The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-06-22

soon suspect myself. i have seen her"
"You howt"
"Only passing glimpse in n close fly;
they were taking her TO W Jail. But
the face / saw was terribly sad, with n
scared look in it, and no wonder, but
no trace of violent passion OF mean
cruelty; il was a delicate, even beautiful
young face, very pure in outline, and very
pale"
.'She was apprehended a little way from
the garden door of the bathhouse, You
sayt''
''Yes, looking 'dazed like the police
man said, l replied Il can understand
his using the expression now that have
seen her"
Nothing further occurred for about n
week, when we received a visit from a
stranger Ny aunt could hardly be per
suaded TO see him, SO certain did she feel
that his visit must be connected with this
disacreeable affair. For my own part !
was anxious 10 hear anything that would
throw light upon il.
If he is said, ''he may perhaps see
the uselessness of mixing rs MP in it.
We had better see him.
We found clergyman, Mr.. Edward
Holdfast, Chaplain of W Jail. a tall,
thin man with worn but kindly face.
"You have come, | hope" said my
aunt, Ito see us free from the disagree
able and, I may say, absurd position in
which we find ourselves. j will not an
swer for the consequence If / am taken
to a stufTy court and made to say all sorts
of things, when J know nothing. My
poor dear husband-"
Quite SO. my dear madam" said Mr..
Holdfast; the evidence il most unSatis-
factory, and propose taking some steps
which may save-nind, only say may
save, in the event of NY experiment prov
ing succesSful-all necessity for a public
trial. Could you maze up your minds to
being present ut 4 private examination of
the witnesses and the prisoner, conducted
on the scene of the-the-at the bath
houses"
Without waiting for The tremulous neg
ative on my aunt's lips, he continued:
81 can elicit nothing rom the prisoner,
but she steadily repeats when questioned,
L know nothing of n French woman
andnothinG of amurder, and once she said,
Send for my father and then-correct-
ing herself hsstily-'Bu mott would
kill him 10 find me here,' So ske refuses
her address. We have advertised, of
course, though she does MT seem to see
the necessity Of accounting for her pres
ence in this neighborhood."
Then" interrupted my amt. ''you
think, as we do, that it is impossible This
poor young lady can be reall! guilty"
But the Rev. Edward HoIdast had not
been Chaplain of a Jail without learning
how TO keep his own counsel.
1T i not for me 10 pronOunc any opin-
ion, butt he continued, II am sure
neither you nor your niece will refuse
what assistance You can renderto lady
of delicate nurture like yourS-les, who,
If innocent, should be spared tn, horrors
of a public trial of this kind >"
We secretly questioned the lerality of
Mr.. Holdfast's inquiry, still mon so its
efficacy. But not daring TO entaIl-le her
self in arguments of legal natue, my
aunt wisely acquiesced, and pronIsed TO
appear on the following day at thebath-
house. This really was very brave her,
all things considered, hut the apptll to
Ler humanity had conquered, ! thought
/ could form no satisfactory coaclt.ion
rs TO Mr. Holdfast's intentions. The lea
of suicide had been fatty contradiee ell
by medical evidence at the Coroner'Sn-
quest; it had been clearly proved imp.-
sible for such cash TO have been inflicted
by the woman herself.
Perhaps Mr.. Holdfast doubted this. an
wanted 10y examination of the place L
prove the contrary; but this could Gel
tainly have been done without our as
siStanse. Did he wish TO watch the effect
hA lif AfEEbT ol lic place on SONS OF EeE
person he suspected? There was some
thing very unpleasant in the thought of
assisting at .uch scheme. Did he hope
that the prisoners unaccountable silence
might he broken, and that, face To face
with the scene, she would continue de-
nial that could not but carry conviction
into the minds of those who would have
to witness against herr But ne, it was
idle To surmise; the determined restraint
and silence. beysnd just what he had
chosen To communicate, formed a COM
plete barrier To his intentions
She must he bailed ont, said my aunt
otherwise no one would allow her to Ap-
pear, and who can have bailed her except
the Chaplain himself,'
| timidly suggested it was hardly
bailing matter.
He seemed fearfully anxious for her
escape: did YOU see how his face worked
and twitched, He was nearly flying ont
NJ me when he thought / wouldn't come
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"
YES, aunt, the chinar'
Don't talk nonsense, Ellice It's my
impression, though you pretend he wasn't
excited, that il he can't hit on u plan of
clearing that young woman he'll elope
with heri He has n pretty woman in
tragic circumstances on his hands, and he
means TO save her somehow; what better
method"
''If he thinks her innocent - replied,
rather staggered at my aunt's extraor-
dinary idea.
Ii was certainly true that he had ap-
peared terribly anxious, that he had sup
pressed his anxiety with conscious effort;
| he baA ha of nj, 4
strong emotion on his face, but the fate
| of human being was hanging in the bal
| ance, and natural humanity, quickened
| by the sacred nature of his Office, were
enough, l thought, to account for unusual
feeling.
Don't tell me- continued my aunt.
| ''that il she were not a pretty girl there
/ would be so much fuss in that man s
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 j found ourselves ut the
Folly" We crossed the large central
! room, originally designed for the pump
room, now used as a young mems insti-
tute, and well supplied with illustrated
papers of extreme antiquity.
1t opened on an unroofed turf inclosure,
intended rs an exercising ground for pa
tients occupied in assimilating the min
eral waters, but it usually served as dry
| ing ground for the attendants" linen.
There was no linen there to-day. however.
Instead were two benches accommodating
the already assembled witnesses, and be
yond was the fatal bathroom. hardly
dared look toward it, SO near was still
the horror of the place.
We took our seats among n mixed as
sembly of gaping farm laborers, one or
two tradesmen, and ladies. There was a
conspicuous absence of any of the gentle
men of the neighborhood.
Did Mr.. Holdfast fear that his proceed
ings might be called in question:, Hardly
any one spoke beyond slight and almost
| inaudible greetings TO their friends The