Evening star., 1923-10-07

unSie hame. rhoukH nv -
and takes efuge with
him innocent and her son,
JIM his foser-brother, who Is somewhat
radical miner.
The Web Of Circumstance
"IUS welcomed. Clinton sat
down. and was glad to do so;
he was glad. too. Of the brandy
\ and water which the burly
giant mixed for him.
You're running a risk in harbor-
ing me, you know. Moses" he said.
You'd better turn me out-though
know you won't"
Moses swore a mighty oath and
smacked the table with his open
palm.
mo, not for all the laws in the
land, sirw he said. Jim, my lad.
my roof without suppin'. I'll make
thee a sup O. tea or coffee, like
which, now?"
rIll have a drink of that milk,
Moses" said Jim, pointing TO meas
ARE which stood on the table. Here's
TO your good health" he continued as
Moses pu he'd the milk toward him.
"And now I'll go-I know Mr.. Clin-
tons in safe hands"
''As safe as If he were a baby and
III MS CTdQle, Sdlu MUSES.. l IL sec
to him, Jim, my lad"
He saw to his charge that night as
II he had been entertaining king,
and next morning. in spite of all
that Clinton could urge, insisted on
playing" saying that. the loss of a
naught. and that he was going to
stand by his guest until night. And
go the day went by uneventfully, but
n safety, and at the time suggested
by Phiilipa, Clinton, after hearty
farewell from Mo ;es Pogmore, set
out in the dusk for the castle.
He was conscious as he went along,
making his way from one point to
another like a hunted thing that
breads even the light of day. that he
was feeling heartsick and despond-
ent He knew very well that he had
made a fool of himself in his boyhood
and young manhood; that there was
no wonder that his uncle had become
sick and wearfed of his folly and his
wild goings-on. But he was also
conscious Of his own entire innocence
in the matter for which he had al
ready suffered, and must yet suffer,
and sort of apathy filled him as to
the future.
. Then he thought of PhiIlipa and
her promise, and went forward,
strengthened in his resolve, and
wfshing that he had his time to come
over again.
knowing all the ins and outs of
the grounds and gardens about the
castle, clinton had no difficulty In
posting himself in such a position in
the shrubbery near the windows of
Sir Roberts study that he could see
into the room But in his eagerness
woes and his entreaties he had ar
rived too early; he could see that the
room was empty. Then q servant t
appeared in the study and drew down
all the blinds; after that he could see
no more.
Clinton at last moved out of the
shrubbery and crept to the side door,
to which Phillipa had provided him
with a key. That door opened direct
Iy into the study, as he knew we'll.
He inserted the key in the lock. 1t
turned without sound In another
Second he was inside the room. A
high screen stood between him and
the center of the study, hiding his
view of the desk whereat Sir Robert
usually worked at night. He moved
softly round it, expecting to find the
room empty. Everything was SO still,
so very quiet-so unusually quiet
that il must be empty.
But what was this that he found
himself staring at-staring with eyes
which grew wider and wider with
the certainty of some great horror,
of-Oh, heaven. What had befallen
that old man, gray-haired, SO motion
less, fallen forward across his desk
What had this crimson stream run
ming across the white mass of papers
beneath him, what was that red
stained thing that
He turned with a cry for help
struggling in his dry throat, only to
find it smothered, and himself seized
by tall, stern-faced man, a stranger.
At the same time he saw other faces
crowding about him, other voices
sounding, crying his name, fingers
pointing at him. And Clinton Man