The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-05-26
CHAPTER xII-(continued.)

lRgeS, where little cottages showed vi
for moment in the glare of the head
lights. then faded into the darkness
Too soon she came to a familiar
stretch Of the road. and the car slowed
down SO that they might not pass the
tiny grass lane that led to Flairby
Mill. They came to ii at last, and the
car bumped cautiously over deep cart
ruts, even loose stones and through Ions
drenched grasses till there doomed out
of the night the squat outlines OF
Flairby Mil.
Once upon a time, before the COM
Ing of cheap machinery, flairby Mil
had been famous in the district
and the rumble of its big stones went
on necessarily, night and day; but the
wheel had long since broken, it's wreck
lay I'm the bed of the little stream that
had so faithfully served it; it's ma
chinery was rust and scrap iron, and
only the tiny dwelling house that adj
Joined was OF value. With little or no
repair the homestead had remained
watertight and weatherproof. and here
In had Kathleen stored the odds and
ends Of her fathers household. The sad
dies, shields. spears and oddments he
collected in his travels, and the modest
library that had consoled the embitter-
ed years Of his passing, were all stored
here. Valueless as the world assesses
value, but in the eyes of the girl pre-
cious things associated with her dead
father.
The tears rose to her eyes as Sped
ding, taking the key from her hand,
ftted 1t into the lock of a seventeenth
century door. but she wiped them
away furtively.
Speeding utilized the acetylene lamp
OF the car to show him the way into
the house. You must direct me, Miss
Kent" he said, and Kathleen pointed
the way Up the oaken stairs. covered
with dust, their footsteps resounding
holloway through the deserted home
stead. the two passed. At the head
of the stairs was a heavy door, and
acting under the girls instructions,
the lawyer opened this.
1t was a big room, almost like
barn. with timbered ceiling sloping
downward: There were three shut
tered windows, and another door at
the farther end of the room that led to
q smaller room.
This was the miller's living ROOM"
she said sadly, She could just re-
member when a miller lived in the
homestead, and when she had ridden
up to the door of the mill, accompan-
led by her father. and the miller, white
and tovial, had lifted her down and
taken her through a mysterious cham
Der where great stones turned labori-
ously and noisily, and the air was
filled with a fine. white dust
Speeding placed the lamp on the
table. and cast his eyes round the
room in search Of the books They
were not difficult TO discover; they
had been unpacked, and were arranged
in three disorderly rows upon roughly
constructed bookshelves The lawyer
turned sthe lamp so that the full vol
urifes Or light should fall on the books.
Then he went carefully over them, row
byffoW, schecking each copy methodi-
calIy.. and half muttering the name Of
each tome he handled. There were
school books. works of travel, and now
and again a heavily bound scientific
treatise, for her father had made
science a particular study. The girl
stood with one hand resting on the
table looking on admiring the patience
OF tho smooth, heavy man at his task,
and, II must be confessed, inwardly
wondering what necessity there was for
this midnight visitation. She had told
the lawyer nothing about the red en-
velope, but instinctively felt that he
knew all about it,
"Anabasis, Xenophon," he muttered
"Josephus. Works and Life: Essays OF
Ella; Essays, Emerson; Essays, De
Quincy. What's this?"
He drew from between two bulky
volumes thin little book with dis
colored cover. He busted it carefully,
glanced at the title, opened it and read
the title page, then walked back to the
table and seated himself, and started
to read the book.
The girl did not know why, but
there was something in his attitude at
that moment that caused her q little
uneasiness, and stirred within her a
sense Of danger. Perhaps it was that
up till then he had shown her marked
Difference, had been almost obsequious.
Now that the book had been fond he
disregarded her. He did not bring 1t
to her or invite her attention, and she
felt that she was 'out of the picture"
that the lawyers interest in her affairs
had stopped dead just as soon as the
discovery was made.
He turned the leaves over carefully,
pouring over the introduction, and her
eyes wandered from the book to his
face. She had never looked at him
before with any critical interest. In
the unfriendly light of the lamp. she
saw his imperfections--the brutal
strength OF his jaw, the INSCRIPTIONS
thinness Of the lip. the heavy eyelids,
and the curious hairlessness of
his face. She shivered little for she
read too much in his face for her
peace of mind.
Unconscious of her scrutiny for the
book before him was ll-engrossing.
the lawyer went from page 70 Rage.
Don't you think we had better be-
going'" Kathleen asked tiinidIy
Speeding looked UP. and his stare
was in keeping with his words.
when I have finished we will GO"
he said brusquely. and went on read
ing.
Kathleen gave a little gasp nt aston
ishnent, for, with all her suspicions,
she had not been prepared FOR such
q complete and instant Gronring Of his
mask Of amiahiiity H. 'i~i fashion
she began to realize N.r -""rer yet
there could be no ha"'~ ~ side was
the chauffeur. he ston e" something
OF established order ~ar made an
other attempt.
II must insist. Mr.. SPEEDING. upon
your finishing your examination of
that book elsewhere. / do not know
whether you are awake that you are
occupying the only cair In the ROOM"
she added Indignantly.
Il am very well aware" said the
lawyer calmly. without raising his
eyes.
mr.. Spedding!"
He looked up with an air of weari-
ness.
MAY ask you to remain quiet until
have finished" he said, with an en-
phasis that she could not mistake
''and lest you have any lingering doubt
that my present research is rather on
my own account than on yours,
might add that II you annoy me by
whining or tuning, or by any such
nOnsensical tricks I have that with