The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-05-16
CHAPTER VIII.
AND THUS THE SHADOW
nEGCENnEn

From within the hum OF a mans
voice-speaking low and insistently-
SUN came softly through. Luke, with
the prodigality of youth, would have
gwen 10 years Of his life for the gift
Oh second sight. to know what went
on between those four walls beyond
the door where he himself stood ex-
pectant, undecided and more than va.
guely anxious.
"Luke!"
It was quite natural that Louisa
should stand here beside him, having
come to him softly, noiselessly, like the
embodiment Of moral strength and a
nm sense which was almost O
virtue.
Uncle Rad" he said quietly, "ha.
locked himself in with this man
Who IS it, Luke?"
me man who calls himself Philip
de Mountford."
How do o know"
How does one" he retorted, know
such things?"
And Parker let him IMP"
die gave Parker a five-pound note.
Parker Is only a grasping fool. He
concocted the story of Mr.. Dobsop
and the lease. He Is always listening
at Key holes, n he knows that Mr..
Dobson often sends up q clerk with
papers for Uncle RAIDS signature.
Those things are not very difficult to
manage. If one man Is determined and
sne other corruptible, it's done Don
rs Lord Radclyffe safe with that
man, do you Think"
God grant it," he replied ~fervently.
Jim and Edie made a noisy Eruption
into the hall and Luke and Louisa
talked ostentatiously Of indifferent
things-the weather, Lent and the new
est play, until the young people had
gathered up coats and hats and banged
the street door to behind them. TAX
ing their ~breeziness, their optimism,
away with them out into the spring
air, and leaving the shadows of the
on-coming tragedy to foregather in
every angle Of the luxurious house in
G~rosven6r square.
And there were Luke de Mountford
and Louisa Harris left standing alone
In the hall: Just two very Ordinary,
very simple-souled young people. face
to race for the first time In their un-
eventful lives with the dark. .problem
or a grim might be-" A locked door
between then and the decisions of fate,
a., world OF possibilities In the silence
which now Seigned beyond tina closed
door.
They OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES un-
prepared for 1t. unframed for any such
eventrality. Well bred and we'll
brought up. yet were they totally un-
educated In the great lessons of life.
1t was as II a man absolutely untutored
IN science were suddenly to be con-
fronted with a mathematical problem.
the solution or non-solution OF which
would mean life or death to him. The
problem lay In the silence beyond the
locked door--silence broken now and
again by the persistently gentle hum
or the mans voice-the Strangers
but never by a word from Lord Rad
clyffe.
Uncle Rad" said Luke at last in
puzzlement. has never raised his
voice once l thought that there would
be q row-that he would turn the man
out OF the house. Dear old chap he
hasn't much patience as a rule"
What shall we do, Luke?" she
asked.
How do you mean?'
you can't go on standing like that
In the hall as If you were c~avesdrop-
ping. The servants will be coming
through presently"
you are right. Lou" he said, "as
usual. I'll go into the dining room.
I could hear there If ANYTHING sus-
picious was happening in the library"
You are not afraid. Luke?"
For Uncle Rad, o mean"
"Of course"
uaruiy KNOW Wnetner l am or
not. No." he said d%ecisively after a
moments hesitation, II am not afraid
Of violence-1he fellow whom we saw
In the park did not look tina sort"
He led Louisa back into the dining
room. where a couple Of footmen were
away the luncheon things. The
Parker placed cigar box
and matches OF a side table and then
retired-sllent and with a wealth of
reproach expressed in his round, beady
eyes.
soon Luke and Louisa were alone.
smoked and she sat in q deep arm
chair close to him saying nothing, for
both knew what went on in the 9TH
er's mind.
Continued Next Week.)