Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-28

the garden door of the bath-housc, you
say."
Eyes. looking 'dazed like the policeman
said,' | replied. II can understand his
! using the expression now that l have seen
| her."
| Nothing further occurred for about a
| week, when we received visit from a
stranger. My aunt could hardly be per-
suadcd 70 see him. 50 certain did she feel
| that his visit must be connected with this
| disagrecabIe affair For my own part was
anxious to hear any thing that would throw
| light upon il. IF he is said, she may,
perhaps, see the uselessness of mixing US
up in it. We had better see him"
We found clergyman. Mr. Edward Hold
| fast. chaplain of W Jail, tall, thin man
with a worn bat kindly face.
"You have come, hope" said my aunt,
Ito set Us free from the disagreeable and, l
may say, absurd position in which we find
ourselves. l will not answer for the conse-
quence if / am taken to stufy court and
made to say all sorts of things, when l
know nothing. Ny 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. only say may save, in
the event of nv experiment proving success
ful-all necessity for 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 house!' Without waiting
for the tremulous negative on my aunt's
lips. he continued. ''Ican elicit nothing from
the prisoner, but she steadily repeats when
questioned. Il know nothing of a French
woman and nothing of murder and once
she said: Send for my father and then
correcting herself hastily-'BIt no-itwOuld
kill him to find me hercr 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, 'syOu 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
1T is not tor me to pronounce any opin-
ion, but" he continued, Il am sure neither
you nor your niece will refuse what assist
ance you can render to u 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 ac-
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, l 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 a cash to have
been inflicted by the woman herself Per-
haps Mr. Holdfast doubted this, and wanted
by examinatiorof 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 suspected! 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 her: But no. it was idle to
the determined restraint and ST.
lence, beyond just what he had chosen to
formed 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 himselfr'
L tinidly 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 l wouldn't come 1 |
was too frightened to say no. that was the |
fact; not frightened, of course but it is
to have gentlemen getting into |
RACES in ones own drawing room"
Yes, aunt, the china'
Don't talk nonsense. Ellice. It's nv i'm |
preston, though you pretend he wasn't ex- |
,ited, 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 |
ler somehow; what better method"
''If he thinks her innocent" | reply, |
-ather staggered at my aunt's extraordinary |
dea. II was certainly true that he had an |
,eared 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,
Ind natural humanity, quickened by the
acred nature of his Office. was enough, l |
bought, to account for unusual feeling.
Don't tell me-" continued my aunt.
hat no MI ri |
would be so much fuss in that mans mind;
t isn't his business to say who's guilty and
Who's not, and to my mind he is very little
it to do either"
On the afternoon of the day appointed my
unit and found ourselves at the Folly"
We crossed the large central room, or
ginaily designed for the pump room now
sed as a young mems institute, and we'll
applied with illustrated papers of extreme
ntiquity. 1t opened on an unroofed turf
nclosure, intended as an exercising ground
or patients occupied in assimilating the
mineral waters, but it usually served as
rying ground for the ''attendaut's' linen.
here was no linen there to-day however.
instead were two benches accommodating
he already assembled witnesses, and beyond
Tas the fatal bathroom. [ hardly dared
)ok toward IL, so near was still the horror
( the place. We took our seats among
liked assembly of gaping farm laborers, one
+ two tradesmen, and ladies. There was a
onspicuous absence of any of the gentlemen
+ the neighborhoOd. Did Mr.. Holdfast fear
hat his proceedings might be called in
uestion! Hardly any one spoke beyond
light and almost inaudi6le greetings to
heir friends. The clergyman stood near
he entrance of the Enclosure, leaning against
he palisade; he bowed his thanks fcr their
tendance to those who came in. He looked
lore worn than ever in the glare OF day