The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-02-09


her bosom WAS parting witls the wild
Dealings Of her heart: and hurrying
across to her guardian she awakened her
from her sleep.
Mrs. Raymond was by no means heavy
headed, and she very quickly realized
that visitor had arrived and was desir-
Gus Of speaking with her.
BY the time shat Paul Armstrong en-
tered the ROOM, tall, white haired, florid
and kind Of manner. she was fully awake
and received him gracefully.
The lawyer sat down near her.
He was usually quite at his ease, as a
man of the world ought to be, but on this
occasion he was just the reverse.
He took out his capacioSis handkerchief,
wiped his forehead, and, though eager to
tell his news, subsidized into the merest
comnlonplaccs.
''Quite unpleasantly hot walking. he
said, with a sorry apology for a smile.
'.Yes, it must be" said Glare, helping
him on, especially if you are bearer
Of any news which has caused you to
hurry
s.Well. that is just it, you see" said
Paul Armstrong, struggling back into
his professional courage. II am the
bearer of news, and very bad news, and
wish any one else save myself had had
the task Of bringing it here. However,
Guy-M Mr.. L'Estrange-desired it should
be 50, aud his word is law to me"
May looked at him with eyes full of
terror
''Guv asked you to Gomez she said
30, pray. Mr.. Armstrong, do explaini
Suspense is far worse than the truth, be-
lieve me! Tell me, has any accident be-
fallen hin?n
He took her hand and gazed at her
wistful face kindly.
..You must be brave, Miss Fielding, :"
he said, ssfor my news is very bad MIR.
L'Estrange is alive and well, but he is in
sore trouble; he has been arrested-now
calm yourself, Miss Fielding, for all is
bound to come right on charge of at
tempted nurder!'
May uttered gasping cry.
Gould this be true, or was it some hid
eous dream? Guy--her Guy, her be-
trothed husband -arrested on so foul a
charged It seemed impossible.
At first the world seemed swimming
round with her; then, catching sight of
a look on Ciare's face which she had
never seen before--s look of malignant
triumph-she reused herself.
",rell me all, Mr.. Armstrong" she
said, Il will not interrupt you again"
Briefly then he narrated what had
happened in the woods; the claim which
the strange woman had made upon him;
his hurried departure home and the sub
sequent finding of the woman in the
wood. severely wounded
'.But is that alp" asked May, clasping
and unclasping her hands, and looking
at them with wild, stirring eyes. ''Did
he send rue no messageT
'.Ay, that he did, my dear, said Paul
Armstrong placing his hand on her shout
der and bending over her tenderly. HE
babe you be of good cheer, for ali would
be well; That you were to believe him In
nocent Of everything: that he had never
seen the woman before in ali his life, and
that no blow from him had struck her
down. AS long as May thinks me inno-
cent, he said, I can bear up through
ALL"
II think I will go to my room, stam-
mered May, Attempting to rise.
But the effort was too much for her;
as she rose the room seemed to turn
round with her, and she fell insensible
into the lawyers arms
With the aid of Clare and servant,
Mrs. Raymond contrived, after few
moments, to bear the fainting girl to her
own chamber, from which Glare quickly
returned.
"Tllis story has proved terrible
shock to her, Mr.. Armstrong" she said,
''though it is as we'll she heard it as she
did from your lips. She must have
learned the facts tomorrow, and, per-
haps, not In SO delicate way"
The shrewd lawyer, accustomed to
read character, had not passed unno-
ticed the strange looks which had crossed
Clare's face as lie was telling his sad
narrative.
sWhat is your opinion of it all. Miss
Raymond?' he asked abruptly.
She answered by another question.
Are you our family solicitor as well
as DIR. LEstrange's, the one upon whom
he depends to prove his innocenees'
Certainly cried Paul Armstrong
decisively. ~ am his legal adviser, as
was his fathers before him, and shall
move heaven and earth to prove him
innocent Of this foul charge
She gazed at him with strange and
inserutable lo-k.
'sIn that c&se, Mr.. Armstrong" she
said, Il would advise you to leave me
and my opinions out Of the matter alto
gether. Good night"
And with low bow, which seemed to
have spice of mockery in it, she swept
from the room.
The lawyer unused moment ere he
thought of taking his departure.
'That girl knows more than she cares
to confess" he muttered. "Well, well,
it's no use going in for cross examine
tons tonight We viii wait end see how
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