The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-06-30

nv might, and We knows the rest Miss
Aunt | said on my return from walk
ing on the afternoon of that day, show can
we give witness against this unfortunate
young creaturel l would as soon suspect
myself. have seeE her."
''You, howe
ssOnly passing glimpse in close fly;
they were taking her to W Jail. But
the face | saw was terribly sad, with
scared look in it, and no wonder; but no
trace of violent passion or mean cruelty; it
was delicate, even beautiful young face,
very pure in outline, and very pale"
''She was apprehended little way from
the garden door of the bath house, you
say?"
eyes, looking 'dazed like the policeman
said,' l replied. 81 can understand his
using the expression now that l have seen
her,"
Nothing further occurred for about
week. when we received visit from
stranger. My aunt could hardly be per-
suaded to see him, SO certain did she feel
that his visit must be connected with this
disagreeable affair. For my own part was
anxious to hear any thing that would throw
light upon it. "If he isl said, 'he may
perhaps, see the uselessuess of mixing us
up in it. We had better see him"
We found clergyman, Mr.. Edward Hold
fast, chaplain of W Jail, a tall, thin man
with worn but kindly face.
''You have come, | hope" said my aunt,
''to set as free from the disagreeable and, |
may say absurd position in which we find
ourselves. will not answer for the conse-
| quence if ! am taken to a stuffy court and
made to say all sorts of things, when
| know nothing. My poor, dear husband
''Quite so, my dear madame said Mr..
| Holdfast; 1.-The evidence is most unsatisfac-
tory, and propose taking some steps which
may save-mind, l only say may save, in
the event of my experiment proving success
ful-al necessity for a public trial. Could
you make up your minds to being present at
a private examination Of the witnesses and
the prisoner, conducted on the scene of the
-the-at the bath ouse!" Without waiting
for the tremulous negative on my aunt's
lips, he continued, clean elicit nothing from
the prisoner, but she steadily repeats when
questioned, 4 know nothing of a French
woman and nothing Of a MURDER and once
she said: Send for my father and then
correcting herself hastily-'But no-itwould
kill him to find me herer So she refuses
her address. We have advertised. of course,
though she does not seem to see the neces-
sity of accounting for her presence in this
neighborhood."
"Then, interrupted my aunt, ''you think,
as we do, that it is impossible this poor
young lady can be really guilty"
But Rev. Edward Holdfast had not been
chaplain of Jail without learning how to
keep his own counsel
at is not tor me to pronounce any opin-
ion, but" he continued. 81 am sure neither
you nor your niece will refuse what assist
ancc you can render to a lady of delicate
nature like yourselves, who, if innocent,
should be spared the horrors of public
trial of this kind"
We secretly questioned the legality of Mr.
Holdfast's inquiry, still more so its efficacy
But not daring to entangle herself in argu-
ments of legal nature, my aunt wisely &C
guessed, and promised to appear on the fol
lowing day at the bath-house. This really
was very brave of her, all things considered,
but the appeal to her humanity had CON
quered, / thought. l could form no salts
factory conclusion as to Mr. Holdfast's in
tentions The idea of a suicide had been
fatty contradicted by medical evidence at
the Coroner's inquest; it had been clearly
proved impossible for such cash to have
been inflicted by the woman herself Per-
haps Mr.. Holdfast doubted this, and wanted
by examination of the place to prove the con-
trary; but this could certainly have been
done without our assistance. Did he wish
to watch tho effect of the terror of the place
on some other person he suspecteda There
was something very unpleasant in the
thought of assisting at such scene. Did
he hope that the prisoners unaccountable
silence might be broken, and that, face to
face with the scene, she would continue a
denial that could not but carry conviction
into the minds of those who would have to
witness against here But no, it was idle to
surmise; the determined restraint and 81
lence, beyond Just what he had chosen to
communicate. formed a complete barrier to
his intentions.
''She must be bailed out" said my aunt,
otherwise no one would allow her to appear
and who can have bailed her except the
chaplain himselff'
l timidly suggested it was hardly bail
ing matter.
HE seemed fearfully anxious for her
escape; did you see how his face worked
and twitched? He was nearly flying out at
me when he thought / wouldn't come. l
was too frightened to say no. that was the
fact; not frightened, Of course, but it is
awkward to have gentlemen getting into
RACES in ones own drawing room"
Don't talk nonsense, Ellice. It's nv i'm
preston, though you pretend he wasn't ex-
cited, that if he can't hit on plan of clear
ing that young woman he'll elope with her!
He has pretty woman in tragic circum-
stances on his hands, and he means to save
her somehow; what better method
eff he thinks her innocent" | reply
rather staggered at my aunt's extraordinary
idea. 1t was certainly true that he had ap-
peared terribly anxious, that he had sup
pressed his anxiety with conscious effort:
he had the traces of sleepless nights and
strong emotion on his face, but the fate OF a
human being was hanging in the balance,
and natural humanity, quickened by the
sacred nature of his office, was enough, l
thought, to account for unusual feeling.
''pon't tell me-" continued my aunt
''that if she were not a pretty girl there
would be so much fuss in that mans mind
it isn't his business to say who's guilty and
who's not, and to my mind he is very little
fit to do either"
On the afternoon of the day appointed my
aunt and | found ourselves at the "Folly"
We crossed the large central room, or
iginally designed for the pump room, now
used as a young mems institute, and well
supplied with illustrated papers of extreme
n al an 1,nraofa1 MT