The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-12-12
THE COMPAC
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ment you merely desired an excuse
for dogging my movements without
arousing suspicious as to your true
purpose. 1t was clever. | raise my
hat TO you. 1 frankly admit that
you have given me many anxious
moments, and had not the smallest
suspicion that you knew anything OF
our schemes. However. this time lim't
is now no longer necessary. If you
so choose we can shorten it. BY mu-
tual agreement our trouble can be
settled in a week or two's time, and
| tell you at once | am prepared
to take the chances-if you are"
His smile broadened, and he threw
into his manner an assurance he in
no way felt.
81 am not seeking this concession
solely for myself" he went on. 81;
is chiefly to relieve Mary from the
false position in which you have
placed her. 1t means that one or the
other of us will pass out of life
earlier than We intended, which will
consequently be more satisfactory to
the one who remains. You, / pre-.
sumo, are a man of courage, so
that you are not likely to be in
fluenced by any fear of the result.
If | return to Mafeliing at once will
you be content to settle this matter
one week later?'
Elwood listend very carefully to
Guys argument but the manner of
it was too specious, and failed to
convince him.
You are not seeking this CON
cession for selfish motives?" ne said
abruptly. And yet if you win you
will be able to get away from the
possible results of your conspiracy"
Guy laughed.
, yes. If you choose to put it so,
| had thought of that. You see it
is not likely that Mary will have
any desire to remain in Bechuana-
land after-it has happened. We
should undoubtedly return to Eng
land. There would be no attraction
in this Internal country, and, if you
do as you said with regard to your
fortune, certainly no need for us to
stay"
1t was some moments before El-
wood answered. His inscrutable eyes
were steadily fixed upon the other,
who had now resumeii his pipe and
was lolling carelessly against the
inner side Of the wagon-wheel Guy
seemed quite restored to his ac-
customed unconcern. His face had
returned to its usual expression of
mocking levity.
But Elwood was thinking in an
other direction, a direction the other
could not have fathomed, would new
er have suspected for he was quite
in the dark as to the relations which
might have developed between hus-
band and wife. Something Guy had
said had opened UP a new train of
thought in his mind. II had never oc-
CURED to him that his desire for
Mary's happiness had placed her in
a false position. He had only had
that happiness in view. At the time
of the making of the compact he
was aware that she had no love for,
him, her husband. Ne believed she
loved this other man, and he had
merely desired to avoid Interfering
with that love through his legal
right to her. Now he had reason.
small perhaps, but nevertheless he
had reason to believe that a change
had occurred in Mary's feelings. And
now at Guys suggestion of the wife's
false position the forming of their
compact assumed hideous propor-
tions. 1t was not merely false po-
sition in which he had placed Mary,
it was cruel, a terrible wrong.
He stirrell and turned his eyes up
on the surrounding bush, and a deep
flush slowly spread itself over his
plain features. He spoke at once,
and spoke harshly.
Very well. then" he said. "One
week after the date of your return
to Mafeking. At midday, aniI at the
Wondergat."
He rose from his place on the
blankets and girthed his horse I'D
afresh. Then he swung himself into
the saddle. Nor did he speak again.
but rode off, vanishing into the bush
without sign, and leaving the
younger man staring perplexedly af- |
ter him.
Ito be continued)