New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-05
XVII.


XVII.
Presently the detective raised his head. lie
took Mr. Dorian's arm again The three disap-
reared round the bend of the shore. 1t was Their
homcward road They were going back to the
village-and thence Of course. to the train
took out my watch II was halfrast eleven
o'clock | knew that no train went to New
York till fifteen minutes raSt twelve. They must
wait at the station But what mattered that
They had come: they had confronted me; ucy
had searched the shore: they had chatted ana
| questioned in the village But nothing had come
of it, Foul<e Dorian had taken an evening TRAIN
hither and had alghted from it unnotlced' as
hundreds of reope do in the dusk at railway sta-
lions like ours. The boys evidence weighed
nothinr. NV dcmeanor had been perfect sus-
nicion had brought Steven Dorian TO this spot
and that suspicion had ended in vaior NO real
clue existed The body lay far down between
the stone lis Of that crevice. where Casmlr had
dropped it, 1 was safe.
Safe at last
| 1t had all raised more quickly than had ex-
pectcd The achins uncertainty was at an END
A huge gap in the evidence existed. Steven
! Dorian had come here with forlon hope De
tective science had exha sted itself; he had re-
membercd his sons discovery Of my real birth
he had connected that discovery with some posi-
bic fierce feud But my magnificent tranquility
had crushed his last doubt. l was safe.
Safe
drew long breath of infinite relief | sank
down upon a fiat, jutting rock. and smiled to my
own thoughts as they fell like balm upon my
wearicd overtaxed brain To be safe-who'ly
safe how exqnisitcly comforting Casimir had
done his work well--my Casimdr, my stanch, de-
| voted friend
Nothing could harm me now. l had erred ter
oil Mons oul1
never know. Only Casimir would know. and his
flchty was more loyal in its per
mancncc than the sky l looked at,
the earth | rested on Ada would never know
We would marry children would be born to
| would use every talent to win distinction the
grace of being loved by my kind should be added
TO the grace Of being respected. honored. revered
by them All would he well-all except that one
black blot on my conscience. But the years
would help to cleanse and even whiten that.
Why not? In time i might sleep lightly. dream
pleaSulably.
| was safe
| 1t was lost clue. He had come here, but no
one had really seen him come. Was it Gods
work? | had been wont, in the old Zurich
DAYS to think ana speak Of God with certain
scientific GOODNESS Ought to do so hereafter
What combination of circumstances had sa cd me
|
| blind fate ? And l tcas saved. 1t was all ended
| now.
What could discover and convict me? NO
mower of man The detectives had tried every
| method every resource The coming OF Steven
! Dorian in his wretchedly feeble con Iitlon, was
of itself convincing proof. The father OF the
| missing man had used his last chance, and this
| had failed Let him tell the world that L was
the son of Leopold Clauss What did l care
| How slight the publicity Of this fact seemed now
| that | had evaded the darker publicity of arrest
and arraignmcnt? Let him tell it If he chose
| Ada would still cling TO me and marry me- Tier
! affection had been shown me by new lur1d heht'
but with force that made its deepest springs Of
| impulse plain :,
| must have bowed my head while sitting there
on the shore thinking these happy thoughts-sli-
| premely happy by contrast with the Gethsemane
| Of pain that / recently endured-when some
| thing seemed 10 touch my shoulder too over
joyed TO notice the light contact. The touch was
| light o leaf. and If leaf, then nature and
were reconcied again, for escape at this golden
| moment meant pardon and pardon meant O re-
vivifed sense In all that was beautiful on earth
| But the touch grew heavier. i raised my
head Casmir stood beside me. l sprang TO my
| feet I flune my arms about my friends neck
| "Casmir" | exclaimed. "it Is all over. / am
saved T.
lie had not returned my embrace. now no
ticed that his face was deathy white and that his
eyes were glitterins strangely.
Saved" he repeated - Howp"
| I spoke many swift words 10 him told him
| all that had lately passed lie listened, seemed
| to listen with intentness.
| you see," l finished "this misery OF sus-
pense is over To-day ends it you know why;
have told YOU"
."Yes, you have told me-" he repeated