The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-10-20
CHAPTER XVII

Early on the day following that on which
Bielski had informed us OF his extraordinary
discovery, my good friend Harding found
himself at Whitehall in the room OF the
permanent under secretary Of the home de-
partment Belmore was with him, and they
had already drawn up u brief statement of
the facts which ha been discovered with
regard to the mur,ler of Mr. Mauleverer
and the actul position of Daisy. One by
one Mr. Behmore aced th Sc facts before
the great official, and showed, not merely
how the strong evidence which had been
brought against my daring at the trial had
been neutralized by subsequent discoveries,
bat how there was now positive testimony -
testimony or an extraordinary kind, indeed,
but still tes imony which was conclusive
with regard to the actual criminal and his
real accomplices, for whose arrest warrants
had been issued.
The under secretary listened with patience
and attention, and then armed with the docu.
ments which they handed to him, he went to
the apartment of the secretary of state A
few minutes later they stood in the presence
of the minister himself
a hgv. been deeply interested in this case,
Mr.. Belmore, and very much troubled by it.
1t was so difficult to believe that young
girl could have been guilty of crime of
this sort. And yet he evidence was ap-
parentiy complete, and unfortunately have
too much reason to knew that we can never
trust absolutely to antecedent improbable
ties in cases of this kind"
But now, sir, think you will admit that
the evidence is clear a. far as it goes, and
that it establishes lie innocence of this
young lady"
al must see the judge first in the matter"
replied he minister, cautiously.
"And may venture to ask" interposed
Harding that you will act as soon as you
possibly can, sir2 need not point out TO
you The cruel positioi of this young lady at
the present nom Mt, or of those to whom she
is dear"
HMy dear sir, shall act at once; In such
a case delay would be nexcusable. But you
must forgive me if l withhold my own
opinion until have ascertained that of the
Judge"
Half an hour later received the telegram
for which was waiting with breathless i'm
patience at York. Alas! did not announces,
as | had hoped might bs the case, the i'm
mediate discharge Of my darling Patiencei
patiencel
But a nightfall the glad news came.
Secretary of state viii advise queen to grant
free pardon Formalites can be completed
tomorrow"
And the next day / was at the castle by
daybreak, waiting to be admitted to the
governors room l was too soon, Of course
Even when officialism acts with unwonted
speed, It cannot eutstrip the impatience of
lover It was now the 18th of December.
~,
us Twelve days had elapsed since lad
heard the shameful doom pronounced upon
my beautiful darling-the woman whom
had chosen out of all the world as worthiest
and best aye and who had chosen me, all
unworthy as l was-to keep that tender
heart Of hers-the purest and truest that
ever beat in human bosom.
Only twelve days since that awful scene
when Daisy and had seemed to stand to-
gsther within the very jaws of deathl l
could not believe it Half of my entire life
| appeared to have been expended in the
varie1 emotions through which had passed
since then. The officials of the prison were
long, long in coming. ! walked to and fro
impatiently / declare this waiting now
was harder even than had been that waiting
for the verdict, when my darling's fate
history of those eventful four months which
had passed sincs first saw her in her peer
4 less beauty, and the full flush of health and
strength, in the railway station of this very
city; and while I rejoiced more than ever at
tn blessing which had been bestowed upon
me in her love, my heart cried out to heaven
| for pardon for all those errors which
| in my recklessness and blindness !
had committed, and from which size had
suffered All, il it could but have come over
again, how differently / should have acted,
and with what loving care l should have
shielded her even against that internal net
| work of lies which had been woven so cum
ningly about heri So thought, as | looked
| back upon it all; and so, possibly, it might
have been if that strange drama could have
been re-enacted. But who can tella Even
now, when fully recognize the blunders OF
which / was guilty, the folly, the lindness,
the stubbornness displayed in my dealings
with Mauleverer and his friends / some
times ask myself whether my blunders may
not have been more useful than my pru-
dence would have been
But what is that soundl The door opens,
and turn to greet the governor with the
longed-for news. No; the governor Is not
| there 1t is my darling herself who stands
before me, pale as a statue of marble, worn
and wasted by the strain of an agony which
might have brought evena strong man to the
grave, but with ali the light Of life and love
shining upon me from her star-lit eyes
4