The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-09-13
"What do you mean ?"

y
BE seated, and will satisfy your
curiosity in short order. But under
stand me, / should not have DESTROYED
your faith in her had you not compel
led me-"
the young artist sank into the chair at
which Boyden pointed, while that gem
tleman resumed his seat beside the
table.
Proceed" murmured Arnim, in a
scarcely audible tone
Know, then, that Grace Garland
murdered my uncle, Orrin Clifford, in
England three woeks ago, that she was
heeing from justice when you met her
on board the ill-fated Oregon -"
It was a fearful blow, one Of those
shocks from which suffering humanity
rarely recovers.
Rupert Arnim showed the effect of
the lying words simply in Ills attitude,
for he was speechiess. He seemed to
shrin = within himself like adcfieate
flower that Is blighted by the scorchinp
lightning; he held his peace even
while Boyden continued, mercilessly:
"Graee Garland wears the curse ~
Cain upon, her brow. The police of
this country are upon her trail. 1t is
but q question of time when she will
be called upon to atone for her crime
upon the scaffold"
"My God! Oh, Gracel Gracel"
He buried his face in his hands. and
his fearless emotion seemed to rend his
bent form. Even his agonized cry
sounded like petition for mercy to
the throne on high. ooh, Grace.
GraceW 1t was the despairing wall of
q soul in anguish.
Boyden looked upon his work, and
gloated in his nefarious triumph. Sud
denly Arnim raised his haggard face,
and demanded, huskily:
Have You proofs of what you say2"
"Irrefutable proofs!"
But she swore to me, that though
the shadow of crime had rested upon
her, she was innocent"
Max Boxden smiled ias9bRHf-arrte'rn aes9bH are he
said. "Why, look mt it! Here is n girl
whose hands are stained with Innocent
blood; she successfully evades Justice;
is loved by an upright man, and loves
him in return. Perhaps in her repent
ance she foretastes a life of comfort
and secure affection. She is clever
enough to see that there is some secret
in her past, and she admits that there
is, stating that she is n victim; but will
she tell the man who loves her that,
with those hands that rest in his, she
has atrangled the breath in the throat
of the man to whom she owes all that
she is That she"
ooh, hush, hush! can bear no
more!"
Arnim had sprung to his feet and
was blindly pacing the room to and
fro.
II have said enough, went On the
pitiless rascal "You see for yourself,
that while she is in her senses, she is
her future TO Ha@ H@SznIf oan taS asRRnesS S Of
called upon her last evening, why / in
missed my appointed with
you, OF rather, why ! directed you to
come here, that the coast might be
clear for me to go to your honse."
He paused an instant, and Arnim
halted abruptly, fixing pair of eager,
questioning eyes upon the speaker.
81 went to Grace Garland" said the
varlet, ain your behalf"
"Mine!"
ayes; 1 saw how things were going,
and l made up my mind that, under
the circumstances / could afford to be
magnanimous. / sought the girl,
and begged her, by her love for you,
to nndcccivc you, to tell you the
truth"
"And shc---"
"Flatly refused. then changed my
tactics. / warned her that the po-
lice were aware of her whereabouts,
that within twcnty-four hours she
would DO lodged in the Tombs, unless
she escaped"
well, well ?"
II informed her that so far as was
concerned, she was free to piakc her
escape that night; indeed, l urged her
to go for your sake"
You did this for 20"
Certainly! Would you not have
done so for any honest man?"
For the first time n all that agoniz-
ing interview, the scalding tears sprang
to Rupert Arnim's' eyes.