The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1917-02-15
CHAPTER xvII.-contInued.

COnrOu, as the candies SnoWeu MN TIC
huddled form of the dying savage.
Don't ask me, Captain Conrod," re-
turned the other cheerfully. "Your
door was open when got here and he
jumped on me when came in; and
he'd have got me if it had not been for
this man."
And he laid his hand gently on the
shoulder of the hysterical figure
crouched on the floor.
"Holy rattlesnakes !" burst from the
astonished Conrod. Its Doc Elliott !"
David Laurence lifted his rescuer to
his feet. "Here, let's see your face,
my friend"
The man looked up slowly.
"Ned ScullI !" said Laurence In a
CHASTITY whisper, and staggered back
ward.
The man bowed his head again.
Laurence spoke like man In a
dream:
"Scunl 1 have found you at last ~
at am innocent, 1 swear it," cried
Scull. 81 never betrayed you"
The others looked from one to the
other of the two men in amazement.
Where had they known each other be-
fore? By what name did Laurence call
Elliott? What was their secret? The
moment was tense with waiting.
David turned to the little group.
Gentlemen" he said, may 1 talk to
this man alone for a moment"
"Sure as shootin'," said Conrod after
a pause, "but let's get this Injun out of
here first"
He bent above the filthy body and
turned the limp shoulders over.
"Why, it's that wuthless Plankeshaw
come in last week to sell his skins ;
been drunk ever since. He'll be sober
while, now"
With scant ceremony they dragged
the heavy body with the dark red stain
between the shoulder blades into the
rain. One Indian less on the wilder
ness border was better luck than bad.
The half-shut eyes stared blanzly up
ward in the beating rain.
"Bury him in the mOrnin'," directed
Conrod; and Scull-whom the village
had known only as "Elliott"-and Da-
vid Laurence were left alone together.
"Now," said Laurence with deadly
calm, "tell me how you got here"
The man Scull clasPed his hands in
entreaty.
81 left Nottingham because 1 heard
you had sworn to kill me. l swear to
you before God 1 was not responsible
for your fathers"
Laurence checked the word on Scull's
lips.
"How came you here?" he repeated.
81 heard you had gone to America
and 1 came across the Atlantic to find
you; 1 thought 1 might show you
was innocent. / swear am innocent"
"You lie," returned David calmly,
"you lie in every word. You Informed
falsely on my father, and he died on
the gallows because Of you. You be-
came a British spy. You fled from
England to escape me; you never
thought to find me here. Nor did
think to find you here, under an as
sumed name, pretending to be ply
sician."
Soul looked at him in terror.
"GOdI" he whispered, his lips dry
with fear.
A door that led to an inner room sud-
denly swung open and a woman
stepped quickly out.
A cry Of fear escaped her as she saw
David towering menacingly above
Sculls bowed head. She was face to
face with David and he looked at her
In establishment.
Lydia Cranmer"
The girl flung herself between the
two men and clasping Scull in hel
arms she turned defantly toward
David.
mo, not Lydia Cranmer," she cried
Sut Mistress Scull -
Hush, LYDIA" commanded Soul
lily. go back, let us end our bust
ness" He swallowed convulsively and
stroEed her hair es though soothing
child. go back, dear"
Not i, Ned ~ she answered. "Wha
Goes this man want2 Oh, Ned, there
n no danger, is there? Tell me, wha
swrongT
as SNsvid looked at the two he fel
40 wild anger dying down In hi!
br-SSt and instead there arose feel
Ing Of sC'f-plty. All, II only woman
had throWs ser arms about his necl
and faced ths ~arld for him, believing
In him. An .>bearable pang sho
through him. His yes were hot witt
the bitter envy of o. who looks int
the windows of a hes9 where low
and light and warmth Nand firm
against the desolate worlGI thout, ant
who knows himself HON less wan
derer on the earth. When b spoke, |
was In a changed voice:
"Are you this woman's h, Sbandf"
ave were married a Jonth ago,
said Scdll. He seemed al Gost to hav
forgotten David's press ice and hi
hand csressed the girl'f cheek with
strange gentleness.
David looked at tha for a momeu
In silence, then drew a deep breath
. He had made up hlf mind. He wa
Uiad TINT ...t,II n. xffRtI m on