The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-07-02

q shorter cut through tue Trees 70 1RvOrite
walk of his, up the hill Lucky he did,
for, stupidity enough, I had left the gun III
the path.
''the handkerchief has been found. Lady
Gladys remarks gravely.
"Ah !" Lord Heriot looks startled
++Quite close to the spot where they found
the body,
THAT could not be. most certainly did
not 20 back. threw it away among the
weeds beyond the stile-far in. Was it
noarked?"
at was"
Lord Heriot is silent for few moments,
staring into the fire. Then he goes on,
without looking up.
1.-The Telegram from Jones startled me !;
but half expected it, of course. Nothing
on earth would have induced me to attend
that inquest. did not know what might
come out. The anxiety of watching and
waiting for the papers with the account of
it completely knocked me up. I was sure
Hereward would tell all he knew. When I
did not make clean breast of it at once,
thought the only thing left was to hold my
tongue. Having moved the body, to hide it,
would tell so terribly against me. Even
when it was all over-as thought could
not bear to come home. The whole thing
weighed upon me like nightmare have
never been my own man since, and don't
think ever shall again.
His sister looks at him, at the shrunken
figure, at the hollow cheeks now burning
with hectic color. at the shaking hands.
SIT would have been so much better to
have come forward and told the truth ct
once" she says very coldly.
"Of course it would you needn't tell me
that But couldn't do it. was not able
to do it. I am quite nervous and low-I
don't know what has come over me-"
Very sadly, half contemporary. Lady
Gladys watches him.
''Vere, did you care for Anne Grace
Trathaway?"
81 think I did-a little. But she did not
care fig for me. I could see that. I be-
lieve she went on with me just to make North
Jealous. suppose it was feather in her
cap. She was terrible little firt."
'sDid North ever threaten you before, as
he said he did?
"Yes, once before He met me walking
with her one day, and VIC had fine scene.
He swore he would shoot me if he ever saw
me with her again.
"Why did you not send him away at once
after such speech
''She would not let me.
But why were you not at least on your
guard ?"
ooh, 1 didn't believe the fellow would
put his threat into execution! And the girl
only laughed ct him, and told me not to
mind, that he was jealous if she so much as
spoke to any one but himself"
"Did she know what happened that day in
the wood ?"
"She must have suspected it, knowing we
met in the path. She did not tell, because,
suppose, she blamed herself for it as much
as me- 1t was entirely her fault. She knew
the kind of fellow that gypsy was, and she
ought not to have vexed him by encouraging
me-"
"Did she tell you she had been warned
about that ?"
'No, she did not. Old Jones, suppose?
could see that he was in terrible fdget.
What was it to him if did bring the girl
home to Kingscourt ?"
Lady Gladys shivers coldly in her turn.
"vere," she says, quietly, '.you will make
all this known at once ?" Lord Heriot is ST.
lent, looking into the fire. eff you do not,
most assuredly shall"
He quails and shrinks before her angry
eyes, and mutters vaguely
SuppOS0 L SQhi1 Dc 1OTCoU 1ULO
Nothing can be done to you. You are
safe."
~ suppose so. did it in self-defence.
The fellow came there determined to put
bullet into me. But It is an awfully un-
pleasant business wish had never got
myself in for it.
''You will go to the proper authorities to-
morrow and tell them what you have just
told me ?"
"You are in great hurry !"-he looks up
OF her suspiciously.
81 am indeed"
"You don't think of met" whines Lord
Heriot. "You don't pity me for all I've gone
through!"
She looks at him with scorn, contempt,
pity, in her eyes. He is SO unstable, SO
mean, so weak She is ashamed of him, and
yet she pities him profoundly
"You will feel better when you have told all
the truth, she tells him gravely. ut is not
so bad, after all. If You knew my sufferirgs
shed this mans blood Try to eat some
thing now, and then go to bed. You will
feel stronger in the morning."
II don't think shall ever be the same rs
was before this business" he answers, rub
bling his thin hands before the blaze. The
wind has died down to sobbing murmur,
the rain falls steadily, the clock strikes three,
"You need not be frightened any more.
We shall take care that no harm comes Ia
you. But you must make all known to-luor-
row."
Lord Heriot, seeingno loophole for escape,
is fain to promise that he will do so. And
she leaves him.