Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-11-23

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trouble he must yet give to her when
ne old her who he was, or rather who
ne was not; for he must tell her and
that soon. 1t would not do to go on in
her company-nor to Chicago! And
yet, how was he possibly to leave her
liz this condition?
But no revelations were to be given
that night.
The physician administered another
draught, and ordered the porter to
make up the berth Immediately. Then
with skllful hands and strong arms he
laid the young girl in upon the pillows
and made her comfortable Gordon
meanwhile standing awkwardly by
with averted eyes and troubled mien.
He would have liked to help, put he
did not know how.
Shed better not be disturbed any
more than is necessary tonight said
the doctor, as he pulled the pretty
cloth travelling gown smoothly down,
about the girls ankles and patted it
with professional hands. Don't let her
yield to any nonsense about putting up
fear she'll rumple 1t. She needs to lie
perfectly quiet. It's a ase of utter ex-
haustion. n l should say q long
strain of some kind-anXiety, worry
perhaps" He looked keenly at the
sheepish bridegroom. Has she had any
trouble?"
Gordon lifted honest eyes.
I'm afraid So" he answered con-
tritely, as If it must have been his
fault some way.
Well. don't let her have any more"
said the elder mar briskly. She's a
very fragile bit Of womanhood, young
man, and you'll have to handle her
carefully or she'll blow away. Make
her happy, young man! People can't
nave too much happiness in this world.
It's h best thing, after all, to keep
them we'll. Don't be afraid to give her
plenty"
THANK you!" said Gordon, f%ervently,
wishing it were in his power to do
what the physician ordered.
The kindly physician, the assiduous
porter. and the brusque, but good
hearted conductor went away at last,
and Gordon was left with his precious
charge, who to all appearances was
sleeping quietly. The light was turned
low and the curtains of the berth were
a little apart. He could see the dim
outline of drapery about her, and one
shadoWy hand lying limp at the edge of
the couch, in weary relaxation.
Above her, in the upper berth, which
he had told the porter not to make up,
the great purple black plumed hat,
and a sheaf of lilies of the valley from
her bouquet. 1t seemed all so range
for him to be there in their sacred
presence.
He locked the door, so that no one
should disturb the sleeper, and went
slowly into the little private dressing
room. For a full minute after he
reached 1t, he stood looking into the
mirror before him, looking at his own
weary, soiled face, and wondering il he,
Cyril Gordon, heretofore honored and
self respecting, had really done in the
last ~ U all the things which he
crediting himself with having
done! And the question was. how had
IT happened? Had he taken leave Of
his senses, or a circumstances been
too much for him? Had he lost the
power of Judging between right and
wrong? Gould he have helped any of
the things that had come upon him?
How could he have helped them? What
ought he to have done? What ought he
10 do now? Was he a criminal beyond
redemption? Had he spoiled the life
or the sweet woman out there in her
berth, or could he somehow make
for what he had done? And
was he as badly to blame for 1t all as
he felt himself to be?
After a minute he rallied, to realize
that his face was dirty. We washed
the mark of the adhesive plaster away,
and then, lot satisfied with the result,
ne trough his shaving things from his
suit case and shaved. Somehow. he
felt more like himself after his toilet
was completed, and he slipped back
n III darkened drawing room and
himself YEARLY on the couch.
which. according to his directions. was
not made up. but merely furnished
with pillows and a blanket. The night
into the noisy quiet Of an ex-
press train, and each revolution Of the
wheels. as they whirrled their way Chi
resolved itself into the old
refrain. Don't let anything hinder you!
Don't let anything hinder you!"
direct route from New York to Wash
though it might eventually
prove that the longest way round was
the shortest way home, on account Of
its comparative safety.
AS he settled to the quiet Of his
couch. a number Of things came more
to his vision. One was that
New York without interference OF. any
kind, and must be by this time speed
ing toward Albany, unless they were
on q road that took them more directly
He had not thought to look at
tickets for knowledge Of his bear
lngs. and the light was too din for
him to make out my lnonograms or
Offerings on inlaid wood panels or
transoms, even II he had known enough
about New York railroads to gain in
from them. There was one
thing certain: even IL he had been mis-
about his supposed pursuers, by
morning there would surely be some
Dne searching for him. The duped
Holman combination would stop at
nothing when they discovered the theft
II the paper. and he could not hope
SO sharp eyed a mar as Mr. Hol-
man had seemed to be would be long
n discovering the absence OF his pri-
rate mark on the paper. Undoubtedly
knew It already. As for the fran
tic bridegroom, Gordon dreaded the
Thought OF meeting him. It must be
put off at amy hazards until the mes
Rage was safe with his chief, then, II
he had to answer with his life for car
rying or another mans bride, he could
ut least feel that he left NO duty to
government undone. It was plain
his present situation was dan
gerous one from two points Of view, for
the bridegroom would have no diff
Guilty In finding out what train he and
lady had taken; and he was satis-
He'd that N ernissary OF Holman had
more thanssa suspicion of his Identity.
The obvious thing tosdoawas to rot of
thAk train ~ the first opportunity and
ret across c0untry to another line or
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