The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-10-24

the picture to her face.
Luke. she repeated, dwelling on the
word II must speak to you about
Luke
And the lips, stir and cold. opened
slightly and from between them es-
capped the word, feebly, like the breath
of a dying a
'Tsuke!"
He is In grave danger, Lord Rad
clyxe" she said slowly, lin danger OF
And this time the faded lips framed
the word distinctly:
HLuke-in danger OF deathip
The hands which had lain on the
quilt up to now. stiIl and waxen as
those OF a lifeless image, began TO.
tremble visibly, and the eyes-those
great, hollow eyes--had a searching,
anxious expression In them now.
Philip de Mountford has been muir
dered said Louisa. You knew that,
The sick man nodded. Life and con-
seriousness were slowly returning and
with them understanding and the ca
pacity for suffering.
The trembling OF the hands ceased.
With a quick, jerky movement they
were drawn back against he figure,
used as a leverage. With q sud-
~ u 4 NJ LAlO 6ACh AllA
slowly but steadily drew himself up,
away from the pillows. until he was al
most sitting up in bed. There was UNI
Outstanding in the eyes now, under
standing and an awful look OF horror.
1T Is not true!" he mumured.
IL Is true" she said. Luke was
known to have quarrelled with Philip
de Mountford, and the dagger stick
with which the crime was committed
was found In the ~park-stsined with
blood.-the dagger stick which belonged
Luke didn't do it," murmured the
sick man. !
4 know that he didn't" she replied
firmly, but he pleads guilty. He owns
that the stick was his, and win give no
denial. no explanation. He Is taking
upon himself the crime OF another
1T Is rot truei" once more muir
INJURED the sick man.
Then he fell back exhausted against
the pillows.
awful stiffness OF death; the hands
rested on the quilt as If folded in wax.
The eyes We're closed and from be-
tween the pale, parted lips not the
talntest breath seemed to escape. Help
less and anxious, Louisa looked around
her. On a table close by stood an ar
ray OF bottles. She went up to It, try
Ah6 " ACdu III Tie lhDGtS, wondering III
there was anything there that was a
powerful restorative. She found a.
small bottle labelled brandy" and took
II up In her hand, but as she looked
up again, she saw Doctor Newingfon
standing in the doorway OF the ,boidoir.
one OF the nurses was with him and
ne was armed with his most pompous
and most professional manner.
What are you doing here?' he asked
sternly.
Il think !" she replied trying to mas
ter her excitement athft lord Rad-1
clyfre has tainted. Isdid hot know what
II should think not, Indeed he said:
and why did o not ring for the
nurse? and why are you herS?s
! wished TO- see Lord Radclyffe my
without my tpermission?"
You would have refused It."
Certainly Issheu4d, And / must re-
guest you tosleare the sick room at
once
Barfled and miserable she stood for
a moment hesitating,. vaguely wonder
ing IL she could rebel. Indeed, she had
ms option bat to obey. The doctor was
well within his rights; she. utterly in
the wrong.
She turned toward the door ready
to go, but In order to reach II from
where she stood, she had TO go pass the
foot or the bad.
The nurse was busy administering
had taken up the attitude dear to every
~Engltshmani his stand upon the hearth
and his hands buried In the pock-
cts OF his trousers. He was treating
Louisa like a disobedient child, and she
had no n to appeal to In this moment
Of complete helplessness.
TaxnA rS.@Aw 49, gtH a. A
with herself. The nurse jpst then had
to a side table to fetch some
brandy. The patient, so Louisa heard
her tell the doctor, had o tainted:
he was merely In q state of exhaustion.
Swift and furtive, like some small
animal In danger OF its, life, Louisa
slipped In between the screen and the
bed, and before the doctor or nurse
prevent her, she had bent right
h sick man and whispered close
TO his ear: 49,
Lord RadcIyffe, unless you make an
effort now tomorrow Luke viii be
standing In the d~ock--branded as d
felon. Make IN effort for Luke's sake
And the spirit which had gone wan
dering In the land or shadows came
back to earth at sound of that one
name. @ a|>
Luke" he whispered, Luke, my
boy. arm strong. I can help you"
Miss Harris interposed the doc
tor. sternly.
But the sick mans words had put
new strength into her. She was ready
to fight the doctor now. The
tional woman OF the world was trans
formed into Just a mere woman fight
Ing for the thing she loved--child,
lover, or husband, 1t is all the same
when that womanly instinct OF combat
Is aroused.
Doctor Newington would have had to
take Louisa Harris by the shoulders
now IL he meant to eject her; for UNI
I'll the patient spoke. here h meant
to remain.
Doctor" she quietly said, you have
another duty TO perform than that OF
watching over your patient. An Inno-i
cent man Is accused Of q terrible crime.
Lord Radclyffe, though very weak,
nephew by q word that word must be
spoken tonight"
Send Tor Tom Ryder" murniured
the sick MAJ, he'll understand.
The words came in gasps, but other
wise fairly distinctly. Doctor Newing-
ton, In all his professional experience,
had never been placed In such an ex4
traordinary dilemma. He was not
quite so obstinate about the whole
thing as he had originally been, and a
kind OF hopeless bewilderment showed
itself upon his face.
"Will you send for SIR Thomas. doe
tor? asked Louisa. You see that Lord
Radcliffe wishes t."
The doctor shrugged his shoulders.