Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1924-04-17

Of the old horror upon her face. The
fingers which he drew into his were as
cold as Ice.
''You must have wondered some
times" she began. why / ever mar
ried Oliver Hldltch."
"You were very young" he remind
ed her. with a little shiver, ''and very
inexperienced. suppose he appealed
to you In some way OF another"
1T wasn't that" she replied. "He
came to visit me at Eastbourne. and
he certainly knew all the tricks Of
making himself attractive and agree
able. But he never won my heart
he never even seriously. took my fancy.
I married him because believed that
by doing so was Obeying my fathers
wishes"
"where was your father at the
time. thenT Francis asked.
"In South America. Oliver Hllditch
was nothing more than discharged
employee OF his. discharged for dis
honesty. He had to leave South Amer
lea within a week to escape prosecu-.
ton. and on the way to Europe he
cOncocted the plot which very nearly
ruined my life. He forged a letter
from my father, begging me, II found
II In any way possible. to listen to OIL
yer Hilditch's proposals. and limiting
guardediy at a very serious financial
crisis which II was In his p~'er to
avert. II never occurred to me or to
my chaperOn to question his bona fides.
He had lived under the same roof as
my father, and knew all the intimate
details Of his life. He was very clever
and / suppose was a fool. / remem-
Der thinking was doing quite a heroic
action when I went to the registrar
with him. What 1t led to you know"
There was a moments throbblng
silence. Francis, notwithstanding his
deep pity, was conscious Of an over
whelmlng sensation of,relief She had
never cared for Oliver HlIdltchi She
had never pretended toi He put the
thought into words.
"You never cared for him, then7"
II tried to- she replied simply, "but
/ found 1t impossible. Within a week
OF our marriage ! hated him."
Francis leaned back. his eyes half
closed. In his ears was. the sonorous
roar of Piccadilly, the hooting OF mo-
torcars. close at hand the rustling OF
a faint wind in the elm trees. 1t was
a wonderful moment. The nightmare
with which he had grappled so fercely.
which he had overthrown, but whose
ghost still sometimes walked by his
side. had lost its chief and most
poignant terror. She had been tricked
into the marriage. She had never
cared or pretended to care. The pri-
uHf hOrr0F Of that tragedy which he
had figured so often to himself, seemed
to have departed with the thought. Its
shadow must always remain, but In |
time his conscience would acquiesce |
in the pronouncement of MS reason. II /
was the hand of justice. not any hui
man hand, which had slain Oliver Hill
ditch.
s'what did your father say when he
discovered the TRUTH" he asked.
"He did not know It until he came
to England on the day that Oliver Hill
ditch was acquitted. My husband
always pretended that he had a spe-
cial mall bag going out TO South Amer
lea, so he took away all the letters !
wrote to my father. and he took care
that I received none except one or two
which / know now are forgeries. He
had friends In South America himself
who helped him-one a typIst in my
Sather's office, OF whom ] discovered
that really doesn't
natter. He was a wonderful master
" deceit"
Francis suddenly took her hands.
lie had an overwhelming desire to
escape from the miasma of those ugly
lays, with their train Of attendant
thoughts and speculations.
aLet us talk about ourselves" he
whispered.
Presently they saw Sir Tlmothy's
glide up to the front door
elow and Sir Timothy himself enter
he house, followed by another man
those appearance was somehow IA
liliar.
There was a knock at the door.
lodges made his difident appearance.
Il beg your pardon, sir" he began.
ddressing Francis. "Sir Timothy has
cen asking If you are still here. He
rouId be very glad II you could spare :
i'm q moment In the library"
Francis rose at once TO his feet
Il was just leaving" he said. Il I
III look In at the librarytand see Sir '
imotE1y on my way. out
Sir Timothy was standing upon the .
earthrug Of the very wonderful apart 4
lenf which he called his library. Il
lyon asked for noe. Sir Timothy" 0
rancis said. b
Sir Timothy smiled. b
Il was fortunate TO ind that yOu I
ad not lei he anasF cred. w&ne a
on to be present at this forthcoming a
itervIew. You are 70 q certain extent a
the game. / thought IL might amuse 4
pa.
rrmncfm for the srst time was aware