The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-11-18
CHAPTER XIV.
A RIFT IN THE CLOUDS

Two days elapsed before I was allowed to
SEQ Daisy after her condemnation Even
then should hardly have been permitted tc
have an interview with her but for certain
powerful Influences, which had been brought
to bear on her behalf. Immediately after
pro,:ouncir:g sentence Of death the judge had
sent for Belmore, and had told him that he
was by no means satisfied with the case Us 1t
stood, and that he had q strong conviction
that tho whole truth had not yet been
learned. He found that Belmoro entirely
shared his views, and from him he heard OF
me and of the efforts which was making to
procure proof of my derling's innocence. IL
was the good judge who smoothed tho way
for me with the prison authorities and who
made it possible for ME to have free commu-
nication with Daisy in her cell.
But it must not bc supposed that we-for
Harding had formally devoted himself 70
my service in the task in which l was OH
gaged-wcre idle during the two days or
waiting before I was admitted to an inter-
view with Daisy. Idle! how could we DO
idlel 1t was now the 9Th of December, and
I had already been warned that tho day on
which the martyrdom of my darling was tc
DO carried cut was the 2Sth Of tho same
month. But three weeks were given to us,
therefore, in which to establish her inno'
cence. Even Harding-good, kind, never
to-be-forgotten frend-doclared that neither
for food nor for sleep must one moment OF
that precious time be wasted unnecessarily.
What, then, think you, was my frame OF
ninda
Within few hours Of tho passing OF tho
sentence Harding was in London, where no
secured the services Of tho most eminent pri-
vate detective Of the day. The special mis-
sion Of this man was to find Grogson. My
work on that dark day on which tho trial
ended was of different kind. Putting all
remembrance Of tha last few weeks aside, L
went to Branksome and Fosdyke and ap-
pcaled to them to assist me in tho task had
undertaken
n 'anksome was just tho same as he
had been. Yes, bitterly reilectel, he
was Just the same; us easy, cool, pleasant in
his manner, now whcn Daisy was lying
under sentence of doath, rs he had been on
that first morning Of my acquaintance with
him, when he did the honors of the yacht
Cor tor. and for me. I could not bear the
thought of this. cynical scl:ishness mad
been angry against him when l first knew
that he believed Daisy to be guilty. Now
,iespised him for his heartlessness and would
willingly have turned my back upon him for
ever, if it had not been that I felt he might
clve me help in tho work of saving my
darling
But very soon found that this was not to
be. I again told him my conviction that
Flintor was the real instigator Of Mr.. Mall
leyercr's murder, and repeated the reasons
which led mo to think so. 1t was the first
time that Fosdyke had hoard the story OF
my finding the book on forensic Medicine'
on board tho yacht, and OF tho way in which
it opened at tie pages dealing with poison
ing by strychnia. l thought he seemed
startled by my statement 1t had no effect
upon Branksome, however.
II see what you wish mo to do, Fenton.
You are anxious that should find victim
for the gallowa in tho place CT poor Daisy,
and you suggest Fllnter for tho purpose
aAnd is that the way in which you speak
of the girl whom you have known since she
left her mothers arms, and whom you pro-
fess to love2' I cried, in my indignation.
"Dr. Branksome, if anyone had asked me
what I thought of you few weeks ago, |
should have said you were one of the noblest
and truest men on the face of tho carth; but
if anyone were to put tho question TO me
now, l should be forced 10 tell him that /
had found you to bo false as O friend, and
mean and heartless as man-one who call
sit here in the full enjoyment OF every lux
ury"-I had found the two at dinner-"when
the child who hns looked up to him as a
father is lying In tho condemned cell! Aye,
and who can even answer tho prayer that
ho would join in the attempt to save her
from her doom, with cold snccr"
He heard mo without moving muscle OF
his face, and when he replicl he spoke in
his usual voice. 1t was just as pleasant and
cuuable in its tones Us it had ever been.
81 wish you success and Godspeed with all
nv heart Mr.. Fenton; and Tor the sake OF
Daisy l forgive your injustice towards my
self. But tell you this, sir, plainly: | have
been Convinced Of her guilt b. the c"idcncs
laid before the court; and while | am willing
10 join you in making every effort to obtain
for her the mercy Of the crowll-Hny, Mr.
Fosdyke will tell you that am already talk
ing steps for that purposc-l am not pre-
pared TO try to save her, wEom L believe to
bs guilty, by throwing her sin upon another
whom know to be innocent.
What could do in appealing to mar
whose very cruelty vas founded uron l5
love of what wns rights could not answer
his logic, and saw thut it would Lo useless
to uphraid him. Bat IA my heart hat"''
and desp:s-d him.
3Then," said at last, seeing that no help
could be hoped for here Il shall act for mJ'-
SELF and il have to spend every fnrthnS |
have in the world and TO devote every LAY
that remains to HE OF life to the task, you
may depend upon it That l shall yet con
found you all by proving her innocence"
or my interview with Daisy, when Mt last
was admitted to her in tho condemned Gel!
at the old Castle, l shall say nothing that
does not bear directly upon tn, subsequent
events. She WIS chuilsei greatly when 81 "
her; but she declared that was far more Sc
riously altered than she wns. And probably
she was right; for ! hal nothing OF that
noble courage and resignation which hac
borne her up through MI this time OF agony.
But dared not spend the precious minutes
in lovers talk. had other work to do for
bor snke