The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-10-03
CHAPTER LII.
DOUBTFUL EVIDENCE.

Two days of suspense passed away; of
suspense so cruel that Nora Stewart some
times wished that this question had never
been mooted; that she had remained Bid
dulph's friend, without the fond hopes
and bitter doubts which now so constantly
beset her heart. and Biddulph too,
looked pale and anxious. He had seen
Jock Fraser on the matter, and honest
Jock had declared he could not under
stand it. DR.. Alexander remained firm,
and declined to have anything to do with
it. and the two to whom it meant so
much spoke of it with clasped hands and
bated breath.
at is more than life to me, l think, {"
Biddulph said, and Nora could only an
swer with a sigh.
At last the hour came when the mo-
mentous declaration was to be made, and
at Nora's earnest request Jock Fraser had
consented to be present. Biddulph was
standing near Nora when the household
rang, and Jock came in and silently shook
Nora's hand looking at her very kindly as
he did so. Then again the dOor-bell rang
and this time two strangers were ushered
into the drawing-room by Aired and as
the eyes of the three already assembled
there fell on the face OF the man who had
come to confirm the woman's story, they
all felt at once that they were looking at a
most dubious witness.
He was middle-aged, dark, and foreign
looking, with longish, greasy, black hair,
parted so as to endeavor 10 conceal that
he was growing bald; but it was the ex-
preston OF his black eyes that filed the
gazers' hearts with doubt
They were bold, bad, and crafty; he had
an evil face, in fact, on which the impress
OF an ill-spent life had left its dusky
shadows. He bowed profoundly as he en-
tered the room, gave one quick glance at
each of the three standing before him,
and then dropped his eyes, and stood, hat
in hand, waiting for Madame to begin the
conversation.
This she did with even more than her
usual volubility.
'This is my friend" she said, waving
her red sunshade in the dubious looking
mans direction, Mr.. or il you like il bet
ter, Monsieur Dobree. This gentleman
has known me more years than j like to
mention; since my early girlhood, in fact,
when poor josephine mean, poor
Natalie-and I-were-were children"
She tripped and faltered in her speech
after she had said the word Josephine,
but tried to recover herself; but Nora.
listening, clasped her hands together, and
stood with parted lips and a sinking
heart.
"And he is ready to prove" went on
the woman rapidly, that l am not the
wife of this gentleman" and she pointed
her sunshade at Biddulph. ''This gentle
man married my sister. You are ready to
swear this, Dobree"
Perfectly ready, madame" answered
Dobree, with bow and quick warning
glance at the woman's face, who looked
excited and strange. II have the honor"
he continued, speaking IN slightly for
eign accent, "of knowing this lady and
/ her twin sister, Natalie" (he pronounced
the name with marked emphasis) ''since
their interesting infancy" and he again
bowed.
"And who did this lady marry?" asked
Biddulph, in a cold, inquiring tone.
Monsieur Dobree shrugged his shout
ders, and raised his hands with gesture
of regret.
at was misfortune" he said, "this
lady's marriage. Her first marriage was
an unhappy one; her second" and he
smiled, 81 hope will be otherwise"
"What was his name ?" asked Biddulph,
sternly.
ut was Monsieur Whitaler-one Of