Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-01-17

card, with the information that the lady
was not at home, he was not surprised
or disconnected.
elf that MEANS" he said to the ser.
want, THAT Miss Ashgrove is DENYING
herself to visitors this afternoon, please
say to the lady that Mr.. Holbrook calls
upon business of the utmost Importance
and Of unusual interest to her."
The servant went away a second time,
leaving him seated in the reception room,
and returned to say that the lady would
see him in a few moments.
He did not wait long, for Flora, still
in morning toilet, followed the servant
closely. She was cold and naughty in
the extreme, but none the less wearied
and anxious.
She saluted Mr.. Holbrook, and with
out waiting for a return, she said to the
servant:
II am not at home to any other callers,
no matter who they may be-"
She closed the door after her. and sat
down in such n position that the light
was upon Holbrook's face, while her
own was in the shadow. She waited for
Holbrook to speak, turning upon him
with polite look of inquiry.
Her manner conveyed that the call was
to be regarded as one purely of business.
Holbrook felt it, and was stung by her
manner. Upon her part she felt that the
blow she dreaded SO much was about TO
fall.
Holbrook accepted the situation, feel
ing that in the end he must win.
Il beg you will excuse my urgency"
he began, "but necessity knows no law
of etiquette or custom. The last time |
had the honor of calling upon you, the
conversation was wholly, if my memory
serves me, upon the then recent muir
der of Mr.. Templeton. 1 desire to renew
it,"
Flora visibly paled under this exor-
dunn. She replied:
1.-The subject is not an agreeable one,
but suppose you have purpose in re-
newing it,
81 have, and also a confession to
make"
"a confession" she repeated in sur
prise"
"Nes, confession. From your man
ner and from your words at that time,
and subsequently from your manner at
the Casino, where l met you some DAYS
afterwards, arrived at the conclusion
that you suspected Mr.. Fountain of hay
ing committed the murder"
The dreaded blow has fallen" she
thought, as she gasped out, her face
ghastly white, "but you did not know
him; he told me So"
81 learned who he was that night at
the Casino, he replied calmly.
Il feared So" she said, with a low
moan. And yet he went to you the
next morning. Fool, fool, fool, that he
was.'
That conclusion" continued Hol-
brook, conscious he was torturing her as
a cat does a mouse, twas strengthened
by the report of an interview between
yourself and Mr.. Fountain on the veran-
da Of your uncle's house at Newport
She spfang to her feet, nerved by the
strong tide of anger and contempt that
swept over her.
"And were you low enough. base
enough, to spy upon US, or to place a
spy upon us;'
Holbrooll was struck with her great
beauty as she stood before him, burning
with scorn, and he admired her.
"No, Miss Ashgrove," he replied, quiet
~, "you wrong me. You are mistaken
in both conjectures. l neither spied on
you nor placed one on you. The report
came to me in my professional capacity,
after it was all over, and without my
knowledge that Mr.. Fountain was being
followed and watched. This, l say, con
firmed the suspicious and strengthened
my conclusions, but l desire to say tc
you now that both of US have beer
wrong. hasten to inform you that Mr.
Fountain did not commit the deed"
did not" The revulsion of feeling
was too great. She sank back in heI
chair and for a moment HolbrooI
thought she would swoon.
He started up hastily to go to her as
sistance, but she waved him back, anC
after supreme effort regained contro
of herself.
"HOw-he is Innocent"
'Yes. innocent. He was not within {
hundred miles of Union square wher
the deed was done"
"And why do you come to me with al
this?"
Having repossessed herself, she tool
refuge in haughtiness, while her manner
was an assumption of extreme indiffer
enCe.
one made iIolproOk angry, ana II wa
with difficulty he could control himself
you will pardon me, Miss Ashgrove
hope, if | remark triat your tone anC
manner are particularly offensive to me
and neither wise nor just. 1t is far from
my purpose to descend SO low as t
threaten a lady, but prudence should
suggest to you that it is not wise to shoy
such contempt, whatever you may feel
toward a man who is in possession o
such knowledge as you know [ am
And pray, what may that be-
"That you love the man Fountain wit
a strong, powerful love-a love whicI
eXcites my respect and admiration; tina
the object of that love is a man VIII
bears name by sutferance only, not b.
ripht, and that ayat, " hon uoI, haliavp