The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-05-01
CHAPTER XIV
'.It's All Right, Hugh"-At Last

Eaton-now Overton - awoke
He was in the room he had occu,
lpied before in Santoine's house
His wounds had been dressed; his
body was comfortable and with.
out fever.
He saw and recognized a mar
standing looking out at the lake.
Lawrence" he said.
The man turned and came to.
ward the bed. Eyes, Hugh"
Eaton raised himself excitedly
upon his pillows. Lawrence, that
was he--last night-in the study
1t was Latron. / saw him! They
got away on a boat-they must be
Followed" With the first return
of consciousness he had taken UP
again that battle against circum-
stances which had been his only
thought for five years.
But now, suddenly he was aware
that his sister was also in the
room. sitting upon the opposite
side of the bed. Her hand came
forward and clasped him; she bent
over him, holding him and fondling
him.
at is all right, Hugh" she whis.
pered; ut is all right now"
"All right" he questioned
dazedly.
yes; Mr.. Santoine knows; he
he was not what we thought
him. He believed all the while
that you were Justly sentenced.
Now he knows otherwise"
"He - Santoine - believed
that" Eaton asked incredulously.
Yes; he says his blindness was
used by them to make him think
so. So now he Is very angry; he
says no one who had anything to
do with it shall escape. They have
already made several arrests.
Every port is being watched for
the boat they got away on"
Eaton sank back against his pill
lows. He could not realize it to
the full as yet. And Harriet?
Gratitude warmed him as he
thought OF her and that other
feeling, deeper, stronger far than
anything else he ever had felt to-
ward any one but her, surged up
in him.
Where is-Miss Santoine?" he
asked.
His sister answered: "She has
been helping her father. I've just
sent for them"
Eaton lay silent till he heard
them coming. Her eyes were very
bright. Santoine. under her guild
ance, took the chair beside the bed.
81 understand, Ithink, every
thing now, except some few par
ticulars regarding Yourself" he
said. Twill you tell me those?"
You mean" Eaton spoke to
Santoine, but he looked at Harriet.
"Oh, l understand, / think. When
Escaped, Mr.. Santoine, of course
my picture had appeared In all the
newspapers and / was not safe
from recognition anywhere in this
country. I got into Canada and,
from Vancouver, went to China. !
got a position in mercantile
house over there. We had no near
relatives for Edith to 60 to and
she had to take up stenography to
support herself and--and change
her name, Mr.. Santoine, because OF
me-"
Ea .on's hand went outN and
clasped HIS sisters.
"Hillward met her and asked
her to marry him and she -
wouldn't consent without telling
him who she was. He-Lawrence
believed her when she said
hadn't killed Latron; and he sug-
gested that she come out here and
try to get employment by you. We
didn't suspect, of course, that La
tron was still alive. We thought
he had been killed by some of his
own crowd--in some quarrel or
because his trial was likely to in
volve some one else so seriously
that they killed him to prevent 1t;
and that 1t was put upon me to-
to protect that person and that
Iyou-"
Eaton hesitated.
900 on" said Santoine. You
Thought l knew who Latron's MUIR
derer was and morally, though not
technically, perJurs myself at
your trial to convict you In HIS
place. What nextf"
THAT was it," Eaton assented.