The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-04-12

hAhSSS' ""V'O 80 %A"' WIZ AAW "VVN"
81 don't know, mamma,o the girl
answered. 81 pretend to no second
sight. All know is, that Charles
Arkwright never committed that
murder-no; never!"
And to this Virginia Wilde clung
alike through evil report and good.
Ofcoursc Charles Arkwright was
not convicted. The day is past when
mere circumstantial evidence can
rivet the hangman's moose around a
mans neck.
The mere fact that he and Hpr-
wood had been heard quarreling vio-
lently in the river cove, Lnat after.
noon, and that Harwood had never
been seen from that time to this was
not enough to justify a verdict Of
Guilty"
The additional link of evidence,
supplied by the ghastly remains dis
covered ten days afterward in the
cleft of the rocks called the "Gipsy's
Cave" was not enough. They were
pastidentifcation although everybody
| believed them to be the remains Of
the murdered man, the law stood i'm
partially aloof; and so, after a weary
formula of legal minutie and delays
past reckoning, Mr.. Arkwright was
acquitted, and released once more
from his prison dungeon
How strange it seemed, to be free
eoigo'ana como wnGther he wopid-to
regulate his own occupation and es-
cape from the incubus of those four
brooding walls! But how stranger
far the altered mien of those who had
once called him their fricndl
His old medical preceptor turned
frigidly down II street'corner toavoid
meeting him-a knot of careless
young students, coming toward
Gatosley Hospital, suddenly became
absorbed in the shop-windows,
| Miss Pocklington stared him direct
in the face, without sigh of recog-
milton and Miss Elton, to whom he
vcnturcd, unthinkingly to raise his
hat, took her companions arm and
hurried past, muttoring something
about "thc presumption ola jail-bird
daring to bow to herr"
Arkwright's heart sank within
him. After all, was such a life as
his worth striving for? People be-
licvcd him n murdcrer-why had he
cnlcavorcd to escape a murdoror's
doom?
Suddenly Miss Wilde came out of
astorc nearby. Arkwright invOlun-
tarily rccoiled. He felt instructive
ly, that u 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 Grim
soncd checks, and eyes swelling over
with tears, while she held out both
hcrhands.
"0h, Chaaleyl Dear Charleyp
my Virginia. he uttered, fairly
unnamed, "You believe in me
still, then?"
d believe in you now, ChaGoy,'
she answered. 81 shall bclieY in
you always!"
"You do not suppose, dearest, that
| shall hold you to your troth?" he
said, almost bitterly,
q don't know whether you will or
not said Virginia Wilde, halflaugh-
ing, half-sobbing, as she clung to his
arm, "But | shall hold you to
yoursl"
And to this Virginia adhered
through all opposition and rcmon
stmCo.
Mrs. General Wilde was shocked;
the world in general was scandaliacd,
People were hardly willing to believe
that tho beautiful Virginia Wilde
was actually willing to cast her lot
with that of tho imputed murderer.
"llovc him." said Virginia, sand
thatis enoughl"
"And love hor" said Mr.. AK
wright and that is the reason l.-iSill
not marry horW
lnvain were Miss Wildc's plead
ingS,
HNh donrooI - ho so;1 firmly. 6it is