The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-12-09
CHAPTER v-(continued.)


the letter.
1 turned the situation over in my
mind. Evidently Miss Vaughan thought
she had grave cause for alarm, and yet
1t was quite possible she might be mis-
taken. She was being urged TO consent
to something against her will, but per-
haps 1t was for her own good. In any
event, I had seen no indication that
her consent was being sought by Vto-
lence. There must be no interference
on our part until we were surer Of our
ground.
We'll. SWAIN" ! said, at last, will
help you on one condition" RI
what Is that?"
You will meet Miss Vaughan to-
night and hear her story, but you viii
take no action until you and / have
talked the matter over. She. herself.
says that she has three days." went
on, as he started to protest, so there
Is no necessity for leaping in the dark.
And l would point out to you that she
Is not yet of age. but is still under her
fathers control"
"She is 49," he protested. -
In this state, the legal age for wom-
en-, as for men, is 21. The law requires
q very serious reason for interfering
between a child and its father. More
over" added, she must not be COM
promised. II you persuade her to ac-
company you tonight, where would you
take her? In no case. will / be party
to an elopement-I will do all i can
to prevent it." .....
He took a short turn up and down
the room, his hands clenched behind
him. ... s..
Mr.. Lester" he said, at last, stop
ping before me. II want you to believe
that / have not even thought OF an
elopement--that would be too base, too
unfair to her. But see that you are
right. She must not be compromised"
And you promise to ask my ad-
vice." ..
Suppose make such a promise
what thenT' .,.
IF you make such a promise, and
agree with you as to the necessity fol
Miss Vaughan to leave her father,
think l can arrange for her to stay
with Mr.. and Mrs. Royce for a time
There she will be safe. Should legal
proceedings become necessary, ouI
firm can help you. want to help you
Swain" / added, warmly, but I must
be convinced that you deserve help
That's reasonable, isn't it?'
YES" he agreed, and held out his
hand. and promise" ,.. .-s
Good. And now for the arrange
ments."
Two IL foot ladders were necessary
yond a short step ladder, the place pos
sessed none except the long one by
which Godfrey and had mounted into
the tree. Swain suggested thGt this
might do for one, but felt that II
would be better stay where 1t was, and
sent Hargis over to Yonkers to buy
two new ones, instructing him to brine
them back with him.
Then Swain and I reconnoitered the
wall, and chose for the crossing a spot
where the glass escarpment seemed g
little less formidable than elsewhere.
You can step from one ladder t.
the other" i pointed out" without
touching the top Of the wall. A mere
touch would be dangerous In the dark.
He nodded his agreement, and finally
we went back to the house. Getting
there, we found suddenly that we had
nothing more to say. Swain was soor
deep in his own thoughts; and, I must
confess, that. after the fipst excitement
began to find the affair little weary
ing; and, besides that, the glimpse
which 1 had caught of Marjorie Vaug-
han made me think that she was
worthy OF a bigger fish than Swain
would ever be. He was right in saw.
Ing that there were thousands OF mer
who had more to give her, and who
would be eager to give.
examined Swain as he sat there
staring at
nothing. with eyes not wholly
friendly. He was handsome enough
but in stereotyped way. And he was
only an insignificant clerk, with small
prospect of ever being anything much
better, for he had started the battle OF
life too late. Honest, Of course. hon.
orable, clean hearted, but common
place, with a depth OF soul easily faith
omed. l know now that I was unjust
to Swain, but, at the moment, my
scrutiny or him left me strangely de-
pressed.
A rattle Of wheels on the drive
brought us both out Of our thoughts
1t was Hargis returning with the lad
ders. had him hang them up against
the shed where he kept his gardening
implements, for 1 did not wish him tC
suspect the invasion we had planned:
then, just to kill time and get away
from Swain, 1 spent an hour with Har-
gis in his garden; and finally came the
summons to dinner. An hour later as
we sat on the front porch smoking, and
still finding little or nothing to say
Mrs. Hargis came out to bid US good
night.
mr.. Swain can use the bedroom next
to yours, Mr.. Lester" she said.
Perhaps he won't stay all night" ]
said. "If he does, I'll show him the
way to it. And thank you very much
Mrs. Hargis."
"Is there anything else can do
sir?"
mo, thank you"
"Mr. Godfrey will be here a little be-
fore midnight--at least, that's his usual
time"
Wen wait up for him." I said
Good night, Mrs. Hargis."
Good night, sir" and she went back
into the house.
have never passed through q longer
or more trying hour than the next one
was, and could tell by the way Swain
twitched about In his chair that he
felt the tedium as much as /. Once or
twice tried to start a conversation
but Il soon trickled dry: and we ended
by smoking away modify and staring
out into the darkness. s..4.
At last Swain sprang to his feet.
II can't stand this any longer" he
said. I'm going over the wall"
/ struck a match and looked at my
watch.
1T isn't II o'clock yet" I warned
him. ..
II don't care. Perhaps she's be
ahead OF time. Anyway. ! might "a
well wait there az here"
Come on, them" agreed, for felt
myself that another such hour would
be uncomfortable.
Together we made our way back to
the shed and took down the ladders. A
moment later, we were at the wall
Swain placed his ladder against IT, and
- A. a n.