'd sent for the doctor in a
hurry tonight"
That would be the new docto:
that's been called in. That's strange;
no one can understand it. Old Dr..
Fill has always attended Mr.. Strang-
ways until quite lately, and then sud
denly he's dismissed, although he's an
! Old friend; never crosses the
, threshold now, end the new doctor,
new to the neighborhood, is called in
l believe old DR.. Hill had no hopes
CT the poor gentleman ever seeing the
race day; but this new one, DR.. Brew
er, laughs at that; says there's no
doubt OF his pulling through for lit
tie while at least. I'm sure hope so,
if only for Miss Margaret's sake; just
devoted she is to her father But
what seems so strange is that ever
since TIE new doctor came the gates
have been always locked. and scarce
ly any Of his old friends are admitted
to see Mr.. Strangways. l think they
want to keep it dark how ill he is.
Such change-he used to be such a
che for company"
Jack Lathom thought of the great
house of gloom, with scarcely light
slowing in the windows, and the
locked gates. What a life for this girl
he had seen tonight, to be immured
there, seeing, as Mrs. Kirby said.
scarcely any one. And what curious
1 whin made Ralph Strangways deny
himself to his friends, keeping the
| place barred against intruders like a
prison? He remembered the suspi-
oious glance of the old servant What
mystery lay behind those barred
gates? Why were they afraid of in
truders? For it looked as though for
some reason they were afraid.
IF determination will keep a man
alive, Ralph Strangway will live to see
the race yet; I never knew such a will
as his, boy and man. went on Mrs.
Kirby, an inveterate gossip. ut means
more to him even than leaving Miss
Margaret provided for, his winning
this race. For his cousin has a horse
entered toc-the cousin whom he
hates like poison. l verify believe
Ralph Strangways wouldn't sleep in
his grave if through his death Pride
o. Life couldn't run, and Mr. Anthony
/. Strangways, his cousin, was to win the
race. Myself. don't know why there
should be such bitter feeling. know
nothing against his cousin; but there,
you can't argue with family quarrels
or with folks as stubborn as all the
Strangways are"
All Newmarket, all the racing world,
knew Of the Strangways and of the
Strangways' family quarrel. 1t was
an old family, where the love of
horses and the passion for gambling
seemed inherited. For generations
the Strangways had always figured
prominently on the turf, getting poor
er and poorer, parting with land, cut
ting down timber, but still clinging
to the ruling passion.
Between two branches of the family
was long established feud, dating
back to days of Ralph Strangways'
father, and the father of the Anthony
Strangways whom the landlady had
spoken of, who was his second cousin.
The story was familiar to Jack La.
thom. Anthony Strangways had
been an acquaintance of Philip Hume
Some foolish bygone quarrel over
disputed bit Of land that was not
worth fighting over that was no use
to either claimant, whichever won it.
But the Strangways were of an in
grained obstinacy, and always reader
to fight than compromise; thousands
had gone in law suits over a worth
less bit Of land, and the bitterness
engendered had never been forgotten
on either side-a bitterness that
seemed likely to be carried to the
brink of the grave, now that these
two men who hated one another eacl
had horse in the race, the winning
Of which meant so much to RALPH
Strangways.
"Jove, I'd rather be in here thai
outside!" observed Grisson, suddenly
breaking silence that had fallen, a
the rising wind shook the window
and sighed drearily in the chimney
why, believe you ladies are hal
asleep; Peggy. I distinctly saw yo