Evening star., 1912-11-23
CHAPTER XXXII.
The Storm.

in the library, too agitated to think OF
eating, too anxious about the outcome or
things to take her mind off the tense
situation. Whichever way she turned
perplexities confronted her. There In the
conservatory was the stolen money, but
she promised not to touch it until this
| wretched detective had gone. When would
he go? And there in her little chamber
| was this unfortunate girl. Hester Storm,
whom she must save somehow, but how?
And, wandering about the village of Ip-
pingford-what could be keeping him.
was Lionel Fitz-Brown, bearer Of that
| desperate cable message that might save
| Hiram Baxter or-or 1t might ruin him.
| Oh dear, why didn't Lionel come back?
| When Horatio entered presently with
/ some food on a tray. a little cold meat
and a salad. Betty shook her head sadly.
| She had no appetite, she really could not
eat.
'You seem troubled, my DEAR" said
| Merle. with kindly concern. rs there
| anything 1 can do?'
mo, thank you," she answered, wearily.
| The clergyman put down the tray. look
| ed about him cautiously, and then. tip
| toeing close to Betty. he whispered: Miss
! Thompson-that man-the detective?"
"Yes?''
| Horatio lifted his chin wisely, and. with
a tragic thumb. pointed to the library
door,
Hes still waiting. He seems to be
everywhere at once. In the words OF King
| Solomon. he lieth in wait at every cor
i ner: l wish he would go away
II wish he would she sighed
HE acts as if he thought we were
sheltering fugitive in this house,
Betty started. "Is that such dreadful
thing to-shelter fugitive?''
MY DEAR" said the curate. earnestly,
L am speaking of a fugitive from justice,
malefactor, and to shelter such a per-
| son is tantamount to becoming partner
in his crime. 1t is grave offense in the
eyes of the law; it means imprisonment;
it means
Mr. Merle" interrupted the girl, in
dignantly. do you mean to tell me that
il repentant sinner came to you for
help and protection. you. as Christian,
would refuse to shelter him."
Horatio stroked his side whiskers and
opened and closed his mouth several
times with clerical deliberation.
This is one Of those delicate questions,
Miss Thompson. one of those delicate
questions that-that-"
But Betty would not be put aside with
pompous generalities.
''Mr. Merle" she asked. earnestly, Sup
pose you had made a promise to shield
some one. to save her from a terrible dis
grace?''
Some one who had done wrong?''
Yes, she has done wrong. but-she is
| sorry for it-she has made amends"
"Then. my dear, your duty is plain. II
she truly repents of her sin. and if you
have given your promise
But suppose keeping my promise to
save this person-suppose 1t means-tell-
ing a lie?'
'Ah," replied the clergyman, solemnly
| lifting two scandaliZed palms, lit is my
| duty to forbid you. my child, under any
circumstances to tell an untruth-even to
save another from destruction"
AS he uttered these words he blinked
uneasily behind his powerful glasses. and
Immediately added. with nervous haste:
II say that as minister or the church,
but-er-aS a mani
"Yes? As man. she questioned,
eagerly.
1t is impossible to know how Horatio
would have extricated himself from this
dilemma, for, just as he was searching
for some theological barrier against the
girls persistence, the telephone rang
sharply.
Betty took up the receiver. .Yes?'
she answered, while the curate wiped his
brow and observed this fair American
with wondering interest. What country
America must be, he reflected, II SO
charming and clever a young lady was
specimen of it's secretaries! what must
its leisure class be! Then he remembered
that Hiram Baxter had once assured him
that plumbers and gasftters were the only
leisure class in America. He had asked
Harriet to make note of the fact EN-
traordinary, this American aristocracy OF
plumbers and gashtters.
The secretary, meantime, was listening
with Frightening eyes and a hush OF
pleasure to the telephone message.
Don't you know who 1t is?', she smiled
Miss Thompson. Yes, was in Brighton,
but 1 came up here this morning for
for some things.
Then there was a pause of listening
while the girls face took on a startled ex-
Oh! see Very we'll. I'll tell Mr.. Merle"
And she hung up the instrument
1T was Mr.. Robert Baxter she ex-
planned to Merle. He is on his way
here in the motor with friend Of
yours
"a friend of mine?''
Il suppose he's a friend of yours-the
Bishop of Bunchester."
BLESS my soul!" exclaimed the curate.
"The Bishop Of Bunchester!' He took
off his glasses and rubbed them nerv-
ously.
"They will be here shortly, and Mr..
Robert wanted me to ask YOU her eyes
twinkled mischievously, I don't under
Merle, perhaps he meant Mrs. Merle but
he asked if you would please see about
one of the guest rooms.
"Quite right my child" answered the
cergyman graveiy averY1h,n Wi, take fog greas hs
lordship. You see, 1 AMI am one OF the
servants in the house.
With a sort of humble dignity Horatio
took up the tray while Betty stared at
him in puzzled interest
"Oh, Mr.. Merle!' she said. IF you
don't mind leaving that tray. perhaps
might eat little-later."
Certainly. I'll leave it here. BY the
way, my DEAR he paused at the door.
;; 1.-The difficult question-that was troubling
your
"Yes?'
"Why don't you put it to the bishop"
Perhaps / WILL" said Betty, and. long
after the curate had gone she sat still al
her desk, thinking. Nor could all her
worries and perplexities silence the glad
thought that very soon she would see the
man whose voice had just thrilled her
over the telephone, the man who, without
knowing it, had made her suffer. and who
now, without knowing 1t, had made her
happy.
Following a sudden joyous impulse.
Betty took a key from her bag, and, OPEN
with loving touch, a small book, beautt-
fully bound in dark green leather 1t
was a little volume of the thoughts of
Marcus Aurelius. And her eyes fell upon
one of her favorite marked passages:
1T is in thy power, whenever thou shalt
choose, to retire into thyself. For no
where either with more quiet or free
dom from trouble. does a man retire than
into his own soul. particularly when he
has within him such thoughts that. by
looking intb them. he Is Immediately In
perfect Tranquility; and / affirm that
tranquility Is nothing else than the good
ordering of fhe mind -