The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-01-01

would be made. Stephens thoughta
slid back from the dead man lying
there to the woman upstairs coming
back to consciousness-back to mem.
ory!
DR.. Sprent made his early visit. He
came downstairs from the sick room
his chubby face radiant.
"Splendid!" he said-"splendid!
Even better than I had hoped. All
her faculties quite clear and normal.
The main thing now is to keep our
patient quiet and free from all excite.
ment. She's rather Of an excitable
temperament, too-which makes it all
the more important she should be kept
quiet. BY the way, Ruthen, she's ask
ing for you. She's very insistent you
should so up and see her."
Olive was asking for him-Stephen
could guess why! He could picture
the agony of suspense she must be en-.
during, the shock of the horror that
must have overtaken his poor Olive
as she found her way back from de-
lirium to the things that were real.
$50 you'd better go up, Ruthen.
now" The doctor was still speaking.
"She's so insistent. But you mustn't
stay more than couple of minutes OF
so. And be sure you don't let her
talk much or excite herself
Stephen Ruthen stole into the sick
room, the prey to tumult of emo
tons.
Olive smiled wanly as he entered;
the nurse went out, leaving them
alone together. How wasted the hand
was, lying on their eiderdown, that
made a tired movement towards him!
And her face was thinner and color
less-ivory against the dark glory OF
her hair; but illness had not dimmed
the old beauty.
An aching passion Of tenderness and
pity SWEPT him, leaving him in that
first moment dumb. There was SO
much to say, but he could find no
words. So much to say-the reas.
surance that what she had done was
still a secret, that she had only to re-
main silent and no one would ever
know how Philip Humc had died; and.
above all, he wanted to tell her mat
he held her guiltless through it all;
that she, too, must hold herself guilt
less-morally guiltless, for an act done
when her mind had swung so far from
it's balance as to leave her hardly re
sDonsible. But the words would not
come He touched her hand gently.
81 am glad you have come; want
ed to see you so much, Stephen
want to ask you something" she said.
How faint and frail the voice was!
Her eyes looked UP at him feverishly;
their uplifted light was unclouded by
the fear or horror he had expected to
see reflected there. II seem to have
ben lying here ages in strange world
of drei ms; could almost fancy it
was in another existence that l crept
to tie vestry door Of the church, and
you brought me home."' She paused,
and added: Cor that saw Frank
Carr OuLSlQ9 Tie SdlS-I imp 11uiAs
you tell me his name is. 1t all seems
far away like dream, only l suppose
it is real?"
He nodded. He could not speak
There was a queer lump in his throat.
Olive paused as if the effort of speak
ing had made her tired. Stephen had
almost expected her first words to
have reference to the tragedy; She
had said she wanted to ask him some
thing, only perhaps she could not find
the courage-was waiting for him to
speak How could he put it into
words, and answer the question she
dared not ask, to take the sting out OF
her suspense? ....
Before he could frame the difficult
words, she spoke again.
stephen" she whispered, and an
intensely eager, wistful look came In
to the dark, burning eyes, "has--has
Frank-Philip Hume-called whilst J
have been lying here ill?'
ITO Be continued.)