Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-02-27

! not believe that my stolid William would
| for moment jump at the right conclusion
| If he were led to suspect either of us. it
would be me, not Philippa; and well knew
| that he was so much attached to me that.
although he felt certain l had done the
| deed, he would feel equally certain that
had good and proper reasons for doing it,
and no word to my detriment would pass
his reticent lips. No, there was little to
| fear from William
| had blamed myself deeply for the i'm
| pulse which had urged me to hurl the fatal
weapon away. Why did I not keep it and
bury it fathoms deeps If that pistol were
! found it would possibly furnish a clew
which might be followed up, and undo
! everything. My only hope was that I had
thrown it in some spot where it might lie
for years undiscovered until all association
between it and the murder had disappeared.
To sum up briefly, was bound to decide
that the damnlng circumstantial evidence
which could be furnished by Mrs. Wilson
drove me back to my original idea. There
was no chance of my poor Philippa'S re-
naming unaccused or unsupported of the
deed she had unwittingly done: so her only
hope of safety-indeel, considering all,
may also say my only hope of safety-was
rapid flight We must gain some land in
which we could dwell without fear of being
arrested. What land was therea
Many a one The date of NV story is be-
fore 1873, when nearly all the extradition
treaties were made. At that time such
tres les existed with only two foreign coun-
tries France and the United States; so that
our choice of resting-place was not so linn
tied as those who areflying from tie clutches
of the law find it to-day. However, in order
20 rtojp 7 oil Sit to
friend of mine; and, by quoting supposti-
tious case, managed to acquire good deal
of information respecting the dealings of one
nation with another so far as fugitiveS wera
concerned
| I found that although, with the two ex-
| eeptions above named, there was no settled
| international law on the subject there was
| kind of unwritten substitute which
known by the name of the Comfy of Ma
| tions. Under this code of courtesy notori-
| GUS criminal, who had sought refuge in tho
arms of another country, was not uncom-
| monty although there was no law under
which he could be arrested, given up to his
pursuers, by being simply driven across the
| frontier of the country in which he had hoped
| to find security. However, I gathered thai
this so-called comfy was scarcely expected
| to be exercised by the most friendly state,
unless the fugitive had fled almost red
handed, and so placed his guilt hey ond doubt.
| No one exactly knew how far this obiging
| expulsion might be counted upon. 1t was
generally supposed to be decided by the
amount of influence or persuasion which one
| government exercised on the other.
| This information rather upset my precon-
| ceived idea as to the ease with which safety
| might be obtained; but reflection told me l
had little to fear. The case against Philippe
! could be nothing more than one of sus-
| picion. No one, not even / myself, had seen
| the deed done. A warrant would, no
| doubt, be issued for her arrest; but il our
| fight precluded its execution did not be-
| lieve that any government would put itself
out of the way to aid the English law.
| There was no one, save myself, who could
| positively swear that Sir Meryyn Ferrand
| had been killed by Philippe.
Learned that Spain was then, even as it
| Is now, the land safest against English law
| Perhaps the reason is that the grave yet at
| times hot-blooded Spaniard reckons human
| life at lower value than more northerly
| nations Any way, it was to Spain that
turned my eyes; Spain that resolved to
reach without an hours unenforced delay
| The very next day l preached the subject
| of foreign travel to my mother. Although
80 short a time had passed since they first
met I was overjoyed to see the terms upon
which she and Philippe stood. The girl
seemed to cling to her as to natural pro-
| tector-seemed ready to install her in the
place of the mother she had lost. After all,
the love of her own sex is Indispensable to
woman's Happiness. 1t did my heart good
to see the two together Philippe talked to
my mother as she had never talked to me;
and 1 knew that when the day came upon
which I should ask for the only reward l
| wanted, my mothers kindness to the for
| saken and shame stricken girl would be an
advocate that pleaded strongly in favor of
my suit
| But could it ever be? Could we know
happiness in the face of that dark nights
work? All me! my heart sank as thought
that any day might bring the crushing
blow Let there be no delay. Let me not
blame myself hereafter for any negligence
! or false security. Let us away from tn,
peril.
Mother" I said twill you come abroad
with Philippa and me?'
| "Abrood, Basil! have only just come
home"
''No matter; come with us at once. LIT
| us go to some place where there is warmth
and bright sunshine. Let us go to Spain"
| 'fSpain! why Spain! Besides surely Phil
at will do her good Her recollections of
sthis country are but sad ones"
We'll, in week or two I will see about
IT,
| INC, at once. Let us start tomorrow or
| the next day. Mother, I ask it as a favor
''Give me some good reason, Basil, and
| will do as you wish"
s'Look at me, and you will see the reason.
| Cannot you see that l am i'll, worn out,
nervous2 l must have change, and at
once"
| She gazed at me with solicitude eyes, I
know you are not well; but why Spainl'
GA Wilma sick mans fancy. Perhaps
because it is Phlippa's fathers country put
| 1t into my head. Mother, tell me, how do
you like herg'
'She is the woman you love; she is very
beautiful; she has been cruelty treated; she
is blameless; to say more after so short az
acquaintance would be exaggeration"
'Y on will come to Spain with me-with
herso
She kissed me and gave into my whim.
Then sought Philippe.
'My mother is going to take us abroad"
said, with a smile which was forced, as all my
smiles now were. '.Shs will see to every
thing for you"
''She is kind-she is sweet" said Philippe,
clasping her hands. "Basil, am beginning
to worship your mother. But why are we
going abroads"
'To get away from sad thoughts, for one
thing; for another, because feel ILL.,"
She gave me quick look of apprehension
| which brought the flush to my cheek ooh,
let us go at once!" she cried. ''Let us leave
this land of ice and 1 will nurse you and
make you well. Where are we goinga
When are we going2'
''To Spain-to-morrow or the next day.n
She looked at me with the troubled gaze
which had so often noticed. "Basil,n she
said, 'you are doing this for my sake"
And my own, fear"
4 threw away your love-I spoiled your
life. came to you shamed woman You
saved me! You did not scorn me. You
brought me to your mothers arms Basil,
may God requite you; never CAM
She burst into tears, and left the room
hastily.
1t was we'll settled the matter of tha for
elgn Journey Then. That afternoon the
wind CHANGED and tbou, =.