Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-30

Is II possible that you nave any pity
for HIM" she cried. incredulously.
Yes. that have" jim answered 1T
is no light matter to have murder on your
mind. and he doesn't look as If he found
it So
Ali you don't know him, Nancy cried
L do He Is ike an india rubber ball
while you hold him tight he IS crushed
and quiet. but Cnce release your grip of
him and he is as full of bounce as ever
II he knows that you know. | can well be
lieve that he is humble and abject TO you
That has been his way out OF difficulty and
danger ever since he WAS boy-a baby,
but now that he is out of your sight.
would not mind stalking my very life that
be is flirting with one of the Leslie sirls
at this moment.
Not at this moment" said Jim. sInil-
ing sadly, IF you would be very accurate.
that is-but likely enough he Is thinking
about it."
She flushed up angrily all over her fair
face.
Il can not understand you, she cried
He was your friend, your best friend
and yet you willingly let his assassin go
free-you -
Don you understand that your brother
is sacred to raer' Jim asked. gravely.
For himself. Tor his sake, | would not
have held Ely hand one moment, and he
knows ii Right willingly and chcerfully
would | see Inn hanged o-morrow-nay.
this very day"
Nancy shuddered at the dreadful word,
but she did not attempt to speak, and Jim
went on.
But he Is your brother-that made him
safe from Lle in the first instance; now,
since your father has .own me such trust
and generosity | could not betray him ex-
cept to save my own life. even then it
would be : hard task for me TO be com
pellCd to speak.
And then poor Nancy broke down alto
gether and began to weep bitterly and
passionately. and somehow Jim got his
arms round her again and drew her Lead
down upon his breast, soothing her Us II
she were weary child in distress
There. there, my darling don't cry
So" he nl.rmured AT least let IL, y. t
little while and see what happens, We
are young. and it may only be little
time to wait and if We love one another
always. il will soon go past and it is not
as if we were to be kept apart altogether "
Its SO hard" she sobbed. and are
you TO be under this hideous suspicion
while he tlaunts about as the last of the
Earles: And is my father to put all his
trust and faith in him blindly ard believe
in him stilly Oh! know how good. how
unseltish you are, Jim. TO do this, but it
is a cruel deception Oh an old man-it is.
indeed am sure no good will ever come
of it. And what am | to say if-if-oh,
| mean when they say that you did itE
And people will say 1t. Jim know it -
But their saying it won make it true, !"
he said. quietly And after all, you can
always say that you believe in me, you
know And. Nancy my dear love, doyou
think that shall ever forget that when
all the world might have been justified in
being against me you were my own brave.
loyal hearted darling who believed in me
apart from all the evidence that seemed
to be against me-do you think that |
shall ever forget that! OH my love, my
own darling. how little you realize what
my love for you is if you can think so for
one moment.
And thus Beautiful Jim won the day
conquered in the battle, against his own
interests, against all that would have
made him the happiest man upon Gods
green earth that day. and after a little
while Nancy got over her first burst of
indignation against young ToEuiy. and
became more calm and collected And
then she WAS in measure able to realize
Beautiful Jim 5 real worth, to have some
idea what n brave, true hearted honest
gentleman She had won for her own
But she said suddenly. and in q
stern determined voice there is one
thing. Jim. that you need never ask me
to do, for never will That is, as long
as | live, to acknowledge Stuart as my
br1f bpr Wbpu Vntt -, barL IN Rank
hampton you must tell him that | know
the truth, and that so far as is necessary
to blind my father | will behave to him as
| have always done; but out of my fat her 5
presence he must distinctly understand
that he Is for the future, dead to me. |
have consented - unwillingly as you
know-to help to hide his crime for my
old fathers sake, and for that alone. but
| have not yet sunk SO low as to have any
dealings with criminal So make that
absolutely clear to him, and tell him. too.
that lam bound by no promise of secrecy
and if he in the smallest way prcsumcs
upon the knowledge that we wish 10 keep
it from my father. | shall have neither
hesitation nor conjunction in speaking
out at once"
Very well. I'll make it clear to him, I"
said jim, quietly.
And presently she asked him to tell her
the precise details of the terrible event,
and, after good deal of persuasion, jim
complied and did SO Then, for the first
time. she learned all there was to know
about Rose Mceking the bar maid at the
Ducks Tail. and the part which she had
taken in the tragedy,
n must see her. she said II must do
something FOR her; | wonder what it is
possible | can do? She must be n good
woman, a very good woman. or She would
have used her knowledge to marry him
before this. Anyway, must see her 1t
will not be easy unless she comes To town.
but it mus; BE- managed somehow
1t was not Very long after this that Mr.
Earle returned ..om MS club, if the truth
be told, in 4 very nrasy frame of mind
as to the manner in which Nancy might
have taken his decision lie went into
the room where they still We're together,
and jim got up with sort of apology for
his presence
Il am here still, sir, he said. by way of
excuse. You sec we had a good deal to
talk over. and
AS long as you like as long as you
like, my dear fellow, the old man cried
Il am only very sorry that
Father. broke in Nancy. II want to
say something. have never disobeyed
you in my life, but want you to give me
my way now. | shall never marry any
other man but this laying her hand on