Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-06-07

l resolved 10 accept the INVITATION ex-
tended to me, and In due course Of
time l arrived - Cornwall.
Sir John met ne at the station. All
his ~taciturnit7 n gloom had left
him-he was now a talkative and
cheerful man
The barcnet whipped up his horses.
and soon afterward we drew up in
front of the fine old mansion. Lady
Tregenna was standing on the steps,
a nurse a little behind her holding a
baby in her arms.
We'll, Kate called out her hus-
band, here is our old friend, Halifax.
Bring the lad along. Now, Halifax.
what do you think of him. eh?'
H is indeed a fine boy" | re-
marked to Lady Tregenna. Curious
ly enough, l CHANGED to be in the
same hotel at Madras with your hus-
band when he received the cable
gram announcing his BIRTH"
Look after Halifax, Kate said
Tregenna. Il must go to the stables.
but will join you presently"
Lady Tregenna conducted me under
a thick arch of roses or to a small
Ia Ii, "ASI BIC SedlSu nS Sell ny q
little %tea-table. She motioned me to
a seat nea her.
TT is strange" she said, that you
should have been with my husband
when he received the message that he
was the father of a boy"
There is something else stranger"
I said, impelled by an unaccountable
impulse to force my information upon
her. Il also received a cablegram
in cipher from my old friend, Doctor
Collett, on the same night. 1t gave
false information with regard to the
matter. Collett told me hat our
baby died shortly after its birth
Her cheeks flushed crimson, then
turned pale. What an odd mistake
to make" she said. That was abso-
lutely without foundation. But then,
Doctor Collett died on the day of my
baby's birth. He may not ave know
what he was cabling to o about"
II have not mentioned the matter
to anyone" I began, but at hat in
slant we heard Sir Johns voice in the
distance, and Lady Tregenna mo-
toned Inc to be silent.
Not a word to him." she said in an
eager whisper. Il would not let him
know for the world. He would think
it unlucky. You will promise?"
LAS l did not tell you husband at
the time, l should have no reason for
repeating the news now" l said.
That evening Tregenna took me
into his study, n we spent a short
time examining the valuable photo
graphs he had taken in India of the
suns eclipse. Just before we parted
for the night he spoke again of his
heir.
$50 you think the boy a fine little
chap, Halifax" he said. And Lady
Tregenna-she seems pleased to be
his mother. eh?-that strikes you, too,
I s%uppose?"
you are wrapped up in him, at
all events" was my evaslve reply, for
l had noticed from the start that the
mother scarcely ever mentioned the
child. and as far as 1 could see ,ap-
peared to take no especial interest in
him.
Tregenna's face grew crimson. II
see you observe what I notice my
SELF" he exclaimed. THE fact is,
there is no accounting for women l
thought that h would have been
wild about the lad, but as a matter of
fact, she isn't. Not that she neglects
him; far from that. She Sc IS that
he is well looked after, and has him
brought to her once or twice daily,
but she never pets him. l sometimes
think I bore her by the delight which
the possession of the child causes
me-; but there-we will say no more
about it. l am keeping you up, and
you must be tired"
He conducted me to my room, babe
me goodnight and left me. I went to
the window, and flung it wide open.
Suddenly a longing to steal down !
stairs and go out for a ramble seized
me. No sooner did the notion come
to me, than | acted upon it. The
house was already shut up, but II
made my way to a side door, which
l unbarred, and let myself out. | wan
dered down the broad central avenue
l was walking on the grass and not
making the slightest noise, when
voices startled me. They seemed to
be close by. l stepped into a deer
shadow. The first words I heard were
In Lady Tregenna's tones.
Il cannot 60 on with this much
longer, Dayrell," she cired. II cannot
possibly give you what you ask, for l
have not got 1t. Here, If you must
have it, take this ring; it is of great
value. If he misses it from my finger
I can out tell him another lie."
saw her hand something to a man
who stood near, then she turned abb
and walked back to the house.
AS soon as she had left him, the man
turned to leave the grounds. l made
up my mind to follow him. He
a stile, which he mounted,
and which led direct into the high
road. Still keeping my distance, 1
did the same. Presently, in the ex-
treme quiet Of the night, he stopped
still, as if he were listening. The be-
moon arose at that instant, anc
suddenly, he saw me. He
halted and waited for me to come up.
by Jove," he cried, as l APP
projected. g" know who you are.
Your name is Halifax-you are a spe-
cial chum of the governors; you came
tc the manor to-day"
/ glanced at him; his features were
not unlike Sir Johns. but they were
much bloated, (. if with excessive
1rinkinp His lfna uera thin on1