The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1913-03-27

geon, Where i may, perhaps, never
find him alive? No!I will go to him
Then I will go with you" cried Peg
gle. You cannot go to Lord Beach
combe's house alone"
Cannot /? Besides, I shall not be
alone; Steve Larkyn will escort me-"
She turned to Robins faithful hench-
man with a wan smile. ''One woman
is enough for you to take care of;
me. 80 h a when / return I can get
in without rousing the house. Believe
ME, dear" b went on firmly, as Peg
gle was o to demonstrate, ''what
/ have to do can be better done by my
self alone; and I am not timid, as you
know"
But, Prue-what on earth can you
do for Robin, by going to Lord Beach
cornbe In the middle of the night?"
Peggie urged, in desperation.
Tina remains to be seen," said Prue,
With q smile OF mystery. I think / "a
make Lord Beachcombe set him free,
n be grateful for the chance. Come,
Steve" and wrapping her mantle
closely round her, she drew the hood
yell over her face and vent out with
a resolute step into the street, already
growing gray In the early dawn of the
May morning. ...
The court yard of Rodney house was
all asttr when Prudence, clinging to
Steve Larkyn's arm, stole through the
great gateway, and under the deep
shadow Of the arcade that flanked the
main entrance. That was closed, but
from q low door q few feet away. a
hood. OF light poured upo a travelling
carriage with four horses and a group
or mounted men. Without q moments
hesitation, Prue darted past them, ran
down a Few stone steps and found her
| SELF In a IQr0a hn - ho6nnnAnA hall
where Robin, his dress In disorder and
his hands tied behind him, stolidly
confronted Lord Beachcombe in a,
white heat of fury.
At Prue's sudden apparition a couple
OF servitors i~nterposed to stop her and
LORD Beachcombe, in a voice hoarse
with rage, shouted, who are. these
people? What the devil do they want?
Turn them out"
Prue's silvery laugh rang out. Not
so fast" she cried, fiinging back her
hood. II have business of the utmost
Importance with Lord ~Beachcombe,"
N she swept him a m~ockingly cere-
monious curtsey,
No lady of the court, not sven the
great Duchess Sarah herself, was bet
ter known than the beautiful
Widow Brooke" The sight of
her familiar face seemed to para
y every n present. The
lackeys fell back abashed, Robin Razed
at her speechless, and ~Beachcombe's
saiiow race flushed with a purple that
sufused even his eyeballs.
~"Viscountess Brooke!" he stammered.
What in the name"
You are surprised ?" she interrupted.
TO be sure. my visit is somewhat un-
timely" She came close to him and
lowered her voice almost to a whisper.
Did you find what you expected when
Vnn GnnrNha1 TnNk-t- L. a NJ, -
INQUIRED insinuatingly.
How do o know / searched him ?'
demanded B~eachcombe.
why, when one sees a man with his
hands tied behind him and his pockets
inside out, it is not unreasonable to
! 'ppose that he has been searched. Yet
IL venture to say. Lord Beachcombe,
tf!at whatever you found, 1t was not
what you we're looking fort"
How can you know anything about
that? he replied. with dawning sus-
plclon' perhaps you know what il
was and where 1t may be found, II
SO, you must be aware that 1t has no
value except to me"
And Captain de Cliffe," she inter-
posed. ~
Captain de Cliffe!" he repeated
with a bitter and disdaintul emphasis,
What would you have me call him ?"
she ben forward n In a whisper sug-
gested, "Robert-Earl ~Beachcombe .
Is that better?'
The blood ebbed from his face, leav-
ing II CHASTITY with fear and fury. He
cast a hasty glance toward the group
or men surrounding Robin, and al
though they were quite out of earshot,
ne hercely motioned them to a greater
distance. Then he pulled himself to-
gether sufficiently to force a sardonic
laugh.
Was it to play comedy that your
ladyship honored me with this noe
turnal visit ?" he sneered.
Not altogether" she replied. 81
came to prevent your harming Captain
de Cliffe, and, incidentally, yourself.
Now tell me-in confidence-not nav
Ing found the documents you sought.
what do you propose to do with your
prisoner"
I propose" sal B~eachcombe slowly.
TO hand him over to justice. / believe
the-documents-to be lost. At any
rate, l am willing to hazard the risk
OF their recovery in order that this man
may receive his deserts as a traitor
and a malefactor. After he has been
hanged, there will be plenty Of time for
me 10 zeal with a claim that has no
longer a claimant"
, And you really hate him enough to
prefer his death to YOU own safety?"
Prue could not repress a shudder at
the cold ferocity Of his tone.
What II / cur both ?" he retorted.
gratified, by the effect he had produced.
man Is a traitor and has earned
a traitors death. Although I may not
have found what I sought, / have
found papers that will send him to the
gallows, and give me a claim to the
gratitude of the government. Do not
trouble further about him, his fate Is
sealed"
And how If another claimant, per-
haps far stronger, should spring up
in his place? How IL he leaves a wild
suggested Prue. "One, for ex-
ample, able and willing to pursue his
claim?"
Il am not uneasy about that" he
replied, but his one was less confident
than his words. II have the best of
reasons for knowing that he Is not mar
ried."
And you think that, having no wife,
and leaving no - heir - to his claim
(you acknowledge that he has a cIaim)
1t Will cease with his death, because
there Is no one to pursue IT."
My dear Lady Prudence, a lawyer
could not have put 1t more clearly!
is exactly his position; I think
mine Is pretty safe, even If those re-
documents should still be In
existence. 1t will then be merely a
matter OF money-someone will bleed
more or less copiously-but that
will be the end of the trumped up