The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-10-03
CHAPTER XXXyI.
PEOPLE DON'T DO THAT SORT OF
THING

lIllASS.
Lady Ryder was out of town. She
was staying at a country house in the
chaperoning her nices-
Lou1sa's twin sisters-but Sir Thomas
Ryder was at home.
1t was for him that Louisa had asked
When the butler opened the door in
answer to her ring.
Sir Thomas Is In the 1brary. miss"
said the man. "Will you come into
the drawing room, and TIL tell Sir
Ihomas you are here, miss ~.
NO" she said, don't nou me.
I'll go to the library"
SIR thomas put down the paper
which he had been reading, when his
niece entered. He did not seem at all
astonished to see her. No doubt the ex-
ercise of his profession had taught him
never to be surprised at anything in
life. He rose when he recognized who
1T was. and carefully folded his eye
glasses and slipped them into their
case and into his waistcoat pocket.
Then he said:
My dear Louisa, this Is quite unex-
pected; Is your father with you?"
May I sit DOWN."
Certainly, my dear child" h said
gen1ally and himself wheeled a capa-
cious arm chair round to the fire.
i am not disturbing you. Uncle
~, ~ 1dhe OIL your CLOAK, wont
YOU! | was only looking at the eve
early"
She glanced at the paper on the
table; that page was uppermost that
bore the startling headline, in unusu-
any large type: The Murder in the
TaX1cab. Sensational DEVELOPMENTS"
The chief of h criminal investigation
department studied the in the
newspapers, the opinion Of pressmen
and reporters. Everything interested
MIN; he weighed everything in his
tattle was ever dismissed by him with
out its due need of consideration.
Uncle and niece now sat opposite
each other, facing the hearth. He
looked straight into the fire, knowing
that she would not wish him to see
the misery in her face.
will you have something, Lot ~ he
thing?"
mo, thank you, uncle. we had din
ner and father has gone to the club.
same TO see o about Luke"
All along" she continued, lever
since father saw you yesterday, 1
wanted to speak to you Silly conven-
tionality kept me back"
1T certainly is not usual he be-
NO" she broke in quickly, 81 know
it Is not. But his is an unusual case,
far too serious for silly ideas of tact
or convention to creep in. The man
whom 1 love best in all the world is
falsely accused Of a most abominable
crime. He was arrested-by your or
ders / suppose-about an hour ago"
He put up his hand in gentle depre-
cation.
Stop a moment, my DEAR" he SAID
quite kindly. out very decisively. IF
you have n d at h back Of your
head, h a I, personally, have any in
fuence at my command with regard
to Luke de Mountford's fate, then the
sooner o get hat idea out of your
head the better. If you came here to-
night with the notion that by plead
Ing with me you could save Luke from
the consequences Of his crime, then get
that notion out of your head, my dear,
and save us both from a very pain
full Interview. Luke de Mountford was
not arrested by my orders; / am only
an automaton Of the law, which takes
its own course, without any personal
interference on my part. Officially, I
las an automaton-did just as duty
and the Law Of this country directs.
Personally. I sent through your father
some sound advice to Luke de Mount
ford"
She listened, impassive and silent. to
to his reproof. and then said simply
Il beg your pardon, Uncle Ryder, I
must have expressed myself badly. 1
knew quite well that you, personally,
bear no luminosity against Luke; why,
indeed, should you? I a no inten-
ton whatever, in coming to see you
tonight, of making a scene Of lamenta-
ton and s~upplication. On the con-
trary, knew quite well that-acting
from the best of motives-you advised
Luke to fly from Justice. since In your
opinion his condemnation Is q fore
gone conclusion. Father hadn't h
chance Of passing your advice on to
Luke, because when we got to Fairfax
mansions, Eide told us that he was
packing up his things, meaning to
catch the night boat to Calais"
Then why the dickens did he miss
his train?" exclaimed Sir Thomas
gruffiy.
Tt was not altogether his fault"
h replied. Our arrival delayed him
a little. but he would have had plenty
OF time even then, only the police came,
you see. and It was o late.'
II know. It was silly, offlcious blum
dering on the part OF on OF my subs.
! meant de Mountford to have plenty
OF time TO get away. and I could have