The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-11-16
CHAPTER XVII.
THE LIFTS.

THE CURTAIN LIFTS.
Fol a moment / hesitated. Was it
best to tell him? But a glance at his
drawn face decided me.
1.-THE search is oVer,' I said Miss
Lawrence is home again. and 1
handed him the message.
He rea it at a glance, then started
to his feet.
will you come with me, Mr.. Les
ter?" he asked. II know w given
you a lot of trouble, but this will be the
last, l think"
you haven't given me a bit of trou-
ble." I protested. I'll be glad to
come"
Thank you" he said simply, and
held out his hand to Royce,
You think it best to go?" the latter
asked.
Best! Oh, I'm not thinking Of that!
I'm going to her-Ive got to see herl
I can't watt! L"
He wrung our juniors hand with
out finishing the sentence; too over
wrought, indeed, to finish it-and
strobe from the room.
Mr.. Royce held me back for a rapid
word OF warning.
TIN glad you're going" he said.
Hell need some one. There's no tell
ing what'n happen. Good luck!"
When we We're in the train, with the
lights of Jersey City flying past US, I
/ Iooh ~ $1,000 - S&SS e'A
He was lying back in the seat with his
eyes closed. and the posture made his
face seem even tanker and grimmer
than it had at first appeared. l saw
that I must keep my wits about me.
When he awoke to a full realization
Of the trick fate had played him, he
might, in his desperation
but you said Mrs. Lawrence told
you she knew why Marcia had run
away"
The voice fairly made me jump, it
came SO suddenly, so unexpectedly.
"She did" I answered, turning tc
find his dark eyes open n strangely
bright. "But of course she was mis-
taken. IL fancied it was something
else, or she wouldn't have said what
she did,
"What did she say? You've told me
but I've forgotten.
"She said that the marriage wasn't
impossible-that h choice should be
left to you"
He pondered his a moment. then his
lips curved into an ironical smile.
mo doubt another family secret!' he
Corsica or Sicily! Well, We'll try t.
bear it. By the way, Who's this fellow
Godfrey, who sent you that message?'
He's a newspaper man, a friend o
mine-a mighty clever fellow"
His face grew arimmer still,
more 1000 lOE lic yel4O" press,
he said, with a harsh laugh. THE.
certainly owe US a vote of thanks"
He was in a dangerous mood. 1 say
his face harden and darken as he gazet
out through the window. His lip
moved, but no sound came from them
Then they closed again, compresse,
and ~bloodless, and he settled back II
his seat as though he had taken a fina
resolution. I shuddered as l tried t
guess what it was. 1 could imagin
but one N for a drama so hideous a
this.
And then, as I lay back in the seal
gazing at him. a sudden ray of ligh
dashed across my brain. That con
tour of the face-that poise Of tn
head-where had I seen them? Wher
but in the portrait of Ruth Endicot
which hung upon the wall of the King
don cottage! Since he resembled hi
father. he would, Of course, resembl
her. Another link in the chain, l toll
myself; and trembled to think hoy
Nothing about the house ha
: changed. AS we drove UP to the door
I I saw that the blinds were still drawn
: as they had been at the time Of m
first visit, and no ray of light cam
through them. 1t seemed a house c