Middletown transcript., 1877-06-23

lows, Virginia. And these wretchec
remains-do they bear no blood stain
ed testimony? ?"
"They are accounted for easily
enough, mamma" said Virginia, talk
ing hurriedly and with an effort. Il
it was subject for dissection which
Adrian and Charley had brought down
in a box from the Gatesly Hospital
They were surprised before they could
land it at the Arkwright Court. They
were obliged to hide it as well as they
could from the men who were out
spearing salmon at night. They in
tended to return for it in few days
but
Gall this is very plausible" inter
rupted Mrs. Wilde, with an impatient
movement of her head "but it may be
story trumped up by everybody or
anybody. The question still remains
unanswered-the question on which
Arkwright's life hangs: "Where is
Harwood ?"
q don't know, mamma" the girl
answered. "I pretend to no second
sight. All that l know is, that Charles
Arkwright never committed that muir
der-no, never"
And to this Virginia Wilde clung
alike through evil reports and good.
Of course Charles was not convicted.
The day is past when mere circum-
stantial evidence can rivet the hang
mans moose around a mans neck.
The mere fact that he and Harwood
had been quarreling violently in the
river cove that afternoon, and that
Harwood had never been seen from
that time to this, was not enough to
justify verdict of Guilty"
The additional link of evidence, sup
piled by the ghastly remains discover
ed ten days afterwards in the cleft of
the rocks called the "Gypsy's Cave"
was not e,iough. They were past iden-
tifcation although everybody believ-
ed them to be the remains Of the mur-
dered man, the law impartially stood
aloof; and 50, after weary formula
of legal minutie and delays past reck-
oning, Arkwright was acquitted and
released once more from his prison
dungeon.
How strange il seemed, to be free to
go and come whittier he would-to
regulate his own occupation and escape
from the incubus of those four brood
ing walls But how stranger far the
altered mien of those who had once
called him their friend!
His old medical preceptor turned
frigidly down a street corner to avoid
meeting him-a knot of careless young
students, coming toward Gatesley Hos
pital suddenly became absorbed in the
shop windows. Miss Pocklington stared
him direct in the face, without sign
Of recognition, and Miss Elton, to whom
he ventured, unthinkingly, to raise his
hat, took her companions arm and
hurried past, muttering something
about 'the presumption Of jail-bird's
daring-to bow to her!"
Arkwright's heart sank within him.
After all, was such life as this worth
striving for? People believed him
murderer-why had he endeavored to
escape murderer's dooml
Suddenly Miss Wilde came out of a
store near by. Arkwright involuntarily
recoiled. He felt instinctively that a
cold glance from her eyes would be the
last bitter drop beyond endurance in
his cup.
But, before he could retreat, Vir-
ginia hurried up to him, with crimson
ed cheeks, and eyes swelling over with
tears, while she held out both her
hands.
"Oh, Charley Dear Charlie"
"My Virginia" he uttered, fairly |
"You believe in me still,
then !"
Il believe you now, Charley" she
@I shall believe you
alwaysl'
"You do not suppose, dearest, that 1
shall hold you to your troth p he said,
almost bitterly.
"I don't know whether you will or
not" said Virginia Wilde, halflaugh-
ing, halfsobbing, as she clung to his
arm. "But I shall hold you, dear, to
yours"
And to this Virginia adhered through
all opposition and remonstrance.
Mrs. General Wilde was shocked
the world in general was scandalized.
People were hardly willing to believe
that the beautiful Virginia Wilde was
actually willing to cast in her lot with
that of the imputed murderer.
"I love him." said Virginia, "and
hat is enough"
"And I love her." said Mr.. Ark
wright, aand that is the reason | will
not marry her."
In vain were Miss Wilde's plead