The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-03-08

s'Ihcriminate myselfl Sir, ] do not
understand YOU
"I am sorry TO say, Mr. L'Estrange."
said the constable, still gently, for he re-
spected the master Of the park, and had
had reason TO know his kindness, ''thst
I have q warrant here for your Errest
for the attempted murder OF Ruth Tal-
bot. your wife. The lady states that
you married her some two years ago un-
der that assumed name; that some time
since you left her in London, saying you
would be back sooDi that through acci-
dent she discovered that you had come
hither; that you met her in the woods,
and she implored you to return to her
You broke from her; and then, when
she rushed after you, you struck her
down with one blow of your stick; then,
finding she still lived, you struck her
again and again. She states that it can
all be easily proved; for lady, hearing
her cry, came upon the scene, saw the
last blow, and when she recognized you,
you fed"
Constable Merton was able to make
this long speech without interruption,
for Guy had staggered back, and leaned,
breathless and aghast, against the black
mantelpiece of the hall.
Was he mad2 Certainly that seemed
the easiest explanation Of it all
The world appeared suddenly changed.
"Mr. Merton" he said, after a mo-
ment, ''this false and cruel charge can
and must be disproyed Let not my
aunt know the real cause of my leaving
home. will tell her that it is magis-
terial business"
He rang the bell, and a man servant
appeared with suspicious alacrity.
Porter, said Guy. bring some wine,
and tell Mrs, Godfrey that I am called
over to Deepford on business connected
with the murder in the wood
His aunt, Mrs. Geofrey, came out her
self with the wine.
''Ahl Good evening, Mr. Merton, " she
said; ''tllis is very sad AFFAIR." Must
Mr.. L'Estrange really go tonight
Eyes, ma'arn, it is very important"
said the constable, while readily accept
ing the wine offered; Guy himself drank
off two glasses in feverish haste, "You
see"-
"Oh, it's all right; you needn't ex-
plain" cried the master of the park,
"Good night, aunt; don't sit up for me,
may be very late"
When he reached the place where the
wounded woman lay, she just had time
to repeat her story, to recognize and
identify Guy as her husband and her as
sailaut, and then she tainted Since then
she had not recovered consciousness.
Ill.
On the next day, as others had ex-
pected, May Fielding was too Frustrated
by grief to leave the house.
One of the servants was dispatched to
be present at the magisterial examina-
ton; but long before he returned Mr..
Armstrong rode over on horseback.
He was received in the drawing room
: by Mrs. Raymond and Clare, who seemed
to have quite recovered her usual placid
lty and calm, though she exhibited signs
Of interest as the lawyer entered hur-
riedly.
He glanced anxiously round the room
as he entered.
'Where is Miss Fielding?" he asked
81 trust she is not ill. "
"She is quite Frustrated with grief, 1
ehh eOily y W say, lSphSu Nib ASdJ hlOhu
, anxiously; "but what news do you bring
US, good or bad?"
fWell, it is very much as | anticipat-
ed, except in one particular" said Paul
Armstrong. "There was mere formal
2 examination, for the injured woman
5 quite lost her senses before morning,
= though she declared she could recognize
!, him at once as her husband by some
marks upon his arm. She was too far
gone to say exactly what she meant, but
one of the attendants caught the word
dagger" and there is certainly on his
arm the mark of an anchor and dag
ger very plainly tattooed."
''That may be only a coincidence" 4"
said Mrs. Raymond. "But what does he
say?"
"By my advice he said nothing" said
the lawyer. owe simply plead mot
guilty. declare the charge to be prepos-
$ ferrous, and await the moment when this
woman shall make the full declaration
/ against u.s."
And from sheer force of habit the law
r yer lapsed into the dry business tone he
adopted in speaking to his general list
+ of clients, or when instructing counsel
e 81 have no hopeful message, then, for
5 May% said his hostess, who was anxious
z chiefly on her account, and did not seem
, to dare to face the wistful, yearning eyes
$ without some word of comfort,
"Well, yes" said Paul Armstrong,
with smile. "You can tell her that
: Guy is in excellent spirits; that he treats
the affair with scorn, and is quite pre-
pared to face it in every way. Tell
May he said, as ] left him, that she
must bear up. 1t is only postpone
ment of our happiness. ;"
q He chanced to glance at Glare as he
= spoke. and what he saw there threw a
d new light on the subject; he saw the
:. vengeful gleam of her eyes, the sudden
rush of color to her cheeks, to be sue
ceeded by deadly pallof
I "Oh, the wind sets in that quarter,
I does it?' he said to himself 81 begin to
see daylight now. She knows some
thing, and is going to use her knowledge
as a trump card"
r "Well," he said aloud, as he rose to 90,
s. 'be sure and give my message to Miss
3 Fielding, and tell her on my behalf that
she has every reason to be cheerful.
look upon the whole thing as a trumped
up atfair-a bubble that must soon burst
* when put to the test, l."
II 1T is best not to be over confident, II
said Glare, with glance of meaning in
her dark eyes.
~ mo, we lawyers are never that" said
y Paul Armstrong. "Fear not, Miss Ray.
n mond, Guy L'Estrange shall not suffer
II through that. shall search out every
atom of evidence, for and against. II
you have any TO give, pray let me know
is it at once"
le 81 do not understand you" she said
RISING tfT fancy I baar Nave lalI Cd