, 1923-01-27

do? I had no suspicion of anything
at the time. Dick wanted me. and
I liked HIM"
when did you rod out that the
delay in arriving at Alcombe was
anything but an accident asked
the corporal.
ION the very morning I was MAY.
red. We had returned from the
church and I was in the library
writing a note to a friend ut Newn.
ham when ! heard two people enter.
A screen for me. hid me from n
one entering at the door. I heard
Lady Alcombe laugh and say
" You owe me five thousand
pounds, Dick I hope you won't
be very long in paying. for the truth.
is, l am bcastly hard up
"D'cI laughed also. and I caught
his answer. AS soon as that cd
duffer N the Klondyke makes his
settlements III pay you, Mary. You
deserve it. That was a pretty lite
scheme Of yours, and 1t has gone
like clockwork.'
1T came on me like n flash then.
I saw how I had been trapped and
hustled into marrying your cousin.
In that moment I hated him, and I
have lone so ever since.
After a little time they went out.
without learning that I had over
heard them. I determined thai :
would not do 30. that I would never
allow Dick Bracknell to DO in fact
what he was in name. I went
to my room secured my travelling
coat and some money and fled to
Cambridge to the friends staying there
through the vacation. I told her
everything. and on her advice wrote
to Lady Alcobe, explaining tho situa-
ton and averrlnE hat I would never
live with Dick BracknelI. I got n
telegram from him saying that he
would be down to see mo the next
day. but something happened and
he had to leave England. Do you
know what It was7 I have never
heard"
Yes" answered the corporal
slowly. You knew perhaps that
Dick was in the artillery"
There was a new gun, and he
had access to the plans. He stole
a copy, and sold them to the agent
OF a foreign government. The theft
was discovered and traced, N Dick
got clear away. The affair was hush.
ed up. as such affairs are, and II is
nearly forgotten now. though England
would not be a safe place for him.
Did you eve hear from him after.
wards?"
Not until last night" was the
reply. when his motto came to me.
II was a great shock"
They walked forward for a moment
without speaking. A rise IN the ground
covered with snowladen saskatoon
bushes hid the river from them for
n little time, and as they breasted
It they surprised n pedestrian climb.
ing up the banks. It was Mr.. Ray.
ner.
He was obviously n little startled
by the meeting, but n moment later
recovered himself.
Been out for n constitutional"
he explained. Are you ready to re-
turn"
Tho girl nodded. but the corporal
walked on leaving Joy to return
with Rayner. He waited until they
were out OF sight and descended to
the frozen surface Of tho river. His
gaze was arrested by the trail of n
sled and by recent footmarks. He
remembered tho figure he had seen
while walking with Joy GnrErave.
unquestionnhly hat of Rnyner. for
there were his footmarks turning
south from the, bluff. He looked
at the sled trail nFaln, md there
tho discovery that the single
footmnrks that ran side BY side with
the sled-trnll. had been made not by
ono pair OF feet but by two. some ono
having quite recently adapted his
stride to tho tracks already made.
Puzzled and Interested he followed
the sled trail Ut the bank and began
20 trace # through the wood ut the
on
An hour later stln following the
sled.trail he struck the river again.
and found himself eactIy opposite tho