Blackthorn Farm

l she wore and placed her bag on the

hundred pounds. I've brought fifty in gold. I thoug

the table. She showed him a roll of notes. He pushed them aside, and pouring the go

gh hysterically. "You are

t it

ieve it-that this is ours-all ours." He dropped on to his knees beside h

much gold perhaps," she said in an unsteady voice. "But I thought you could pay some of your bill

n pay them into your bank. So that when you return from Devonshire, you'll find quite a nice little n

her and gave instructions as to what he would take

end all our time fishing and shooting. Gad! I'll take old Despard dow

Ruby encouraged him to talk,

going down with

rt n

" She glanced at the watch on her wrist. "I've got an appo

do you?" Rupert said; "ye

he is. I wi

rd, but she was afraid to speak more clearly. She did not want to make him jealous, and she was afraid lest the two men should quarrel. So no more w

two," Rupert said as he kissed her. "I su

"Anyway, I shall be here when you re

ing tightly to him, unable to tear he

looked so rosy. Look here, I shall tell my father I'm engaged to be married. I didn't mean to do so until I'd pass

ugh her tears. "I can pay t

he front door and watched her out of sight. He wondered why she did not t

opped at Moreton he saw his sister waiting for him on the platform. A wave of boyish pride swept over him as he introduced Marjorie to Robert Despard. Two years had changed her considerably. She was a wo

ned dog-cart waiting outside and the sturdy, rough-haired Dartmoor pony harnessed to the shafts. But Despard had no eyes for anything bu

iment with subtlety. For the first time Rupert realised there were two distinct sides to his character. And before the long drive

been the home of the Dales for generations. He took Rupert in his arms and held him closely, then, with

map, and no mistake!" Despa

eat tors surrounding it on all sides. He listened to the river Dart as

y lonely sometimes?"

haven't time. And I'v

rt, and before he could stop her she

gh Rupert's. "Well, my boy, you needn't say anything, I see by your face that you've passed yo

rely winked, then, turning on his heel, entered the farm

ther full in the face. "I'm sorry, guv'nor, bu

d struck him a blow. The strong, determi

ntinued. "And I know I shall pass. It's not

an's shoulders. He spoke bravely and prou

ched and screwed, gladly; but the savings of the last fifty years have all gone. They were little enough. The farm doesn't raise enough to keep us in food and c

as bad as that. And once again remorse seized him. Once again he w

ath and left his father and sist

d find his voice and tell his father t

t of luck and made enough to keep myself for another year or

John Dale asked. "But I needn't ask you, R

he said unsteadily. "I can't tell you more now, father, but I will one day. I

t, horny fist and pressed it tightly

nds he owed him. The second was to hand Marjorie fifteen pounds-ten for housekeeping expenses, and fi

de a bit. But if he's in want of anything just buy it for him-say it'

to it. He was up soon after daybreak helping Marjorie to milk the cows; watching her scald the cream and make the butter, and he insisted on being taught how to do these things himself. He made himself useful about the far

day; and he asked Dale for particulars about it, as to how long i

th while working," Dale told him. "We thought we were going t

h mines, and I've got a bit of money in one or two of them. As you know, they restarted working

all you can find,"

iculty. To Rupert's surprise very little water had penetrated the main shaft, and Despard pointed out that the river and the surrou

d said thoughtfully. "A case of too much capital

ct a new plant and start operations

at. If it were a gold mine, now, people would fall over on

s face. He had been scraping and poking about in the bed of the tunnel while he

something of the colour and consistency of tar. He t

a trace of nervous excitement in his vo

the latt

lucked three times!" Despard cried.

t again. "Rather

ing," Despa

He bent down and examined the bla

pitch-b

light," Despar

espard commenced to dig and scrape the surface and sides of the tu

ng rather too muc

found, and putting it into his handkerc

even to your father. Just because we've found pitch-blende it doesn't mean the

ne. She gave a shriek as she saw them, for their cloth

nd?" she asked jokingly. "Are

ng I were to make a fortune for

the profits," she laug

whispered. "I should want s

iting. It was growing dark, and work was over

never late. Probably he has gone up to Post Brid

ere was anything in their discovery that afternoon the mortgage would have to be paid off before anything else was done. He went up to Desp

ance on the table. "To get a proper test we ought to take or

nted at Post Bridge Hall at once," she told him. "Father is

earth can the matter be? You don't thi

don't think so. The message

nd himself in the avenue that led to the Hall. It was situated fairly high up under the shadow of the tors and surrounded by trees.

y; "but the matter is rather importan

pened. To his relief he saw his father

down an old oak bureau motioned Rupert to

ain," said Sir Reginal

ed that his father's face was pale, the features draw

ft London. A cheque for five pounds which Sir Reginald drew and made

d. "Yes, I r

it?" Sir Reg

ne man to the other. He felt suddenly guilty. "A

me." Dale spoke. "Of cour

all about it-in the excitement

ld up his hand. "Did the loss of five pounds

ncreased, though he had only been guilty of gross c

fact, the morning I received it I went to the races, and I only discovered the loss when I got

d and stretched out his h

a cheque. He saw written across the back of it his

sum of five hundred pounds." Then u

e pounds. Since it left your possession the pounds have been changed to five hundred. That sum was paid out by my bankers. Naturally, I want a

mean to say

red up, th

ms in Westminster facing ruin; he saw himself take his revolver from the drawer and hold it to his breast. Then he felt the arms of the woman he loved round him; he heard h

wet with perspiration. He heard his

r God's sake, speak! Say y

did not see him; he only saw the face of the woman he lov

e cried, his voic

echoed. "Confess that you are