Part 8 (2/2)

Foster said he could not wait and went out, feeling that the other was pleased to get rid of him Graham was obviously a sirl in Edinburgh had warned hi such ashe valued was impossible to discern

This, however, was not Foster's business, and after lunch he caught a train to Hexhaht in the old Border town

VIII

AN OFFER OF HELP

It rained and the light was going when Foster sat in aseat of the library at the Garth He was alone, but did not mind this The Featherstones treated him as one of the faone away, after talking to hiarette, he mused and looked about

Outside, the firs rose, black and dripping, above the wet drive

Between their trunks he saw the river, stained with peat, brawling a the stones, and the streaks of foay fields ran back into the low about the library The room was somewhat shabby but spacious Rows of old books in stained bindings, which Foster thought nobody read, faded into the gloom at its other end It arm and quiet, and he found it a coht at the Garth and did not want to leave

Featherstone and his wife obviously wished hiiven hiht was not clear, but she treated hiularly pleasant By and by he began to wonder why Lawrence had not written, particularly as he had brought away a bag of his Foster had one like it, and as both had its owner's initials staent had been deceived by the F when he affixed the check Lawrence's bag, however, had his na chair by the fire, and iot nearly dark without his noticing it when the opening of the door roused hi up, he saw Featherstone come in with a letter in his hand The post did not arrive until the afternoon

”Ah!” he said, ”you have heard from Lawrence”

”No, but the letter is about hi down opposite, was silent for a few ot a shock

”I don't see how you can help, but perhaps you had better kno ave the letter to Foster

It was short, but Foster, as surprised and disturbed, understood his host's alar, Featherstone to h he stated that if this was i There was a threat in the intie if Featherstone saw him soon

”Well,” said Foster dryly, ”it looks as if our plot had succeeded better than we thought We certainly didn't expect the felloould follow land”

Featherstone did not seem to understand, and Foster re hi extorted money from Lawrence in Canada He now explained the situation in as feords as possible

”But Lawrence ought to have told me!” Featherstone exclaimed

”I don't know that it would have been of much use You see, Lawrence meant to put Daly off the track, and if he failed in this, to fight

When I heard of it, I quite agreed”

”But he can't fight,” Featherstone objected in a strained voice ”I'd have urged him to do so, if it had been possible We're not cowards”

”Why is it impossible?”

”Don't you know?” Featherstone asked with some surprise

”I know my partner's in trouble; that's all”

Featherstone hesitated, as if he wanted to take the other into his confidence, but shrank froue knows as et my son arrested”