The Opelousas courier., 1883-11-10


sir" said Viva, quietly, Il should
have no motive in betraying you. even
though l thought you guilty"
Hugh is as innocent as | ami" ex-
claimed his sister, in plaintive, tear
full voice.
The young nan was now close at
Vivia's side. The dimness of the room
had not previously let her see how
handsome he was. He fixed his dark
ly-brilliant eyes intently on Vivia's
face, and said:
IF | had passed through a trial |
might have been sure that cireumstan-
tial evidence would have convicted
me. Can you understand this?'
EYES," said Viva, "but surely, if
you are innocent, it would have been
better to suffer conviction than go
through the rest Of your life a fugitive
from justice"
81 do not think soI' cried Ella at
this point. 81 would have him live at
any costl"
More than a hour elapsed before
Viva went home again. And she
visited that house many times more
during the next few weeks. Both she
and Ella believed that her exits and
entrances were watched, and that
Hugh's presence there was suspected
by certain spies posted in the neighbor-
hood, but they were not by any means
sure.
BY this time Viva had silently
admitted to her own heart that she
loved Hugh Robertson. It had been
"love at first sight" with her. His
beauty and his melancholy fate had
both produced disastrous results with
her young, romantic soul.
She had determined to help him to
escape. She was a girl of strong will
and infexible determination. One day
she said to him:
81 have been working out a plan.
The house directly in the real of yours
is mine. I purchased it yesterday.
Tomorrow night it will be quite
vacant. You can cross by the back
fences, and get into the next street
through that house. There will be a
carriage waiting for you a few doors
below. It viii drive you wherever
you wish to be driven
Hugh's face lighted with a softly
grateful smile. Ella threw both arms
about Vivia's neck and r%apturously
kissed her.
On the following night they all three
met for a few last words of farewell.
just before Hugh's venture was tried.
In the back garden a ladder was
ready, by which Hugh would climb
into the garden OF the other house.
Hugh, Viva and Ella all stood in a
room which communicated with the
rear piazza. Hugh first said farewell
to Ella, who chung for a few minutes
sobbing about his neck. Then he
turned to Viva. He was frightfully
pale.
what I have to say he began,
ella ought not, perhaps, to hear. 1t
may kill her. It will probably give
you, Viva de Forest, an intense an
guish. | have deceived my sister up
to this moment. / am not innocent. |
shot the man of whose murder / am
accused--shot him openly enough, in a
barroom in st. Louis. He insulted
me! was very much enraged. We
had both been drinking. There is nc
doubt that | was terribly to blame!'
"ITughr' now broke from Elias lips,
"this cannot be! You are deceivine
u.s."
.sWould were!' he murmured,
"and would, too, that this were all
had to tell. But it is not all. Viva
de Forest, from the first moment that
looked on you | loved you. But il
was days before / knew who you were
Wilfrid Caldwell was your half-broth'
erl You bear a different name from
his"
.What do you mean?' faltered vi
via, with paling cheeks.
aAh, why did you not remember
when you FIRST met me- Hugh Bob
ertson now cried, "that / bore the
same name common d name as il
may have BEEN as the man who shot
your brother2 But you did not think
Of thisl You pitied mel Then yor
cared for me-eyen loved me, Viva
since at this hour / need not deny that
! guessed your Lowell Yet all the
while | Was-oh. Heaveni how hare
it is to speak the wordslI was YOU
brother Wilfred's murderer
A faint shiyering moan broke from
Vivia's lips. The next instant she AMI
Ella were clinging together, as il 70
mutual support. It was q common
impulse with the two unhappy crea
lures. Each had been cruelty de