Daily Kennebec journal., 1889-03-29

Continued from yesterday
BEAUTIFUL jim.
By JOHN STRANGE WINTER.
CHAPTER XXI
II LOVE YOGI

~>>&<~
Il LOVE YoCY
II was some Little time before either
Nancy or Beautiful jim could collect their
senses enough TO say o single word. Then
Nancy made remark which fairly took
Jims breath away. acting on him very
much Ike pail Of iced water might do
on a cold and frosty morning
Obi you cont know. I've been nearly
mad. she cried, nearly mad They all
say you have done ii, and then stuar:
wrote -
What did Stuart write?' he demanded
sternly
sae looked at him half frightened and
with doubtful eyes
Ought to tel you? 1t is all over now
and proved to be a mistake.
Il insist upon knowing. he returned.
harshiy
Ia spite OF the anger IN his face. the
sunshine broke out over the girls lovely
eountetanee.
On my dear. don't put that word in
sist between you and me. she said
gently. 1t sounds ugly and it looks
nglier. but it feels the ugliest of all
There is no need Of il, for will tell you
II You wish it, without any insisting
jim was penitent in a moment
Forgive me, my dearest" he said be-
seechlngly 81 have had good deal to
try ne since saw you last and the worst
OF 1t all wes that wasn't sure that you
cared button for me. Ii would all have
been 30 easy II I'd only been sure of
that"
Nancy gave a great sigh, not entirely
doleful one. for a distinct thrill Of salts
faction ran through it.
And was just tine same. As soon as
| heard the awful news that suspicion
had fallen on you-you Of all men in the
world sat down and wrote to tell you
that for one did not and never would
believe it. And =
"l'ou wrote to mef never had the
letter he broke in, impati ntly.
Because never sent it. she answered,
quickly. "I-l-remembered that
wasn't sure whether you cared about NE
or not. and the letter / had written was
rather affectionate and it seemed hypo-
critical to write stilted one, and be
sides couldn't think OF anything to say
in such a one. or what reason to give for
writing at all. AND then Stuart wrote,
and-and he seemed so prejudiced against
you, said everybody believed you had
duue ii, aud that so far as he could see
there could be no doubt at all about it,
and that he was very sorry Id ever met
you, and all that sort of thing you know.
But still 1t wasn't that which made me
not write for didn't believe a word Of
it-not Il word. ."
God bless you for that, my darling"
said poor jim, passionately. But tell
me just what it was that kept your sweet
letter from rac?'
Well, Stuart said-of course, dare
say 1t was only gossip that was floating
about IN the regiment at the time, she
aided, apo!osetically; but he said it was
very well known among the officers that
though you and poor Capt, Owen had
always been great friends. that he had
lately cut you out with one Of your
cousins Of whom you were awfully fond
auil that it was undoubtedly this that was
at the bottom of ii all. aad thought if
you were fond Of her that you wouldn't
care anything about letter from me-"
The Young hound" muttered Jim be-
tween his teeth,
The girl tried to withdraw herself from
the clasp of his jealous arms.
''Jjml' she exclaimed
Forgive me dearest he said soften
i1g Instantly Il forgot for the moment
that young Tommy was your brother
va don't call him stuart in the regiment
You know, he ended. with sad smile
but by the unromanic name Of Tommy;
ana /. is rather n blow TO me to find that
h Of AL the fellows has been the one to
blacEen ne and to you
II dare say it was only what he heard. "
she answered, still clinging to the old
habit OF shielding her boy, though all her
love and 81 mpathy were with Jim.
jim shook his head.
( No. my darling, Tommy knew when he
wrote that 70 you that | was absolutely
innocent and I'm afraid he trumped up
( all the story about my little cousin out Of
his own head and to suit his own ends.
But why? How could he knowg Then
there i, cousin she cried
Yes. have two cousins great friends
Of mine, and poor dear Owen was utterly
gone on one Of them. he answered. II
snould have been enchanted if she had
taken him. but she didn't, or rather be
licye She didn't. for Owen never said o
word to me or | 10 him about it. AS for
her I've never seen her since the wee<
was in London before met you
But how could Stuart knowr" she per
sisted
Beautiful Jim's face turned like stone
He knew that had no hand in it-that
| was absolutely innocent he replied
l'tu ASA ule any uioTs, udTilHk III
subject is too painful to me for you know
old owen was the best friend ! ever haC
in all my afe
For some minutes Nancy stood looking
at him her sweet doves eyes filled with
light such as he had never seen shining ii
their clear depths before
Il believe she SAID slowly. that yot
know who committed that murder
Beautiful Jim returned her searching
gaze vita one as steady and as true. bu
he kept silent
Apparently Nancy took it as an answer
for she made no attempt to press the ques
ton for question it was. though moi
put in the form of one-further; instead
she put anot her and one much more diff
cult for Jim to answer
Does Stuart know alsoP'
The words rang ont clear and sharp, q.
such words might fall from the lips Of al
accusing angel
Jim said nothing and she repeated tn,
question imperiously Then he spoke
Nancy, my dear. If you love me anc
trust me, ask me no more about this mis-
cradle affair, he said imploringly If
keep silence when | know will not you
who trusted me when appearances wer'
dead against me trust me stilly'
1T Is not that do not trust you i'm
plicitly. utterly absolutely she said
gently but If you know anything ant
are shielding guilty person. let me bel
Of you, for your own sake. for mine. t.
hide nothing Jim. my dear do you real
ize that you are not safe yourself SO lone
as This crime remains unpunishedF Al
any moment matters might take fresl
turn against you and you might be
hanged "
Jim shook his beg and smiled at hel
fears
No, could always speak"
And you wouldr' eagerly.
In that case-yes
Then let me beg and pray of you t.
speak now. she cried earnestly Jim
believe me. it can do no good to shield til,
guilty 1t is kind Of you-but in such {
case silence, even from the kindest mo