Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-02-27
CHAPTER v.
A HITE NIB,

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From the moment when the true state of
Philippa's mind flashed upon me, to the mo-
ment when 1 left her sleeping that heavy
sleep, had little time to think OF anything
else than the best means Of saving her life,
and, if possible, her reason. True, through
out the whole of my operations to effect this
end, dim sort of horror pervaded me-a
recollection of the CHASTITY object which lay
on the roadside, some three miles rom us:
but it was not until turned from my pa
TENTS door that the terrible situation in
which she was placed presented itself to me
in all its dread entirety. Half broken
hearted, l threw myself YEARLY into my
chair, and covered my face with my hands,
What was to be done? What was to be
done? Tomorrow morning the body would
be found. l felt certain that when inquiry
was made suspicion would at once point to-
ward Philippa. Mrs. Wilson knew of her
starting from home in the evening, alone
and on foot. She knew, moreover, that Sir
Mervyn Ferrand was her husband; that he
had ill used her. She would most certainly
know to whom Philippe had fed 1t did
not follow that because l was ignorant as to
who were my neighbors they knew nothing
about me. Att any rate, William, my man,
would know the truth. So far as l could
see, tomorrow, or by the latest, the next
day Philippa would be arrested for the
crime. Most probably should also be in
cluded in the arrest For that seemed to
care nothing; except that it might hinder
me from helping my poor girl
Any hope of removing Philippa-there,
put it in plain words-any hope of fight,
for DAYS. even weeks. was vain. LET
thing go as well as can be IN SUCH cases, tn
girl must be kept in seclusion and quiet for
at least a fortnight or three weeks lgroaned
as thought of what would happen if Phil
ippa was arrested and carried before the
magistrates accused of the awful crime.
From that moment until tine day of her
death she would be insane
Yet, what help was there for it2 The mo-
ment the deed is known-the moment Mrs
Wilson learns that Sir Mervyn Ferrand has
been found shot through the heart, she will
let it be known that Lady Ferrand is at
hand; and Lady Ferran1, who has been
passing under the name of Mrs Farmer, will
be sought and found. And then-and then!
Even if she dill not die at once-even if
she recovered-oh, the shame of the trial!
No jury could orwoufd convict her; but for
Philippe, my queen, to stand in the dock,
to plead for her life To know that,
"HOeLOi SoHf lCVcu VI dCuultUod, tiiO "OOo
was done by her. To know that all Eng
land is talkingof her wrongs and her venge-
ance. Horrible! Horrible! 1t shall never
be. Rather will l give her draught of
opium heavy enough to close her eyes for
ever. There will be plenty more Of the
drug left for me!
Fool that I wasl Why did 1 do things
by halvess Why, for her sake did /
not hide the dead man where mono would
find hima Why did not rifle his pockets,
SO that suspicion should have pointed to
vulgar murderer-some one who had killed
him for mere plundera Why did not, at
least, destroy any letters or papers which
were about him? Identification might then
have been rendered difficult, and perhaps
been delayed for weeks. In that time l
might have saved her.
Why do not do this MOVIE l started to
my feet: then sank back into nv chair.