Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-09-09
What sacrifice are you going TO pro.

| pose 10 meF
II am going to ask you to wait three
Jays for the information that will save
her,"
''That will be the day before the ex-
ecution."
He shuddered, and after slight
| pause said
You cannot save her without my
information, and l will not give it to
YOU unless you swear to me to wait. :"
''You must explain yourself little
more clearly" l replied.
II intend to- have 1t in my power
to prove Marian Elliott's innocence. j
know who murdered her husband"
You do?" L exclaimed. "And yet
you have all this time withhe d the In
formationl Great heavens, have you
no humanity In you that you could let
that poor creature suffer so muchp Who
is the mTffderer?'
That" he answered 'you cannot
know for three days. At the end of
that time, If you call at the address
shall give you, you will receive packet
addressed to you. In that everything
you wish to know will be fully explain
ed
"why cannot you give it to me at
once?" --..- .-
because l intend 10 be out of Eng
land before you get it."
"But suppose prevent you from go
ing out of England2' said.
"rhat will be fatal to you and do
me no harm. Without my testimony
you are helpless; and l swear you shall
never get it il you try force. Give me
your oath to wait three days, and l in
return will give you mine that l will
enable you to save her,"
II Will take the oath, " said.
You will never repent having trus-
ted me-" he returned.
The appointed morning came at last.
At ten O'Clock was at the address
Vaughan had given me, and couple
of hours afterwards L was back in my
own room, the fateful packet in my
| hand.
With the painful delIberation of one
who hopes for good tidings but yet fears
evil, broke the seal. Inside the packet
were several pages of writing, 1 un-
fold them and read as follows
"Some years ago my cousin married
a most beautiful girl. He was fool.
and could not appreciate her. did,
and loved her with all my soul. Ny
cousin was coarse minded brute, his
wife was proud, independent, and pure.
Such women have been known, in the
first horror at discovering the natures
of their husbands to rush into wild ex-
cesses. thought Marian would do
the same. was mistaken in her. The
admiration she excited made her indlg
nant. She is the only woman l have
ever met without the least touch of the
cOquette about her. think she de-
tested me, if possible, more than her
husband, and yet | would have done
anything for her. For years | was her
world understand my devotion and re-
pay it. -. ....a....
THAT hope was dispelled for ever
only on the day of the trial. Had she
looked humble IN ber sore afflictlon,
had she turned to me for one moment
with gentleness, would have given
my evidence very differently. l held
her life In my hand, and she looked at
me with as much scOrn as though our
positions were reversed. would not
save her then.
Still never meant that she
should die. have waited TIL the last
moment in the hope that a reprieve
might be granted, tnat her punishment
might be mitigated. But to-day know
the last effort in her behalf has failed.
| must now save her myself.
1.-The blow which I'D the earth of a
villain was not struck by Marian Elliot
it was struck by me. You are in pos
session of the history of that last quar-
rel. Marian's story is perfectly true.
She never returned to the room, never
again saw her husband. But did.
had been unable to come to dinner; but
later on in the evening l walked over
TO Eiliot's house. No one was about,
and, having a latch-key, let myself in
and entered the dining-room without
meeting a soul. Elliot was still at the
table.
"'There you arei' he said. "Why
the deuce didn't you come before?"
4 couldn't manage it, 1 returned.
W mere your WlIe!
''He sw0re fearfully as l asked the
question.
. "'I don't know, and / don't care.
She's fiend, tnat woman. DO you
know she actually threatened to MUIR
der me before she left the roomP'
Serve you right If size does some
day. 1 replied. WHAT have you been
doing to her now? l-a- ~
81 tried to give her piece of my
mind with that horse whip, and she
picked up the knife you see lying there,
and swore to put 1t into me-
"'Do you mean you struck her?'
eyes, gave her one cut
"'You Internal cowardr
"'Tom, won't stand that language
from you'll
"'You'll have TO stand it. mean TO
tell you what | think of you. You are
fool, a bully, and a cowardl'
"Elliott rose and aimed blow at
me. | parrled it, and the next moment
we were struggling together. At last
| got him down, and, as he lay there, l
saw the knife. In another instant |
seized it, and struck once with it. / did
not need TO repeat my blow.
"Murderers, we are told, feel remorse
at the sight of their victims. felt
none, All thought was that 1 had
set Marian free.
''UnObserved as | had entered it
left the house and returned to my own.
thought good deal of Marian. l
wondered bow she would be affected by
my act. 1t never for moment struck
me that she would be charged with
the murder.
when heard the terrible news, I was
almost ready to declare myselfthe MUIR
derer. But Ihesitsted; could not believe
that one wholly inn ,cent could be con-
demned. thought they would spare
her because of her youth and beauty.
And life was dear to me; could not
forfeit it unless no other way remained
TO save her.
"At the worst thought she would
get imprisonment for few years; and
when She was set free / would 90 to
her, tell her of my love, and ask for
hers.
"But fate has ordered otherwise. It
can never be my privilege to make Ma
risn amends for the past. All that lies
in my power I have now done. The
rest depends on YOU"