Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-07-22
The car. increasing In speed. was

The car, increasing IN speed, was
I on them almost as soon as Hilda saw
it; the eyes of the girl driving had
| fallen on the stranger speaking tC
| the servant just outside the gates
and simultaneously her companion
| in the car had started forward as il
in sudden surprise with muttered
exclamation. Quickly Miss Strang-
ways whispered to him in low voice
| AS the car passed through the gate
| with increasing speed into the road
where the man sitting by his heap OF
stones paused in his work to look up
| at the occupants of the motor, the old
servant cried to his mistress as she
went past.
AS if reluctantly Miss Strangways
slowed down as the car curved into
the roadway; and 1ilda, eager and
impatient, ran up to 1t. Possibly 1T
was the sudden appearance of the
motor car that caused cycliSt who
was riding past the gates at that
moment to swerve sharply; then an
exclamation of disgust broke from
him, and he jumped off and began to
examine his tire.
That's one of your COMPOUNDED
f1ints I have to thank for this!" he
shouted in irate tones to the stone
breaker, who regarded him placidly,
in no way ruffled.
you are Miss Strangways?" said
Hilda. my name is Miss Ruthen.
and I have come today from Wildfell
to see you on an urgent matter, if you
conversation"
Miss Strangways looked at her
coolly.
Il am afraid l can't this afternoon"
she said, with a careless Indifference
that was almost rude.
But Hilda was no longer looking at
her. AS she had made her request
she had glanced, almost for the first
time, at Miss Strangways' companion
in the car. AS If under stress of
some emotion, the man had made a
movement forward towards her; and,
as the girl looked more closely, a
startled exclamation rose to her lips.
jack" The startled cry broke
from her
Miss Strangways had put a swift
hand on her companions arm as if to
restrain him. She turned and instant
ly whispered something to him that
Hilda could not hear; then she gave
a careless laugh as she turned to
Hilda again.
please stand aside and let us pass.
Really, Miss-Miss Ruthen, neither
this gentlemen nor I have anything to
say to you, or any wish to prolong
this interview. You are OBTAINING
US"
At the cool, amazing speech Hilda
fell back without a word as before a
blow, white, and with swift pain
succeeding the almost incredulous
look that had flashed into her eyes.
Miss StraSgways, with utter uncon-
Germ on her face, jerked the lever;
the car shot forward down the road,
past the cyclist who was standing
examining the tire of his machine, to-
wards the High Street, there to cause
a buzz of excited comment among
white-sleeved tradesmen standing at
their shop doors, at the sight of the
muffled-up figure by Miss Strangways'
side; and the news that spread
through Lendal that Mr.. Strangways
had been seen out driving after his
long seclusion was being telegraphed
within ten minutes to half dozen i'm
portant betting centers. with the i'm
mediate result of shortening the odds
against Pride O. Life for the forth
coming big race.
For several minutes after the car
had disappeared from sight Hilda
stood white and motionless by the
gates of the Grange, almost daZed in
that first wincing moment of bewil
dered pain, with the insolent mocking
laugh still ringing in her ears.
For in Miss Strangways' compan.
ion, skilfullly disguised though he was
to look like an old man, Hilda had
recognized her lover and deliberately
Jack Lathom had ignored her as ut
terly as though she had been
stranger.
The cyclist must have found that
his machine had sustained very little
damage after all; for the instant the
car had left Hilda he mounted his
bicycle and rode in the direction the
car had taken.
To Be Continued.