Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-01-23
DARK DAYS
BY HUGH CONW Az.
CHAPTER VII.
TIE MELTING OLE TIE sNnW-

L
shadow the consequences of the inevitable
discovery Of Sir Mervyn Ferrnnd's death. |
tried calmly 70 ascertain in what quarter tine
danger of discovery was situated and how
best to guard against or turn aside the peril
Undoubtedly tho chief person to fear was
Mrs. Wilson. She ajouo knew that the man
intended to reach Rolling that night. She
alone knew in what latiou. or supposed
relation, he stood to 'hilippa The very
night of his death would be fixed by the
snow storm: and | felt SIRE that as soon MS
the dead man was identified Mrs. Wilson
could not fail to associate her guests sudden
departure ana subsequent illness with the
terrible event. The moment she revealed
what she knew or suspected, suspicion must
point TO the right person, amt pursuit must
at once follow. My heart grow sick, as,
think how would, | could sra DO loophole
by which to escape from this danger
About secondary things ! troubled but
little. Upon calm reconsideration, | did
not believe that my stolid William would
for moment jump a. the right conclusion.
If he wero led to suspect either Of Us, it
would be me, not Phi!ppP; an | well knew
that he was so much at lchei to me that,
although he feu c,r,aru | hat done the
deed, he would fool equally certain that |
had good and proper reasons for doing it,
and no word t. my detrinelt would pass
his reticent lips. No, there was lutte to
fear from William.
had blamed myself deeply Cor the inn
pulse which had urged mo To hurl the fatal
weapon away why dill not keep II and
bury it fa'homs decp' Ii that pistol were
found it would possibly furnish a clew
which might be followed W, and undo
everything Ny only hope was that | hal
thrown it in some spot VIII. re- il might lie
for years undiscovered, until ali association
between it and the murder h3u disappeared.
To sum up briefly, was bound to decide
that the damnng cirrumstan.ial evidence
which could BE- FURNISHED by Mrs. Wilson
drove mo back to my original idea There
was no chance of my poor PIilippas re-
manning unaccused or unsusp coed of the
deed she had unwittingly dom; 50 her only
nope of s1fely-mdced, c,nSi !rring all,
may also say my only hope OF spfofy--wus
rapid highG. We must gain some land in
which We could dwell without fear of being
arrested What land was thercl
Many n one. The date OF my story is be-
fore 1873, when nearly all the extraditiop
srentipS were made A. = " INV, such
tItales existed with only two foreign coun-
tries, France and the United States; so that
our choice o! resting-place WAS not so linn
tied as those who are flying from the clutches
of the law ind it to-day. However, i'll ordor
to max certain, paid a visit to a legal
friend of mine; and, by quoting slpposti-
tious case. managed to acquire good deal
of information respecting the dealings of one
nation with another SO far as tu+,itlves were
concerned
found that although, with the two ex
ceptions above named, there was no settled
international law on The subject. there was
kind OF unwritten substitute, which 'Va5
known by the name OF the Comfy of Ma
tons Unt'r this code Of courtesy nOtOri
Gus criminal who had sJugh' re u .e in tn,
arms of another country. was not uncom-
monty, although there was no law under
which ne could be arrested, given up to his
pursucrs, BY being simply driven across the
frontier of tn country in which he had hoped
10 fiud security. However, gathered that
this social ii comfy was scarcely expected
to b, exercised by the most friendly state,
unless the fugitive had Ard almost rod
handed, and so placed his guit heyoni doubt.
No ono exactly know how far TIL, ob.igin5
expulsion might be counted upon. 1t was
generally supposed TO he decided by the
amount Of influence or persuasion which one
government exercised on tho other
This information rather uus't my preCOu-
ceived idea its TO the ease with which safety
might be ol tanned; but reelection told me /
had little TO f ar. The case against Philippe
could be nothing more than one OF sus-
picion. No one, not even myself, had seen
the deed done. \ warrant you'll, no
doubt he issued for her arrest; but il our
flight vre,lulel lis execution | Gil not be-
lieve tlat any government WON put itself
ont Of TIC way 10 AID the English law.
There was no one, save myself, who coull
positively swear tnat Sir Mervyn terrani
had been Eiilei bv Philippa.
learned thpt Spain was then, even as it
is now, the land safest against En"liSh law
Perhaps the reason IS that tho grave yet at
times hot-biooiel Spaniard reci;ons human
life at n lower value than Upta uur;hrrly
nations. Any way, it was 10 SPAN that
turned my eyes; Spain that resolved to
reach without IN hours unanforcai delay.
The very next day broacned til" subject
of foreign travel to my mother Although
go shor time mad pass Il since they first
met / was Oyor ilyel 30 see the terms upon
which She aud Pnilippa stool. The girl
seemed go cling to her as To n natural pro-
tector--s2onei ready to install her in the
place Of tie mother she had lost. After all,
the love of her own sex is Indispensable to n
woman'S Happiness. 1t did my heart good
to Sec the two together. Philppa talkel to
my mother rs she had never talked to me;
and | knew that when the day came upon
which ! should ask for the orly reward
wanted, my mothers kindness to the for
saken and shame STRICKEN CIR would he an
advocate that pleaded strongly IN favor OF
my suit.
But could it ever bei Could wo know
happiness in The face of that dark night
work' Al ne! my heart sank rs thought
that any dey might bring the crushing
blow, 1t there be no delay. Let me not
blame myself hereafter for any negligence
or falls, security. Let US away from tn
peril
Mother" snil, twill you Gene abroad
with PaiiipIn and met"
"Ahryad, BASIL have only just CONF
horne"
"No matter; come with us at oncn. let
us 90 to some place whore there D, warmth
and BRIGHT sunshine. Lotus g., e. Suain.n
"Sia u! g ny SIain' bc-dc,, surely Phil
ippa . ii for a long journey"
at vii d5 ncr good her r'rpiiections o
this country are but sad onss,"
81 IA. I 1,y.,,