The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-07-01

by Some miracle OF nature suddenly
had grown gentle and ~eonsiderate to-
ward him and his sister. All h time
he knew that he was but an Instrument
In the hands OF fate, n Il . In this
case was Adam Carr.
Sometimes he wondered how long he
could maintain this dreadful silence. In
his heart, Eric was honest. He realized
that he was living part Of a great lie
and that the time was bound to come
when he would burst the bonds tha'
held him and lay the truth before the
world. There were moments, indee
when he felt confession rushing up to
his lips, but always II was stayed by
the stronger sensation OF fear--fear Of
the scaffoldi II Adam Carr was I'm.
p~lacable, what OF Horace Blagdenl
How could he hope for mercy at the
hands OF this over tortured, Inundated
man? Horace Blagden would not rest
son, and with him that ~inscrutable
friend and adviser. The law would
clamp its jaws on both of them, ano
that would be an end to II.
Eric was not insensible to the fact
that Adam Carr, In the beginning, hao
been actuated by q feeling OF friend
ship. He did not question the sincerity
OF the mans motives on that vital Day:
MOI was there any doubt In his mind
that he would prove ~steadfast n true
to the compact made at that time
The conception of ythe plan to harasi
Horace Blagden came after that ktndly
initial impulse. 1t was something thai
leaped into existence he moment ne
had time to think OF the possibilities
afforded by the extraordinary combi-
nation Of circumstances. Adam was Q
man to think quickly, to see far ahead
II was his business. his trade his train.
ing. That he should take advantage OF
these tragic conditions was distressing
ever appalling to Eric, but what coulc
he do In the premises. That Adam
might, at any time, betray him was :
thought that never entered his mind.
As the days went by, he became more
and more reconciled TO the situation
tense and trying as II was. He was not
happy. The shadow was always pres
ent. And yet there was never q time
when he could not look his uncle or
aunt in the eye and say to himself that
not he, but Chetwynd himself, had put
the blight on the hearts Of these two.
He never thought OF Mary without X
%periencing q thrill Of relief, almost
giadness, that he had a hand, with fate,
In destroying the wretch who would
have despoiled her of all that was pure
and sweet.
After all. Chetwynd had gone down
in a fair fight. It had been a duel!
The time was drawing near for his
departure for Cambridge. His uncle
had made all Of the arrangements for
his winter. He was to be pleasantly
situated amidst such surroundings as
only a Blagden could command. II
there remained any of the old bitter
ness in the heart OF Horace Blagden, II
was being rather skillfully hidden be-
meath the cloak Of kindness.
And yet Eric was not quite sure Of
his uncle. There were times when he
caught the older man looking at him
with a strangely penetrating but far
away gaze, from which he usually
brought himself up with a start. Al
such times the young man was trou-
bled by the vague conviction that Mr..
Blagden was looking past him and into
the shadow beyond, as IL he was trying
to materialize the spirits that lurked
there in waiting. 1t was on these oc-
casions that h young man qua1led
within himself, for It seemed TO him
that his uncle was actually projecting
his mind into direct communication
with the spirit of his absent son.
Needless to say, Mr.. Presbrey, not at
all discouraged by the rebuff OF that
first day, called on the second, n
thereafter every day, including Sun
days for weeks to come. 1t was some
what of a shock to him that Mr.. and
Mrs. Blagden were unwilling to share
L1eIT lTOuDlC5 Will NH IL Ao~Nt NHO
former so positively declared that his
sons name was not to be mentioned la
the house he had dishoroned that the
minister was for some time at a loss
how to proceed.
II he was not to speak of Chetwynd,
in the name OF heaven what was he to
talk about? He had come to discuss
the cruel pain they suffered. 1t was
very ~disconcerting not to be able to do
so. To be compelled to fall back upon
church finances in the ace of such an
opportunity as this, was not what he
had bargained for, and yet that Is pre-
ciseIy what he had to do.
Moreover, to his great amaZement,
the Blagdens plainly resented a hum
BILE desire on his part to do a little more
rood in the world by offering to devote
an hour or two to Eric and Mary, who,
he supposed, were liable to neglect In
this hour OF tribulation.
at think, P%resbrey," said Horace
evenly, that we've been a trifle mawk.
ish."
"Mawkish?" gasped Mr.. Presbrey.
Perhaps that isn't the word" ex"
planned the other. II should nave said
we've preached at them until there's
really nothing left for us to say"
You mean, that our duty to them
has already been fulfilled"
IT believe they are quite capable Of
thinking for themselves.
Mr.. Presbrey stared. II trust, Mr..
BlaEden, you do not contemplated
I mean you surely do not mean to say
that YOU are now Indifferent to their
spiritual needs and welfare"