The Spoilers of the Valley Part 49

"Where did ye expect them to be? Chief Palmer was at Royce Pederstone's reception. Howden--well, it seems Howden had a date on with one of the Kenora waitresses. Ryans, the jailer, says everything was quiet. He happened to open an unused cell, where he kept his brooms and things, and, when he was inside somebody slammed the door on him and locked him in. A trump-up from beginning to ending, and too thin to keep a draught out even. Phil, it sure would make one's stomach turn; politics, justice, protection, the whole thing would seem to be a farce from start to finish, and we are parties to it ourselves, aiding and abetting it; too weak or else too lazy to issue even a mild protest."

"And what is being done now? Who put you on to it?"

"Oh,--that youngster Smiler, as usual. He knows everything that goes on. The wee deevil came up to Pederstone's. They wouldn't let him in, but he shot through the door and made for me. Brenchfield was standing by and saw the dumb show, and understood it quicker than I did, for he was off like a greyhound, and so was Palmer.

"Before I got down here, he had his own pursuit gang working and they were away, hot-foot, after the runaways,--perhaps."

"Well,--I guess that ends it," lamented Phil.

"I guess it just does," agreed Jim. "Palmer leading the chase, and Brenchfield at his ear telling him how to do it before he set out.

Gee, man!--I wish we had been in it, though. There would have been h.e.l.l apopping for somebody, for I'm just in the mood."

"But didn't Brenchfield go, too?"

"Not so far as I know! He was here, got them started after much pow-powing with Palmer; then someone came for him and he went off again in a hurry. One of the gang, no doubt! d.a.m.n them!"

"Oh, oh, oh,--Jim Langford!" interrupted a well-known, melodious voice at Jim's elbow.

Jim and Phil turned quickly to the speaker.

It was Eileen Pederstone, wrapped up snugly in a warm, fur coat.

Apparently she was alone.

"Great Scot, la.s.sie!--what are you doing here?"

"Good evening, gentlemen!" she said politely.

Phil returned her salutation, with a very uneasy feeling inside.

"Little ladies should be sleeping in their beds," put in Jim in a tone of admonition.

"I wouldn't mind if I were now," she returned. "I just couldn't resist coming down here when I heard of the breakaway from jail, and so many of the men felt they had to rush off from our place.

"I coaxed daddy to bring me down. I lost him somewhere in the crowd half an hour ago."

"Ugh-huh!--and what else?" inquired Jim.

"Well, I am positively sick of having my dad for a member of parliament. I never seem to have him to myself for five minutes on end. I don't know where he has gone to, I'm tired and,--and I'm looking for some big, strong man to see me home up the hill. Would you mind, Jim?"

"No, indeed, Eileen! I would be glad to do so,--but unfortunately I have promised Thompson, the Government Agent, to stay here in charge till he gets back. But Phil here will see you home, and be delighted to do so. Eh, Phil?"

"Why--why, certainly! Only too pleased!" said Phil, although he could have punched Jim's head for putting him in such a predicament. He half hoped that Eileen Pederstone would find an excuse, but instead, she accepted the proffered service without demur.

They started off immediately. Neither spoke for a hundred yards or so, for a constraint seemed to be holding both back; the one did not know of anything fitting to say, and the other had so much to say that she was at a loss to know how or where to begin.

Womanlike, Eileen was first to break the silence.

"I was sorry, Mr. Ralston, that you were too busy to come to our place to-night--or, I should say, last night, for it is morning now."

"I wasn't exactly too busy," returned Phil frankly. "I walked the hills for the good of my health, and I enjoyed myself splendidly."

"Oh!--I thought--I thought you would be sure to come, if only for daddy's sake,--unless something serious would prevent you," said the young lady slowly.

It was dark and impossible for either one to see the other clearly, so they had to be guided by the voice alone.

"Yes,--I guess probably I should have come, but----"

Eileen interrupted him.

"Mr. Ralston,--don't let us fence any more. That's what everybody does nowadays. It isn't honest. Can't we be honest?"

"Of course we can, Miss Pederstone! I am glad you put it so plainly.

Now, if you had been in my shoes,--would you have come?"

"Oh, please don't put it that way. We have gone through too much for that. We know too much of each other for argument."

"You mean, you know too much about me," corrected Phil, a little bitterly.

"Yes!--and, believe me or not as you will, I never thought, I never guessed--until--until I saw you that afternoon in the smithy, tired-out, begrimed, your hair awry and your clothes loose about you--I never dreamed that you--that you--that----"

"That I was the escaped convict you befriended!"

Eileen put her hand on his arm.

"Mr. Ralston,--why do you have to be so callous; why are you so severe with yourself?"

There was a touch of irony in the short laugh Phil gave.

"One can't afford to be otherwise with one's self," he retorted. "It is a privilege one is permitted to take."

"It is a privilege you have no right to take and--and I am so sorry if I hurt your feelings that afternoon. I did not think for a second how you might misconstrue my behaviour, although--although I could see it all afterwards. Won't you please understand me? I was so surprised, so taken aback,--the picture returned to me so suddenly--that I could not think properly. I just had to run out into the open and away, in order to pull myself together."

Phil walked along by her side, up the hill, without answering.

"Won't you believe me?" she pleaded.

"I can never forget that you were kind to me when I needed it most."

"Then you believe me," she reiterated, "and you will believe that I shall never, never, never tell anyone your secret?"

The moon sailed out behind the clouds, and Phil looked down and saw a pale, earnest face searching his.

"Yes!--I do believe you," he answered. "I could not do anything else now."

"Thanks ever so much!" Eileen smiled.

And with that smile, the ache that had been at Phil's heart for some days took wings and flew away to the Land of Delusion from whence it came.

"May I ask just one little question before we bury that small bit of the past?" Eileen asked.