Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-02-21
.Ah-,ulck-help me up!' he moaned.

ser cant. rushed into the room.
81 here q isl cried Reuben. "Selze
m. l claim the reward, mind tod you
where you find IN"
John Delaney" said the sarjean', Il
arrest you in the Queens name for The
wilful murder of Captain James Sturgis.
John clancy looked up at him and
smiled.
TOO late too late" he caspcd "Yes,
own to 1t; did it!"- and as he spoke he
clasped Blanche s hand with q significant
pressure.
"Your PROMISE he said. Don't for
get your promise
Then, with a sublime look of love In his
eyes, he sank gently back into her arms
and died.
1t was nearly nine o'clock when George
Atwood returned home, and. as he stepped
GU of the cab in his evenng-clothes, his
flushed face showed that he had been
making night of ii.
Opening the front-doOr, he hurried up
stairs, in order toavoid remarks Fl, IN those
1--WE l-paid spies" the servants, as ho
was fond OF calling them.
He would have Tub, he thought,
and then two or three hours sleep to put
himself STRAIGHT for the day. Walking
into his own room, he shut the door and
! locked It.
Whilst he was making his preparations,
he heard knock, followed by The sound
of Blanche's voice
what do you want?' he ed. "Why
on earth can't you leave fellow alone
"Open the door, George" she replied;
II must speak to on at once.
Throwing open the door with an imprc-
cation, he conf onted her angrly.
'Can man co home TO his own
house without being inya Ell like
this? he claimed. IL have told yoa
before that | will not be watched and
spied upon. | will go and come rs L
please. DO you hear that Now be OF. y
Without needing his rough speech,
Blanche Atwood shut the door behind her
and calmly faced him.
somethng in her glance, something in
her manner caused Him 10 quail, and 4
feeling of terror crept into his heart
lie spoke again-this time in a very
di erent tone.
Don't you see / don't want to be
bothered, Blanche you want 10 speak
to me, do so by-and-by there's good
girl "
George" she said, "this is the last
time shall ever bother you. You must
listen now to what have to say.
The last time! What did she mean?
He suddenly ecame aim ST sober and col
lected, as the foreboding of some great
catas rOphe stole over him. The last time.
What did she know!
She answered his very thoughts.
George / know all.
"All' lie gasped, as every yestige of
y.1,. I1rN 1. l. a 40
her "All what? What do you mean?'
''You know what mean. know what
was locked up in that bag that you lad
forgotten, or thought unlikely to be dis
turted-that bag upon the wardrobe.
As his eyes followed her glance and be-
came fixed upon the object she had men
toned, his face grew liyid.
''Now do you understand me?' she con
tinued. lit was not John Eelancy who
murdered Sturgs, IL was -
"Blanche!" CRED the wretched man, fall
ing upon his knees in al. ect fear. blanche,
you will not"
Get up! Cont groyel there l have
little more TO say 10 you, but you mus
hear me out The evidence of your guilt
Is destroyed. l have destroyed
it - see these b." - and she point
ell to the ashes in the CRATE They are
all burnt, and John / clancy died this
morning, with his last breath dec ar
ing himself to be the murderer. "
John Delaney dead?'
Eyes, she returned, CONTEMPORARY -
dead" and he died with lie upon hi,
lips o save your life
George Atwood covered before her
glance like a whipped cur.
IN half an hour she returned in q
measured tone, II shall lave LETT thi,
house. | take my children with me.
Hereafter we shall be as dead to one
another Your future is in yOIr own
hands. Make what PREPARATION you can
for your past. II the memory OF our
cary married life can soften you, think
of it, George think OF the time when
\ our life was undarkened by the knowl
edge OF your Eeinous crime, and picture
to yourself what our lives might have
been, and what you have made of them
now"
As she moved towards the door he
stretched out his arms as if he longed for
one last embrace.
NO, not that" she cried. motiOnng
him from her DO not touch ne. can
not bear it
The next moment she was gone.
lie sat down, burying his lace IN his
hands, and listened. Luggage was being
taken down the stairs, and the sound OF
cabs driving up to the front door told him
that she was lea ing him 10 ever. Could
it be true? Was this the end for which hu
had bartered his soul? Leaving him
And then there flashed across his mind
the truth that beneath the depths of his
selfish nature there lay great love for
her, which. though he had tried or some
years 70 smO her it, welled up in his heart
at this Moment as strong as il had been
upon the ola they hid been welded.
The children's voices sounded merrily
In the hall be ow, as they prattled o their
nurse. He had been not very fond father
TO them, but. now-Oh, why should this
feeling of love for them suddenly take
possession of him? George Atwood's
punishment was greater than lie could
| bear.
lie heard the hall door shut, and the
cabs drive or. She hal left him, and he
was TO be alone for ever!
Towards nightfall one Of The men
knocked at his masters door Receiving
no answer, he turned the handle. Look
ing quietly in, he saw that Mr.. AtwOO
was lying down upon his bel, so he re-