, 1885-01-01
XVI.
"wHERE ARE THE SHOWS THAT FELL LAs1
YEARf'

writing this story, | have manS tipihs re-
gretted that am nothing more than q plain
narrator Of facts and Incidents, not q master
OF fiction. 1 think | have not felt the regret
so strongly rs ut the moment when I begin
this chapter. The sombre acts Of the life
drama in which Philippe and l played parts
30 painful, 80 full OF grief, and even II
Frightened by a ray of joy, of Joy falla-
cious and OF uncertain tenure-thsse acts l
have found little difficulty In describing; /
had simply to throw my mind back to the
pictures of the past and reproduce them in
words The task, whether well or i'll done,
was not a hard one.
But now, when in ono mopent and as IL
by magic, everything changed; whom sorrow
seemed to be simply swept out OF our lives;
when that poor wretch's abjsot confession
of guilt, forced from him in some mysterious
way, not only left our whole future bright
and ~cloudless, but consigned to rest all the
ghosts OF the past, whose shadowy forms
had hitherto logged our steps and denied US
the happiness rightly due to those who love
as we loved; now | feel my shortcomings
acutely, and wish my pen was more power
full than 1t "a. r
And yet a word will describe the state Of
my own mine as, when tKS last solemn
words were spoken by the judge-spoken In
a voice which showed emotion and distress
at being compelled 10 condemn a fellow
creature to death-I carried my f~ainting
wife from the crowded, resking court. The
momentary sense OF rapture passed away
bewildarment, sheer bewilderment, is the
word for what was loft l could not think.
All my reasoning faculties had left me. In
fact, l believe that had Philippa not swooned,
and so needed my mechanically given care,
l myself should have fallen senseless on that
threshold which an hour before we crossed,
thinking we were going to endless misery.
remembor this much. As laid Phil
ippa ON one OF the hard wooden benches in
tho stone corridor kept repeating to my
self, Innocent, my love is innocent; that
man Is guilty" | suppose this continual TO
Iteration was an endeavor 30 impress the
tremendous fact upon my brain, which for
n time was incrodulous, and refused to en-
tartain it.
threw up my wife's veil and bathsd her
face with water, which was brought mo by
a kindly policeman. Presently her eyes
opened and CONSEQUENCES returned; she
strove to speak.
My presence OF mind was fast returning.
Dearest" l Whispered, -'as y6uJdve, me not
a word in this place. In a minute we will
leave it,"
She was obedient; but l knew from the
wild look Of joy in her eyes that obedience
taskod hor to the utmost. She was soon able
to rise, and then we walked from the court.
pushed our way through tho crowd who
waited in the street busily discussing the
sudden termination to the trial. threw our
selves into a cab and in another moment
were alternately weeping and laughing in
each Others arms.
1t was. however, but for a moment The
inn to which we drove was close at hand.
There we were shown into n room, and were
Mt last free to give the fullest vent to our
pent up feelings.
lt would be absurd for me to attempt to
reproduce our words, our disjointed exclama-
lions. 1t would be sacrilege for me to de-
scribe the tears that we shed, the embraces,
the loving caresses we lavished on each
other. Think of US An hour, one short hour
agol Think of US nowi This curse laid
upon us by that awful night removed for
everl Our secret kept, or secrecy. II still
advisable, no longer absolutely needful.
Philippa, In spite Of all | had seen, In spite
OF all she had told me on hat night when |
found hor, n wild, distracted woman, in a
storm the widest that years lave known.
~guiltless Of hor husbands DEATH Innocent,
not only as she had in my eyes always been,
but also, what was far more, innocent In her
own eyssi
Small wonder that for nearly an hour we
sat with our arms twined around each other.
and used few words which were more than
rapturous EXPLANATIONS Of love and joy.
Therei l cannot, will not describe the
scene more fully. / will say no more, ex.
cept this; when at last we grew calmer,
Philippa turned to me, and once more 1 saw
terror gathering in her, eyes,
Basil, " she said, sis It trus-it must DO
truer'
''Truel Of course It is.n
THAT man, the prisoner. could not have
pleaded guilty when he was ihnoceptn
why should he'll 1t meant deathfto him,
poor wretch
but why did he oonfessTr
who can telli Romorse may havs urged
him to do So"
Philippe rose and her next words were
spoken quickly and with excitement.
mo, l did not do it The thought, the
dream haunted me, but / did not bdiove il
until heard these men talk OF the way be
died Then it all came back to me. The
mad storm, the dead man over whom l
stood; even then l don't think l actually
believed it. 1t was when you told me how
you found me that l lost all hope"
Dearest, forgive me. 1 should nave be-
lieved in the imposibility Of the act oven IN
your delirium, even II l had seen IL d one.
Philippe, say you forgive me-"
She threw her arms around me. Basil.
my husband" she whispered, you have
done much for me, do one thing more; find
out the whole truth-hnd out why this man
killed him, how he killed him; End out.
satisfy mo that his confession was a true
one: then, Basil, such happiness as l have
nsvor even dreamed OF will be miner
And miner' l echoed.
promised to do as she wished. Indeed.
the moment | had recovered my senses l re.
solved to learn everything that could be
learned. once and for all l would clear
away every cloud OF doubt, although thai
cloud might be no bigger than a mans
hand.
But Philippa must not stop In Tewnham.
Her strange conduct during the trial, hei
~fainting fit after 1t. were bound to have at.
tracted the attention OF those present. Nc
doubt she was looked upon as a friend of the
prisoner, who was overpowered by the sud.
den and awful ending to the case. Still, she
must not stay at Tewnham.
We went to Londsn by an Afternoon train.
The next morning l again ran down to the
place at which the trial was held. learned
the name OF the convict's solicitor, and a,
soon as | found him at leisure requested the
favor OF an interview.
found him apparently a worthy, respec.
liable man, but Of a nature inclined to be
choleric. | told him ! called on him because
l was much Interested in the case Of the con.
Wet William Evans Mr.. Crisp, that was
his name, frowned and ndgoted about with
some papers which were in front Of him.