The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-11-23
CHAPTER VII 1continuedl.

you n restorativeS? There Is q
lAdy-' He hesitated and the color
rolled freshly into his anxious face.
sThat is-my wife," He spoke the word
unwillingly, having at the instant OF
speaking realized tina he must say this
to protect her good name. 1t seemed
like uttering a falsehood, or stealing
another mans property: and yet, tech
nically, 1t was true. and for her sake
Mt least he must acknowledge 1t. .
MY wife," he began again more con-
nectedly, lis ill-unconscious."
The conductor looked at him sharp
". He had sized them up as q wed
ding party when they came down the
platform toward the train. The young
mans blush confirmed his supposition.
'IIl see!" he said briefly. GO back
20 her and I'll bring some one"
II was Just as Gcsaor turned back
that the thickset ~oSg catered the car
from the other ent SS@ met him race
to face, but Gordon IS too distraugnt
1t that moment to notice him, for his
mind was at rest aoout his pursuer as
soon as the train started.
Not SO with the pursuer, however.
His keen little eyes took in the white,
anxious face, the smear of sticking
plaster about the mouth and eyebrows,
and Instantly knew his man. His in
stincts had not failed him after all.
He put out a pair Of brawny fists to
catch at him, but a lurch OF the train
and Gordon's swift stride out purposed
him. and by the time the little man had
righted his footing Gordon was disap-
pearing into the stateroom, and the
conductor with another mai was In the
aisle behind him waiting to pass He
stepped back and watched. At least he
had driven his prey to quarry m there
was no possible scape now until the
train stopped. He would watch that
door as a cat watches a mouse, and
perhaps be able to g a telegram for
HELD before he made n move at all.
II was as well that his impulse to take
the man then and there a come to
nau9ht. What would the other passen-
gers have thought Of him? He must
OF course move cautiously. What a
biunder he a almost made. 1t was
no part CT his purpose to make public
his errand. The men who were behind
him did not wish to be known, nor to
have their business known.
With narrowing eyes he watched the
door of the stateroom as the
and doctor came and went. He gath
cred from a few questions asked by
n of the passengers that there was
somespne sick. probably the lady he had
seen faint as the train started. 1t oc-
CURED to him hat this might be his
opportunity. and when the conductor
came out of the drawing room h e sec
ond time he inquired IL any assistance
was needed, and implied that doctoring
was his profession, though 1t you'd be
a sorry patient that had only his atten-
ton. However, IL he had n accom-
plishment 1t was biuffing, and he never
stopped at m profession that suited
his needs. ...
The. conductor was annoyed at the
Interruptions that nae already occurred
and he answered him ~brusquely that
they had all the help necessary and
there wasn't anything the matter any
way.
There was nothing left for the man
20 do but wait. ..
He subsidized with his eye on the
stateroom door, and later secured a
berth in plain sight Of that door, but
gave no order to have 1t made up until
every other passenger In the car was
zone to what rest q sleeping car pro-
vides. He kept his vigil well, but was
rewarded with no sight of his prey that
night, and at last. with a sense Of duty
well done and the comfortable promise
from the conductor that his deity
6orded Geographic message to Mr.. HOl-
man Should be sent from a station they
passed q little after midnight, he crept
to his well earned rest. He was not
ut home in a dress shirt and collar, be-
tng OF the walks of life where q collar
- mostly accounted superfluous, and he
WIRE kIho " no OttCNSu VI ~ " q ""
hours. 1t had not yet occurred to him
that his appearance In that evening
sui would be a trifle out of place when
mo ming anne. 1t Is doubtful II he had
el Ell considered matters of dress. His
n! uiession was that Of a human ferret
az the lower order, and there were
many things he did not know. 1t might
have been the way he held his fork at
dinner that had made Gordon decide
that he was but q henchman Of the
others,
Having put his mind and his body at
rest he proceeded to sleep, and the train
Numbered on its way INTO the night.
Gordon meanwhile had hurried
back from his appeal to the con-
ductor, and stood looking helpless
ly down at the delicate girl as
she lay there so white and seemingly
lifeless. Her pretty travelling gown
set off the exquisite face finely; her
glorious hair seemed to crown her. A
handsome hat had fallen unheeded to
the floor, and lay rolling back and forth
In the aisle with the motion of the
train. He picked it up r~everently, as
though 1t had been a part OF her. His
face in the few minutes had gone
haggard.
The conductor hurried in presently
followed by a grave elderly man with
q professional air. He touched a prac-
Albtu ilnBSE ". TIC imp "TlSI, IOOheC
closely into the face, and then taking
q little bottle from a case he carried
called for a glass.
The liquid was poured between the
closed lips, the white threat reluctantly
swallowed it, the eyelids presently fiut.
tered, a long breath that was scarcely
more than a sigh lowered between the
tips, n then the blue eyes opened.
She looked about, bewildered, look.
Ing longest at Gordon, then closed hel
ayes YEARLY. as If h wished they hac
not brought her back, and lay still.
The physician still knelt beside her
n Gordon, with time now to think
began to reflect on the possible conse,
quences Of his deeds. With anxiou!
face, he stood watching. rejecting bit,
terly that he might not claim even {
look OF recognition from those swee
eyes, and wishing with all his hear
that his marriage had been genuine
A passing memory of his morning rid,
10 New York In company with Mis-
Bentley's conjured vision brough
wonder to his eyes. It all seemed 81
long ago, and SO strange that he eve
could have entertained for a momen
the thpught OF marrying .Julia- She VS.