Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-25
CHAPTER xXIK.


 name of ''James Woodfall,' gave cry that startled them all. Shaken as my trust in MT. Rayncr had already been. the shock seemed in a moment to change the aspect of the whole world to me. My wild wandering eyes fell upon Mrs. Rayner, who sat with her hands tightly clasped and head bent. listening to the proclamation of inc secret which had weighed her down for years.
 1 sunk down upon the floor beside her, and she put hex thin wasted arms round my neck and kissed me without word. And the three men quietly left the room.
 ''Oh. Mrs. Rayncr," whispered, ''it is terrible for you!'
 Not So terrible to me-" she whis- percd back. wearily. II have known it for years-almost ever since l mar ried him. But don't talk about it any round the room. .,He may be in the house at this moment; and they might search and watch for months, but they would never catch him. But he will make us sutfcr-me-a and you, too, now. You were so unsuspicious, yet it must have been you who set Laurence Readc upon the track"
 Not of Mir. kayner. Oh, 1 never thought of such thingH' whispered, shuddering.
 And I told her all about my sus- picions ot Tom Parkes, my visit to the hall, my letter to Laurence and all ! said in if
 ,:Air. keade has shown energy and courag,,' said she. But he will suf- fer for it, too. You don't Know that man yet. He will never let Laurence marry you. Even if he were in prS;on, he would manage to prevent it"
 Laurence then came in and told us they had failed to capture Gordon or any of the others, He would return with tho eenstables and sleep at the hall but Maynard and two officers would remain at the Alders to keep watch. Then he said, very gently. to Mrs. Rayncr:
 Twill you forgive me for the blow ] have innocently brought on you?"
 "It is no blow to Eae.' said sha, rais. ing her sad eyes to his face. "That man-my Ausband-would have got rid of me long ago, but that he hated violence and dreaded 1t. Every thing short of that he has tried" she whis pered; ''and it is not my fault that my wretched life has fingered in spite o him."
 Laurence ground his teeth.
 "The wrctchI" he said, ip q low voice. ..:.Bnt he shall pay for it now . I'll ransack the whole world till WI have uaearthed h.m." "You will never do that" said she calmly. He darcs too much for that He is no coward to lie in a corner, , she went on. with a sort of pervers' pride in tho man for whom every sparl ! aflovetwa long since dead. "He vii braye you to your faces and escape yo, alL But you have done your best You are brave man. MT. Rcade. To, would help me If you could. Good , night.
 She shook hands with him and lei f the room. He turned to me quickly. : :You must both leave this place, :, said ha. "The long-continued suffer ing has almost turned that poor lady brain, But she Is safe from that viii i wretch now; and you, too, oh, my dar , ling. thank Heaven!"
 There was a tap at the door, an, the voice of the elder detective said: , "Are you ready, sir?' 5 "All right" said l4aut, uce; and thel : added, ip yoieS for mo only: "Ir not ready t bit. Ishould like to sta :, and comfort you forever. Take car , of your poor little wounded arm I Goodnight, good-nighs, my darling! , awoke next morning feeling ill an ' arose with a kot, aching head and wit