Part 34 (2/2)

”I wish I could,” he said with some gentleness, recognizing the anxious appeal in her voice. ”But I imagined you were as convinced as I am of Prescott's guilt.”

”Oh,” she replied miserably, ”I believed I was; but I don't know what to think!”

He noticed the distress in her face with uncomprehending sympathy. He was fond of her, in his stern, reserved fas.h.i.+on, and knew she must deeply feel the loss of her brother.

”As soon as he saw he was suspected, Prescott ran away,” he continued.

”That must count against him. If he had had any motive except the wish to escape, he would have mentioned it.”

Gertrude sat silent, tormented by confused emotions. Prescott had told her he was going to hunt for Cyril, and until she had seen his devotion to Muriel she had felt that she must believe in him; then her mind had been filled with jealousy and doubt. She thought she hated him; after all, he might be guilty. It was not her part to speak in his defense; though she felt she was acting treacherously, she could not stand up for him.

”It is possible that the police were wrong about Cyril,” she said at length.

”I'm afraid not,” said Jernyngham. ”It might be urged that Prescott has come back; but I believe that was only to sell his wheat.” He broke into a harsh laugh. ”One must admit that the fellow has courage; but he won't find it easy to escape again. Every move of his will be watched.”

Gertrude sat very still for a few moments, her lips tightly pressed together. Then she made a gesture of weariness.

”Oh,” she said, ”it's all so hard to bear! There's nothing but doubt and suspense; not a ray of comfort!”

Getting up languidly she went out and left her father lost in thought.

An hour or two afterward, Prescott sat near the stove in his homestead, moodily making entries in an account-book, when he heard voices in the pa.s.sage and looked up with a start. The next moment the door opened and Muriel Hurst came in. His heart throbbed furiously at the sight of her; she looked excited and eager; her rich furs enhanced her charm. He thought she made a wonderfully attractive picture in the small, simply furnished room, but he laid a strong restraint upon himself as he rose.

”I felt that I had to come; I wanted to show that your friends still trusted you,” she said impulsively.

He made no move to bring her a chair.

”It was a generous thought, but, considering everything, I don't know that it was wise. Did you tell Colston or your sister that you were coming?”

”No,” she answered with a trace of confusion; ”I left rather in a hurry.”

Then she broke into a forced laugh. ”This isn't the welcome I expected!”

Prescott's eyes gleamed.

”You know I'm glad to see you.”

”Well,” she said, sitting down with a hint of defiance in her air, ”that's the most important thing; though the confession had to be extorted from you. It looked as if you wanted to get rid of me.”

”I felt I ought to.”

Muriel looked at him with amus.e.m.e.nt.

”Duty against inclination! It's a pity the former was beaten. But aren't you falling into our way of thinking rather fast?”

”That isn't strange. I've had English ideas impressed on me pretty forcibly during the last few months. But you made a statement that surprised me. Does Colston trust me?”

”He wants to.”

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