The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-05-03
Of my nresence in the house.

have recovered from that Jealous hatred Of
myself which your rejection of his suit had
occasioned. | being firm in my decision of
not returning To my uncles house until |
4 had been righted in his opinion, for | had
I been insulted and accused of a crime, set
out early the following morning for Lawn
1 dale, whittier | was returning, when the
officers arrested me
4 And wha were you doing at Lawn
dalef queri, Miss Mordaunt
II had gone there to see a friend. My
cousin, Eugene Thorndyke, holds my life
in his hands He has not been near me as
yet.
''Then | will go to him" said Lily de-
clsively.
When
''At once If he knows that you spent
the entire night Of the murder with him,
he surely viii lie willing t. testify. Good
bye, Robert" and Lily Mordaunt was
gone
She lid not state to her father whittier
she was going. She accompanied him to
his office, and then, full Of her mission, she
started for the residence of Eugene Thorn
dyke.
A servant admitted her at the door, and
she was at once shown into Mr. Thorndykes
presence He was pleased, flushed, con
fused, at her presence.
II am gratiied at this honor he began,
but she, with little peremptory wave of
the hand, said.
have not come for an idle exchange
Of courtesies, Mr.. Thorndyke my business
with you is in regard to your cousin. Rob
ert Thurston.
Eugene Thorndyke's face became grave
and set
have nothing III common with muir
derer, he replied.
murderer Hop sit there. vOU in
whose presence the accused but innocent
man spent the entire night Mo the murder
and call him a murderer
The man features became a shade dark
ct, and he avoided his companions gaze
steadily.
''Mho j. u prove that Mr.. Thurston
spent that night in my company - he que
ried. detantly.
Miss Mordaunt gazed at the man in alb
solute horror. She had believed him bad
wicked, capable Of any petty immortality,
but this open refusal to testify in his cous-
ms fayor-she shuddered and paled
Then you VIII not ave your testi-
mony she asked
:" have no testimony to give was the
sullen reply
Mr.. Thorndyke," came IN cold. meas
ured tones. from Miss Morlaunts uuiver-
ing lips. You are a villain and a murder
er at heart. if you allow ali innocent man
to =" to the scatfold, when one word from
you can avert the penalty ot mistaken Jus
tice You know that you can refuse to
swear that your cousin spent that night
with you, vet you may DEFY man. but God
will mete ont terrible punishment t.
YOU.
What care for Robert Thurston r.
said Eugene Thorndyke, desperately He
was as ruthless as when he robbed me
Of your love when he stepped in, and
gained your preference He cared not for
me. what care for him y
Miss Mordaunt sat aghast. at this open
acknowledgement Of Thurstons innocence.
this fearless refusal "a free him from the
stigma Of guilt.
There is a way Of compelling your evi-
dence, Mr. Thorndyke. said Lily
court of law can extort the truth from
you.
Eugene Thorndyke laughed harshly
thousand courts can never secure
one word IN favor Of my cousin acquittal
from my lips. Let him affirm that he spent
that fatal night IN my company, ! will
never substantiate his words. and what il
a prisoners unsupported evidence worth
You are Mortified Miss Mordaunt. but
am not the first man who has sold his own
soul and periled the lives Of others for
woman.
w woman " reiterated Miss Moriaunt
murmuringiy
Yes, and that womans yourself. re-
Piled Mr.. Thorndyke
:" will give my evidence, upon one con
dition"
The young lady looked up. eagerly.
And that condition y' she asked
That you marry me See Z" he con
tinued, as she averted her face with disgust
and adherence You love my cousin.
but | am willing to have lOveless bride.
This is your only chance of saving your
loves life. Choose, quickly What is your
answer H.
My answer replied Miss Mordaunt.
in tone Of wItherIng scorn, while her
eyes flashed Indignantly upon the cowardly
wretch before her MY answer is what
the answer Of any true woman would be.
No. Withhold your testimony, and doom
your soul TO a perpetual punishment here
after. yet will prove Robert Thurston in
n0cent Of the crime with which he is
charged. If by wedding you, he could be
free, he would rather suffer the fullest
penalty, than hat | should sacrifice my
self to "a villain. That is my answer, Mr..
ThorndyEe, and may you be as ready to
give yours when you are summoned before
the bar Of eternal Judgment, with your
cousin 5 sufferings and death laid to your
charge"
Aud the next moment she was gone.
while Eugene Thorndyke, with the guilty
conscience of murderer, and tormented
with the remorseful pangs which this
womans words had caused, saught obliv-
I ion from his fears and cares in the madly-
intoxicating draughts with which his side
I board abounded
CHAPTER v.
50 fully ,onvinced were the public func-
tionaries and inhabitants Of Maplegrove.