Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-24

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bS IxS%% EIH the servant re-
~ Wy turned after he
had presented his
card, with the information that the lady
was not at home, he was not surprised
or disconnected.
eff that MEANS" he said to the SER
want, THAT Miss Ashgrove is denying
herself to visitors this afternoon, please
say to the lady that Mr.. Holbrook calls
upon business of the utmost importance
and of unusual interest to her."
The servant went away a second time,
leaving him seated in the reception room,
and returned to say that the lady would
see him in few moments.
He did not wait long, for Flora, still
in morning toilet, followed the servant
closely. She was cold and naughty in
the extreme, but none the less wearied
and anxious.
She saluted Mr.. Holbrook, and with
out waiting for a return, she said to the
servant:
II am not at home to any other callers,
no matter who they may be-"
She closed the door after her, and sat
down in such a position that the light
was upon HolbroOk's face, while her
own was in the shadow. She waited for
Holbrook to speak, turning upon him
with a polite look of inquiry.
Her manner conveyed that the call was
to be regarded as one purely of business.
Holbrook Felt it, and was stung by her
manner. Upon her part she felt that the
blow she dreaded so much was about to
fall.
Holbrook accepted the situation, feel
ing that in the end he must win.
81 beg you will excuse my urgency"
he began, "but necessity knows no law
Of etiquette or custom. The last time
had the honor of calling upon you, the
conversation was wholly, if my memory
serves me, upon the then recent muir
der of Mr.. Templeton. 1 desire to renew
it."
Flora visibly paled under this exor-
dunn. She replied:
1.-The subject is not an agreeable one,
but l suppose you have purpose in re-
newing it.
81 have, and also a confession to
make"
"a confession" she repeated in sur
prise"
Eyes, a confession. From your man
ner and from your words at that time,
and subsequently from your manner at
the Casino, where met you some DAYS
afterwards, arrived at the conclusion
that you suspected Mr.. Fountain of hav-
ing committed the murder"
The dreaded blow has fallen" she
thought, as she gasped out, her face
CHASTITY white, "but you did not know
him; he told me So"
Il learned who he was that night at
the Casino" he replied calmly.
Il feared So" she said, with a low
moan. And yet he went to you the
next morning. Fool, fool, fool, that he
was."
That conclusion" continued Hol-
brook, conscious he was torturing her as
a cat does a mouse, twas strengthened
by the report of an interview between
yourself and Mr.. Fountain on the veran-
da of your uncle's house at Newport"
She sprang to her feet, nerved by tho
strong tide of anger and contempt that
swept over her.
And were you low enough, base
enough. to spy upon us, or to place a
spy upon u.s."
Holbrook was struck with her great
beauty as she stood before him, burning
with scorn, and he admired her.
mo, Miss Ashgrove," he replied, quiet
~, you wrong me. You are mistaken
in both conjectures. neither spied on
you nor placed one on you. The report
came to me in my professional capacity,
after it was all over, and without my
knowledge that Mr.. Fountain was being
followed and watched. This, say, con-
firmed the suspicious and strengthened
my conclusions, but desire to say to
you now that both of us have been
wrong. / hasten to inform you that Mr..
Fountain did not commit the deed"
Ibid not!' The revulsion of feeling
was too great. She sank back in her
chair. and for a moment Holbrook
! thought she would swoon-
He started up hastily to go to her as
sistance, but she waved him back. and
after supreme effort regained control
of herself.
"How-he is Innocent"
"Yes. innocent He was not within a
hundred miles Of Union square when
| the deed was done"
"And why do you come to me with all
this?''
Having repossessed herself. she took
refuge in hsughtiness. while her manner
was an assumption of extreme indiffer.
e made Holbrook angry, and 1t was
with difficulty he could control himself.
"You will pardon me, Miss Ashgrove,
hope, if / remark that your tone and
manner are particularly offensive to me,
and neither wise nor just 1t is far from
my purpose to descend SO low as to
threaten lady, but prudence should