The Hartford herald., 1875-02-24

| up, resumed Mr. Orke. therefore,
could but leave it to the elucidation OF
time. did what could. l offered a
high reward. l placed the matter in the
hands of the London detective police
When l left here. and you so pleasantly
consigned me to a perpetual exile, my
| Journey was direct to Scotland Yard. But
that circumstances did favor your view,
Maria, might have felt inclined to take
you at your word, and render our separa-
| tion perpetual"
The scales seemed to fall from her eyes.
A conviction of his innocece, of his pres
ent truth, seated itself within her. She
leaned forward in her weakness, and
sobbed aloud upon his breast.
Mr.. Yorke wound his arm fondly round
her, giving her the explanation that he
did not give her formerly. He had gone
back to the village that evening, intend
ing to beard Janson in his own house; to
forbid his visits He watched for Janson
coming home, but be watche the front
door. Jansou meanwhile entered at the
garden door, in the side lane, unseen by
Mr. Yorke. Standing there quietly, he
heard groan, more than one. and pene-
trated to the spot whence they apparent
ly came, the garden The attacker Of
Mr.. Janson turned and attacked him, and
in the scuffle the gun was broken. The
robber got away, and he, Mr.. Yorke,
stopped down to examine Janson. He
had matches in his pocket, and struck
them, and he saw that Janson was iudis-
putably dead. He left him, and made the
best of his way home; but he wandered
out Of the road, in the fog. and got into
pool. la..... f-s-..,. 80 -. .
"why did you not give the alarm2 why
did you not speak OF itf reiterated Mrs.
Yorke. -,- III. -. -.---....-...,l-! &
II can scarcely tell Why" replied Mr.
Yorke. my feeling against Janson thta
night was one of bitter anger. | should
not have killed him, as the burglar did;
but / am not sure that it was altogether
a feeling of grief that crossed my heart,
when saw him lying there-dead." b
Maria did not speak. her face was
Use scrambled out Of the pool and came
home,n continued Mr.. Yorke. "As L
reached the gate, Crane and his wife were
passing; they seemed in distress, and
alarm, and / inquired the cause. "A
poor gentleman had just been murdered
they said. supposed that the body had
been found, and the news had spread.
Do you remember he somewhat abrupt
ly added, .''that l called TO you for light,
when I came in, and asked you to bring
u up yourseirt yourself ..sa sAl 70 ss1-s saf
"My intention was to, tell you Of what
had happened. Maria, 1 believe the feel
ing in my heart was to tdant you-that
the man whom had just seen with his
hand in yours, was dead and out of the
way forever. In the few moments that
elapsed between my calling aud your ap>
pearance with the lightthe mood changed.
and resolved to say nothing. l bundled
up my clothes, wet with the pool, into
the long press, laid the broken gun upon
them, and came down to dinner" b.
"Why did you lay them there, out of
the wayT' ss...-a.1
"As / said before. I can scarcely tell
you. In my ill-feeling against Jauson, l
believe / resolved not to disclose that
l had seen anything of the murder; to
be entirely silent upon that point. For
one thing, Maria-and have felt ashamed
of myself ever since-I was the worse for
drink that evening. In my sober senses
| should probably have acted very differ
emily throughout; hut was notin my so-
Der senses. l had drunk good deal at
Squire Hipgrave's; he had two or three
hard drinkers at his luncheon~table that
day, hearty sportmen, and l drank with
the rest. Again, while / was waiting for
Janson, near his house, turned into a
public~house and drank more-brandy>
and water. You must have seen that /
had taken too much" .-
"Yes," she answered. ...
"Afterwards there came that unhappy
suspicion, through my having mixed up
the one murder with the other. That
suspicion did attach to me, could not
help seeing, and was really thankful to
Olivia Hardisty, and to Henry Yorke, for
helping me to a way out of it. To have
tardily confessed, then, to what had seen,
would never have done; it might only
have brought suspicion more tanglbly up
on me. People would have asked what
brought me in Jansons's garden" .
ARTHUR" she said, raising her white
face, 'you might have confessed to US Al
home" -
with what chance of receiving cred
ence?' .... -.. ...... ...
| 1t was the old question. An unsatis'
factory one now.
II Judged it better to bide my time,
said Mr.. Yorke 1--WE will have Henry
to spend Christmas with us, and make j
Christmas tale for after dinner. III
give it them at dessert. Isuppose maj
| come to Saxonbury againY
She was crying softly and silently, hap
py tears now. Mr.. Yorke held her closer
and bent to kiss them away. 81 thinl
you have saved my life. Arthur" sh'
whispered. ....
"You were going to Saxonbury tO-day
were you mott"
"Yes; by the midday train"
"But perceive you are not fit to trav
ell. Shall we stay on here few days, an
see little more of this strange dram
played out?'
"Oh yes, if you please" she readily an
swered. "All the places in the world seer
glad to me now. 1 have had brain fever
Arthur" -
'"I know you have. l had bulletin u
, daily of your progress"
"From whomW she inquired, in surpris
"From the physician. Had he warne
me Of danger, / should have hastened
; you. He thought l was detained in tow
by law business, and could not leave
: Maria" he more gravely added, ''nev'
you doubt my care and love again
81 have never doubted them, she r
piled. Il Arthur" she broke of, g
|, zing at him earnestly, sit is who ougl
: to enjoin that. The cloud fell on vol
: mind. not on mine. Has it gone awayY